BOSTON -- The game itself will not go down as an instant classic, but the way things are going for the Boston Bruins at home this season, any home win, even a 2-1 decision over the lowly Calgary Flames, is welcome.

"We talked about finding ways to be better at home, have a better record," center Patrice Bergeron said after his late power-play goal was the winner as the Bruins, who came in 25th in the league at home, improved to just 14-16-3 at TD Garden.

"It's a step forward," Bergeron said. "We can be better, but this week is a very important week for us. We've got to gain ground and move forward, take care of our destiny. If we do that, we don't have to worry about the standings."

The Bruins host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, and the Washington Capitals visit Saturday to end Boston's four-game homestand.

The Flames were called -- and clearly guilty -- of having too many men on the ice with 4:07 left.

Bergeron took a pass from fellow center Ryan Spooner and sent a 40-footer past goaltender Joni Ortio with 3:24 left for Boston's first power-play goal in five games. The Bruins were in an 0-for-13 slump with the man advantage, and they recorded only their fifth goal in 56 power plays over the past 16 games.

The goal was the 24th of the season and the 230th of Bergeron's career, moving him into a tie with Don Marcotte for 10th place on the team's all-time list.

"It was just a great play by everybody to move the puck around and spread out their penalty kill," Bergeron said. "I knew the puck was coming from Ryan, and I was trying to get a good shot on net."

Flames coach Bob Hartley didn't complain about the obvious penalty, saying after the game, "We had too many men. It was the right call. We had a player that jumped on the ice too quick, and the puck got in that area."

Calgary defenseman Jakub Nakladal scored his first NHL goal to tie the game 5:35 into in the period. He converted a pass from newly acquired defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka, who was playing his first game with his new team.

The Bruins (35-23-6) moved past the idle Detroit Red Wings into third place in the Atlantic Division.

"We talked about how big the points are, and after the trade deadline you know that this is the team, this is who we're going with," Bergeron said. "You have to find a way to jell quickly, and it's one of those steps forward where we knew tonight was an important game for us.

"We have a tough schedule coming up, and it was good for the new guys to have their first game under their belt at home and move forward."

The win came in the debut of three new Bruins, right winger Lee Stempniak (from the New Jersey Devils), defenseman John-Michael Liles (from the Carolina Hurricanes) and center Noel Acciari (from the minors, making his NHL debut). Stempniak, on his sixth team in the past three seasons, dove and blocked a shot as time ran out in the victory.

It also came in the Boston return of Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton, booed every time he touched the puck after leaving the Bruins after last season under strained circumstances.

"I don't know, I kind of liked it, so ... it kept me going," Hamilton said of the booing.

The Flames (26-33-4) fell to 1-8-1 in their past 10 games. They are the third-worst team in the NHL with 56 points. Ortio, who played well, making 23 saves, dropped to 0-6-2 on the season.

Right winger Landon Ferraro also scored for the Bruins, who got 24 saves from Tuukka Rask. It was Ferraro's second goal in four games after he went 29 without one.

"I thought that we could have competed a little harder," said Bruins coach Claude Julien, who needs two more victories to pass Art Ross and become the Bruins' all-time winningest coach. "Thankfully our power play came through in the end and we were able to score a real important goal."

NOTES: New Bruins RW Lee Stempniak debuted with his ninth NHL team, tying him with Dominic Moore of the Rangers for the lead among active players -- and he slid right into the top line. ... Bruins LW Zac Rinaldo, just sent to the minors, was suspended for five NHL games for a hit to the head of Tampa Bay's Cedric Paquette on Sunday night. The repeat offender will forfeit $51,829.25, and the AHL has to approve his status. Games in the minors don't count against the five games. ... Calgary RW Garnet Hathaway, who grew up a Bruins fan in Maine and went to high school in nearby Andover, Mass., played in his second NHL game, with family and friends on hand.