BSJ Game Report: Bruins 2, Penguins 1 - DeBrusk scores twice in the 3rd

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Penguins, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Well, that was predictable: If you've watched this Bruins team this season, especially of late, they've started to be prone to slow starts, and Monday was no exception. The Bruins kind of slept-walked through the first period with some untimely turnovers, yet Linus Ullmark was always there to bail them out — as usual. The second period was a little better, not much, and the Bruins saw the Penguins take the lead at 8:40 when Kasperi Kapanen took a Danton Heinen feed after Connor Clifton couldn't dig the puck out behind his own net. After that, though, the Bruins woke up, had sustained pressure and Jake DeBrusk finally broke through at 7:46 on a sweet wrap-around move off a nice feed from Brad Marchand. Penguins answered but Ullmark was a brick wall. DeBrusk sent the almost 40,000 in attendance into a frenzy with a goal at 17:36. You don't get to 29-4-4 for nothing.

Boston is 8-0-3 in its last 11 games. Because the Bruins were the “home” team, they improved their home record to 19-0-3 this season.

DeBrusk continues sensational start: DeBrusk picked up his 15th and 16th goals of the season. He's on his way to be a 30-goal scorer for the first time in his career. He has five goals in his past six games. DeBrusk posted the 19th multi-goal game in outdoor game history and second by a Bruins player, following David Pastrnak’s hat trick in the 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe.

John Henry booed by home fans: Henry's Fenway Sports Group purchased the Penguins last year, so he had his team ... playing in the park inhabited by his main team, the struggling Red Sox. Boston fans stayed true to themselves and during pregame when Henry made an appearance, he was booed by some of those fans. Never change.

Penguins lose starting goalie Tristan Jarry: You would have thought the Patriots were playing in this game the way Jarry left the game after making eight saves in with 4:30 remaining in the first period, and gave way to backup Casey DeSmith the rest of the way. DeSmith (19) and Jarry combined for 27 saves as Pittsburgh lost its fifth-straight game. Jarry left because of a lower-body injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game. The emergency goalie was readying in the third base dugout in case he was needed.

Penguins defenseman Kris Letang missed the game due to the death of his father in Canada.

THREE UP

Jake DeBrusk: This is a bit obvious, I would think. He even hit a post as well. Had five shots.

Taylor Hall: Matched DeBrusk's five shots to lead the team and had the primary helper on the game-winner.

Linus Ullmark: The Bruins left him hung out to dry at times and he was tremendous throughout, including putting aside from Grade-A opportunities in the first two periods. Ullmark also had a make a big save very late in the game before Evgeni Malkin potted the game-tying goal — after the final horn had sounded. He stopped 26 of 27 shots total.

TWO DOWN

Brandon Carlo: He continued his rough play with a few turnovers and -6 net shots when he was on the ice.

Pavel Zacha: Had a bit of a rough go with the entire second line, which led coach Jim Montgomery to make some changes in the third period. Had the lowest Goal For Expected (0.11) on the team.

PLAY OF THE GAME

LOOSE PUCKS

• Bruins legend and Hall of Famer Bobby Orr participated in the ceremonial "first puck pitch." Orr took a shot, sliding it to former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.
• The Boston Pops were the in-house band during the game and while we all had to suffer through a Sweet Caroline sing-along, they had tremendous renditions of Bohemian Rhapsody, Shipping Up To Boston and after the final horn, Dirty Water.
• Bruins’ home anthem singer Todd Angilly led the crowd in “Take me out to the Hockey Game” midway into the third period.
• Bell Biv Devoe sang the anthem in front of the Pops.

ONE TAKE BEDARD WILL PROBABLY WANT TO HAVE BACK

It feels like the Bruins are toying with us at this point: I mean, how times are we going to have to see the same movie again? The Bruins seem to get off to slow starts all the time now, and it doesn't hurt them at all. They just turn it on at some point, and leave the opponent in the dust. Maybe they feel the need to challenge themselves. They are a wagon at this point and no deficit seems too large, even against the better teams. It feels like they are on cruise control at this point.

LOOKING AHEAD

Bruins embark on a three-game West Coast trip starting Thursday at the Kings in LA with a 10:30 p.m. puck drop.