BSJ Game Report: Bruins 3, Red Wings 2 - Boston comes back to reach 50 wins

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, with BSJ insight and analysis…

BOX SCORE 

HEADLINES

Fourth line lifts Bruins in comeback win: Garnet Hathaway scored the go-ahead goal with 6:06 remaining in regulation in the Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden on Saturday.

Hathaway made a quick move at the left post to tuck the rebound from A.J. Greer’s shot off the rush. 

Hampus Lindholm and Patrice Bergeron also scored for Boston (50-9-5), who became the fastest team to reach 50 wins in NHL history, doing so in 64 games. Linus Ullmark made 29 saves.

Andrew Copp and Alex Chiasson scored for Detroit (29-26-9), who have lost seven of eight, and Magnus Hellberg made 36 saves.

Copp opened the scoring just 1:36 in with a shorthanded goal. He picked off a pass from David Krejci at the blueline before keeping it on the ensuing 2-on-1 and beating Ullmark over the blocker.

Chiasson made it 2-0 just 2:56 later on the power play, finding open space at the far post and redirecting David Perron’s pass.

Boston responded through the end of the first period and into the second period, finally breaking through when Lindholm scored with 7:17 left to cut it to 2-1 as his shot had eyes through traffic. Pavel Zacha worked the forecheck along the half-wall, while Trent Frederic and Charlie Coyle were in good positions to provide support, eventually working the puck back to Lindholm

Bergeron tied it, 2-2, less than two minutes later when he redirected Jake DeBrusk’s pass in the slot on the power play. Dylan Larkin nearly restored Detroit’s two-goal lead, but the goal was waved off as he slashed Krejci before the shot. 

The Bruins out-attempted the Red Wings 36-5 in the second period, and outshot them 18-2. 

THREE UP

The fourth line: The unit of A.J. Greer-Tomas Nosek-Garnet Hathaway was far and away Boston’s best line on the afternoon. The trio dragged the Bruins into the fight with strong forechecking pressure and offensive zone time. They led the B’s with a Corsi-for of 65 percent as a line and got rewarded with Hathaway’s goal.

Tyler Bertuzzi: Bertuzzi was one of Boston’s most effective forwards from start to finish as the B’s held a 20-8 share (68.97 percent) of 5-on-5 shot attempts when he was on the ice. He looked the part alongside Krejci and David Pastrnak, showcasing his underrated ability as a playmaker.

Linus Ullmark: Ullmark recovered nicely from the two early goals, standing tall the rest of the way for Boston. He turned aside all 14 shots he faced in the third period while preserving the tie and then the lead. Ullmark also denied each of the seven high-danger shots he faced at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick. 

TWO DOWN

Special teams: The power play picked it up as the game went on, eventually scoring, but it was a rough start for both the man advantage and the penalty kill. Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo lost track of Chiasson on his power-play goal, and the power play was lackadaisical with the puck early on, most notably when Krejci forced a pass at the blue line, which Copp picked off before scoring. 

Starting on time: Slow starts have become a concerning trend for the Bruins, whether it was against Calgary, the Rangers, the Oilers and now the Red Wings. In all four of those games, the Bruins managed to either outscore their problems and, aside from Thursday’s loss to the Oilers, find a way to come away with a win. The Red Wings outshot Boston, 13-5, through the opening 10 minutes.

PLAY OF THE GAME

What a save by Ullmark on Chiasson right in front to deny a would-be go-ahead goal for Detroit in the third. 

LOOSE PUCKS

If you’re looking for a quick summation of the first period, Matt Grzelcyk’s stick disintegrating in his hands encapsulates it. 

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins are right back at it in Detroit tomorrow. Puck-drop is set for 1:30 p.m. ET against the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.