David Krejci scored early in overtime, and also had an assist, as the Boston Bruins rallied to extend their point streak to 17 games with a 4-3 win over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
Krejci scored 1:46 into the extra session as the Bruins capped their comeback from a 2-0 deficit to improve to 13-0-4 since a 3-2 regulation loss to the New York Rangers on Jan 19. It's the longest point streak in the NHL this season.
Boston took a 3-2 lead at 2:45 into the third when Patrice Bergeron one-timed a pass from Brad Marchand off a two-on-one break for a short-handed goal. Carolina, however, equalized with 7:43 left in regulation as Justin Williams delivered a blast from the right circle.
Sebastian Aho matched a career high with 29 goals after scoring two for Carolina, which had won five in a row and 13 of 16.
Honoring their past by sporting Hartford Whalers' jerseys, the Hurricanes struck first with 13:30 left in a chippy and physical first period. Defenseman Calvin de Haan directed one toward the net that deflected in off the skates of Aho and Boston's Zdeno Chara.
Prior to that, Boston's Marcus Johansson exited with an upper-body injury after taking a clean shoulder-to-shoulder hit from Carolina's Micheal Ferland. Taking offense to the hit, the Bruins' David Backes dropped the gloves with Ferland moments later.
Though Ferland seemed to get the better of the scrap, he also left with an upper-body injury. His 35 points rank fourth on the team.
Aho, who has five goals in four games, extended Carolina's lead to 2-0 when he split the defense and converted a backhander past Jaroslav Halak (34 saves) at 1:10 into the second period. Boston, though, cut that lead in half at 12:28 of the second as Chris Wagner swept in a backhander off a rebound from Curtis McElhinney (34 saves).
Third in the Atlantic Division, the Bruins tied the score with 1:48 left in the period, as Jake DeBrusk followed up a Krejci shot off McElhinney. It was the 22nd goal of the season, and eighth in 10 games, for DeBrusk.
--Field Level Media
Carolina | Boston | |
Sebastian Aho 2 | Points | Jake DeBrusk 2 |
Sebastian Aho 2 | Goals | Jake DeBrusk 1 |
Calvin de Haan 1 | Assists | Jake DeBrusk 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | Patrice Bergeron 1 |
Curtis McElhinney .895 | Save Percentage | Jaroslav Halak .919 |
Curtis McElhinney 34 | Saves | Jaroslav Halak 34 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Carolina | 37 | 3 | 0-5 | 1-1 | 9 | 35 |
Boston | 38 | 4 | 0-1 | 5-5 | 15 | 33 |