Final: Bruins 5, Senators 1

The Boston Bruins (20-10-5, 47 points) returned from their three-day Christmas break and defeated the Ottawa Senators (11-16-8, 30 points) 5-1 Wednesday night at TD Garden. The Bruins are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, including a five-game winning streak.

Riley Nash scored two goals and added an assist, while Danton Heinen, Kevan Miller and David Backes contributed a goal each. Tuukka Rask finished with 25 saves and has earned points in his last 10 starts with a 9-0-1 record.

This was the first meeting between the two teams since the Senators ousted the Bruins in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring.



Here are the Bruins' game day notes. 

Observations from third period

• David Backes makes it 5-1 Bruins.


• Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork are finding chemistry.


• With a three-goal lead, Bruins are focused on defense this period. A few icings that Bruce Cassidy probably has no issues with.

• Riley Nash scores his second of the game to give the Bruins a 4-1 lead, but it was the all-out effort by Bjork that set up that goal.


• Brandon Carlo is playing well and communicating. Can hear him calling for the puck from six stories off the ice.


• Nash just outworked Erik Karlsson to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead. Wow. That's a rare occurrence to beat the Senators captain in that manner.


• Noel Acciari back for the second period after being on the receiving end of a nasty hit to the head (see below).

• Acciari exits the ice after being on the receiving end of an open-ice hit to the head by the Senators' Fredrik Claesson. Bruins teammate Tim Schaller jumps in and drops the gloves in a spirited bout. Acciari goes to the room. Claesson gets five for check to the head, five for fighting and a game misconduct. He should receive supplemental discipline for that hit.


• Instead of a chip-and-chase, Ryan Spooner beats a defender wide and threads a pass to Danton Heinen, who finishes to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.


• Kevan Miller with a blast to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. That was his first goal of the season and first in a span of 36 games.


• Brandon Carlo with a couple of effective rushes out of his own end. That's a good sign to start this game.