The visiting Boston Bruins scored twice in a 3:20 span in the third period to turn around a one-goal deficit en route to a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings in a crucial matchup between Atlantic Division rivals on Saturday night.
Nikita Zadorov scored the eventual game-winner with 10:18 remaining to lift Boston (39-23-8, 86 points), which improved to 3-0-2 in its last five.
David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm each registered a goal and an assist, Marat Khusnutdinov also scored, Morgan Geekie had three assists and Charlie McAvoy two.
Jeremy Swayman backstopped the victory, making 41 saves.
Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat lit the lamp and John Gibson made 23 saves for Detroit (38-24-8, 84 points), which had been on a 2-0-1 run.
The teams entered Saturday’s game in a tie for the two Eastern Conference wild-card playoff positions, while the Montreal Canadiens held the No. 3 slot in the division by virtue of a better points percentage.
Lindholm netted the game-tying goal for 2-2 at 6:22 of the third period. After Mason Lohrei kept the puck in at the blue line, Geekie fired a cross-ice pass to Lindholm to slot home five-hole on Gibson from the bottom of the left circle.
Aided by another Geekie pass, Zadorov’s winner followed on an off-angle wrister coming down the left wing.
Gibson kick-saved Lukas Reichel’s penalty shot with 6:08 left in regulation to give Detroit some life, but Swayman stood tall in the final minutes and Khusnutdinov scored an empty-netter with 1:52 to go to preserve the win.
Detroit was held without a shot for more than 12 minutes to begin the game, but finished at 10-10 advantage following a scoreless first period. J.T. Compher narrowly missed making it a 1-0 lead before intermission, as his rebound bid slid past Swayman just after the final tenth of a second expired off the clock before intermission.
The hosts officially drew first blood 3:35 into the middle frame. Raymond cashed in on another man-up sequence, burying a one-time goal from the bottom of the left circle off Andrew Copp’s cross-ice feed.
Pastrnak responded with a game-tying, power-play goal at 5:07. The star winger blasted a one-timer from the left side after receiving McAvoy’s feed from the top of the formation.
DeBrincat put the Wings back in front at 4:06 of the second, slipping down to the top of the left circle to slot a high wrister past Swayman.
–Field Level Media