Brad Marchand scored the game's only goal fewer than three minutes into the first period Saturday night, and Tuukka Rask stopped all 20 shots he faced as the host Boston Bruins remained red-hot by edging the New Jersey Devils, 1-0.
The Bruins won their third straight game and for the 10th time in 11 tries (10-0-1) while extending their point streak to 16 games (12-0-4). It was the second 1-0 win of the season for Boston, which also beat Washington by the same score for the first victory in its point streak on Feb. 3.
The shutout was the third of the season for Rask.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 29 saves in taking the hard-luck loss for the Devils, who have dropped three straight, all in regulation, and five of seven (2-5-0).
The Bruins didn't need long to capitalize on a power play generated when Devils left winger Kenny Agostino was whistled for goalie interference just 2:23 into the first period.
After Blackwood deflected a slap shot by David Krejci, Bruins left winger Jake DeBrusk chased down the rebound and batted it back towards the crease. Patrice Bergeron corralled the pick and backhanded a pass to Marchand, who fired a shot past sliding Devils center Blake Coleman and beyond the stick hand of Blackwood a mere 14 seconds into the power play.
Marchand had a chance to double the lead fewer than five minutes later, when he was awarded a penalty shot after Damon Severson hooked him on a breakaway. But Marchand, who skated the length of the ice prior to his shot, fired the puck off Blackwood's right pad.
The Devils had power plays late in each of the first two periods but only produced a combined three shots with the man advantage.
The Devils had a prime chance to tie the game midway through the third, but Rask turned away Jesper Bratt on a semi-breakaway and denied a backhanded rebound by Drew Stafford. Blackwood was pulled with a little more than a minute left, but New Jersey could not get a shot on goal.
--Field Level Media
New Jersey | Boston | |
N/A | Points | Brad Marchand 1 |
N/A | Goals | Brad Marchand 1 |
N/A | Assists | Patrice Bergeron 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Brad Marchand 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Mackenzie Blackwood .967 | Save Percentage | Tuukka Rask 1.000 |
Mackenzie Blackwood 29 | Saves | Tuukka Rask 20 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
New Jersey | 20 | 0 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 2 | 26 |
Boston | 30 | 1 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 4 | 19 |