BOSTON -- Taking it outside, the Boston Bruins will play in the Winter Classic on Friday looking for the 3,000th win in franchise history -- trying to get it against the rival Montreal Canadiens, the only NHL team with more.

First, the Bruins survived a battle with the Ottawa Senators for win No. 2,999 on Tuesday night, ending a three-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory that was a lot closer than the score indicated.

Right winger Jimmy Hayes, demoted to the fourth line, broke out of a prolonged slump with his first career hat trick, and center Patrice Bergeron and left winger Matt Beleskey scored two goals apiece in a game that saw the Bruins score three late goals to break it open.

"It's just nice to see Jimmy produce and get a bit of a break there," coach Claude Julien said after Hayes end a drought that saw him score one goal since Nov. 5. "He hasn't had much luck in the production area for a while, so he played on a line (with center Max Talbot and left winger Zac Rinaldo) tonight that I thought played really well together, those three guys, and he was in the right place."

On Saturday night, Boston failed to hold a 3-1, third-period lead and watched the Buffalo Sabres score five consecutive goals to skate off with a win. This time, the fans left happy -- and also got to see some "old-time hockey" as the teams engaged in several fights in the third period.

The late animosity can be traced back to a low first-period hit by Bruins left winger Brad Marchand on Ottawa defenseman Mark Borowiecki. No penalty was called, and Borowiecki hobbled off, only to return.

"I was shocked ... uh, surprised he was around at the end of the game to spear (center Kyle) Turris," Senators coach Dave Cameron said of Marchand.

When asked about a suspension, Cameron added, "That's not up to me. Phone the league and ask the league."

Turris, asked to describe Marchand, said, "You can describe him a lot of ways that I'm not going to share with you."

Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson said, "I think it was intentional."

Said Marchand, who has been through stuff like this before: "It was a simple play. I was trying to get to the puck carrier, and I turned up ice, and he was kind of standing there. I just turned up and tried to go to the puck carrier."

He said he can't control whether the league reviews the hit.

In one of the late battles, right winger Chris Neil, who had an uncharacteristic goal and assist in the game, had a more-characteristic fight with Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid and appeared to attempt to eye-gouge his opponent, which might also be looked at by the league.

The Bruins' league-leading power play, dormant for four games, struck for four goals, two by Bergeron. The power play registered its first four-goal game of the season and its sixth multiple-goal game of the season, powering the Bruins to a season-high overall goal total.

Boston (20-12-4) lost to the Senators in Ottawa in the first half of the home-and-home Sunday night, and the Bruins avoided what would have been their first four-game losing streak of the season.

Hayes capped his hat trick with a power-play goal against losing goaltender Craig Anderson with two-10ths of a second remaining.

"It's first time getting a hat trick in the NHL, and I haven't been scoring many goals as of lately," Hayes said. "It was nice to get some confidence going."

Defenseman Torey Krug, center Ryan Spooner and right winger Loui Eriksson had two assists apiece for the Bruins. Krug now has 100 career NHL points.

The two-goal game for Bergeron, who has 14 goals on the season, was his second in the past six games, while Beleskey had his first since April 9, 2010.

Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask made 29 saves in the win.

Center Mika Zibanejad and left winger Mike Hoffman (his 18th) also scored for the Senators (18-13-6).

NOTES: The Bruins placed C David Krejci on injured reserve and termed him week-to-week with a shoulder injury sustained on what looked like a harmless collision with Ottawa RW Bobby Ryan on Sunday. ... Boston recalled RW Seth Griffith from its AHL affiliate in Providence, where he had 27 points in 24 games. He had an assist Tuesday. ... Ottawa has four players on IR and C Curtis Lazar missed his second straight stab at his 100th NHL game with an injury. ... Boston D Torey Krug returned after missing a game with a leg injury. ... The Bruins' alumni team, which will play a Montreal Canadiens team Thursday at Gillette Stadium as a prelude to Friday's Winter Classic, practiced at TD Garden earlier Tuesday. ... Renowned tough guy Chris Nilan, who played for both but will be skating for Montreal this week, has a jersey with one team on the front and the other on the back that will be raffled off for charity.