Bruins, after huge and small victories, chase another W vs. Wings
From a historic performance to winning by the slimmest margin, the past two games for the Boston Bruins were polar opposites.
However it takes shape, the Bruins will aim for their fourth straight win on a five-game homestand and sixth in the past seven games overall when the Detroit Red Wings come in for a Tuesday matchup.
Boston's back-to-back weekend featured a 10-2 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon -- the Bruins' first double-digit goal game since 1988 -- and a 1-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Penguins the following night.
"A win is still a win," Boston goaltender Joonas Korpisalo said following a 27-save Sunday performance for the team's first shutout of the season. "I was hoping the guys could save a couple of goals (after Saturday's game) and we did -- one. That was a good team effort."
A day after Marat Khusnutdinov (four goals) and Pavel Zacha each netted hat tricks and David Pastrnak dished out six assists, Boston needed just one Viktor Arvidsson goal on Sunday.
Arvidsson is returning to form after missing time due to two injury absences in November and December, with only five games separating them. He is on a four-game point streak.
"For a few weeks, he was not the same," Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. "He's found his game back. He's hard to play against. He goes to the tough areas, even with his size. That makes him so good."
Prior to the Sunday game, Boston defenseman Jonathan Aspirot -- a July signee who played the past six full seasons in the American Hockey League -- was rewarded with a two-year contract extension for his steady play since being recalled from Providence a few weeks into the season in October.
"He took advantage of the opportunity with a new coach coming in, and the system we play fit him perfectly," Sturm said. "He's become a big pleasant surprise for this hockey team."
The Bruins expect to have top goal-scorer Morgan Geekie back in the lineup on Tuesday for the first time since a midgame exit on Saturday to tend to a family matter.
While Boston had Monday off, Detroit started off a back-to-back set with a 4-3 overtime win against the visiting Hurricanes. Carolina rallied from a 3-0 deficit with two power-play goals and a short-handed goal in the third period against reigning NHL Second Star of the Week John Gibson (31 saves) to bring the game to an extra session.
It was a huge win for the Red Wings in more ways than one. Not only was Hockey Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov's No. 91 retired to the rafters before the game, but the result moved Detroit into a tie with Carolina for first place in the overall Eastern Conference standings with 28 wins and 60 points apiece. The Tampa Bay Lightning are just behind with 59 points.
"There's belief in our room now," Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said before the Monday game. "It does make it more special that we've come together, been winning as a team in different ways and winning in big games as well."
The Red Wings were outshot 34-18 by the Hurricanes, including 14-4 in the third period. Again, they found a way.
"In the past, we probably don't win that game," Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. "The fact that we let it get away from us but we could still reel it back in and get a point at least, find a way to win in overtime, is a sign of graduation."
Alex DeBrincat led the Red Wings with a goal and two assists, including the lone helper on Andrew Copp's game-winning tally at 3:27 of overtime. Copp also had an assist.
Copp and former Bruin James van Riemsdyk are both riding four-game point streaks.
"(Copp) can create space for himself or create space for people around him, so he's a load to handle (playing at the net front)," McLellan said. "He's got a knack around there."