Final: Bruins 6, Coyotes 1 -- Backes scores two goals en route to victory

David Backes scored his first two goals of the season to lead the Boston Bruins to a 6-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes Thursday night at TD Garden.

As expected, forward Jake DeBrusk returned to the lineup tonight. He played on the line with David Krejci and Anders Bjork.



In order to activate DeBrusk, Bruins made a corresponding roster move and placed forward Ryan Spooner on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. The Bruins don't have to send a player to Providence and risk losing him through waivers.

Torey Krug, who took a maintenance day on Wednesday, was in the lineup tonight.

Tuukka Rask finished with 20 saves.

Observations from the third period

•  Anders Bjork scores to give Boston a 6-1 lead.


•  Danton Heinen with the goal, a nice second effort, to give the Bruins a 5-1 lead with 2:04 remaining in regulation.


•  Bruins got away with one there. Looked like Brandon Carlo had his hand on the puck in the crease.


• TV timeout thought: I can't imagine doing anything after having 10 inches removed from my colon, never mind play in an NHL game.


• Bruins capitalize on the two-man advantage for a 4-1 lead. Krejci with the power-play goal. Postgame I'll analyze a passing play the Bruins do in practice that has resulted in two of their goals tonight.


• Brad Marchand draws a penalty so Bruins 5-on-3 for 1:27.


• Bruins start with 1:57 remaining on a power play.

• David Backes with his second goal of the game to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead with 53.9 seconds remaining in the period.


• Wondering if David Pastrnak takes too big of a windup on his one-timers. I'll have to ask him.


• Matt Grzelcyk is doing it all tonight. Just drew an interference penalty.


• TV timeout thought: Heinen is here to stay. He's developing into an impact player.


• Backes with his first goal of the season to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead. Great play by Heinen.


• Krug has the awareness on that broken play to pick up F1 and it was the smart choice as he breaks up a potential scoring chance.


• TV timeout thought: Not sure I'm going to make it to the second intermission to use the boy's room. Be right back, folks.


• Cassidy must be telling these guys to settle down.


• Bruins are all over the place this period.


• TV timeout thought: Please, tell people when they have something stuck in their teeth, especially lettuce.


•  Brandon Carlo is so inconsistent with his puck management tonight.


•  I have no problem with that icing by the Bruins right there. Smart move under sustained pressure.


• That was an outstanding play by Grzelcyk all-around. Pinched offensively to keep the puck in and quickly got back into defensive position and then stifled a possible strong opportunity at the other end of the ice. Kept his feet moving the entire time.


• Bjork back on Krejci's line.


• Carlo with two aggressive clears to start the period. Good way to respond after his last turnover resulted in a goal.


• Bruins can't sit back against this team. Boston needs another fast start to this period.

• Carlo with a lazy clearing attempt and the turnover results in the game-tying goal.


• Anders Bjork now playing the right side with Sean Kuraly and Tim Schaller. Noel Acciari playing the right side with Krejci.


•  TV timeout thought: Don't have one. Next time will be stellar.


•  Rask has been a lot more aggressive going behind the net to stop the puck on wrap-arounds. Normally he just lets it go. Tim Thomas once told him to stay in the net because the puck tends to take funny bounces here.


•  TV timeout thought: Andrew Raycroft had an unbelievable season in 2003-04 and won the Calder Trophy, but I would've voted for Patrice Bergeron. Raycroft is in attendance tonight.


•  From six stories off the ice, it looks like Krug is using a toothpick for a stick. Meanwhile, Zdeno Chara's stick keeps hitting me in the face.


• Bjork is still learning he needs to get rid of the puck quicker. In that case, under pressure with no options just get it deep or on net.


• TV timeout thought: Just started watching "Stranger Things" and so far I like it. It's a stretch, but I've always been a fan of Winona Ryder.


•  Speaking of Wedgewood, there used to be a great bar in Providence, the Wedgewood Tavern. Ok, back to hockey.


•  That's interesting: Normally Pastrnak doesn't attempt 5-hole on breakaways. Did so on that attempt but Scott Wedgewood made the stop.


•  Carlo is playing with a lot more confidence when the puck is on his stick.


•  Bad icing by Heinen. He needs to be more aware on that play. One more stride and he would have easily gained the red line.


•  I've said it before: when Acciari crushes an opponent against the boards it makes a distinct sound. Man, he's a heavy hitter.


•  That opening faceoff win by the Bruins is a perfect example why starting with the puck is so important for a team's success.


• That didn't take long as Bruins score 15 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead. Brad Marchand finishes off a sick pass by Pastrnak. That puck was threaded like it came from Betsy Ross.


• Pastrnak has earned points in six straight games. He has four goals and three assists during that span. Can he continue that streak tonight? He had one of his better games of the season against the Coyotes earlier this season in Arizona.