Recap: Bruins beat Red Wings, 3-2, in comeback win

The Boston Bruins scored three unanswered goals to come from behind and beat the Detroit Red Wings, 3-2, this afternoon at the TD Garden.

The win earned them their 50th win of the season and set an NHL record to do it in the fewest amount of games (64 games).

The Bruins overcame a two-goal deficit after the first period to outshoot the Red Wings, 18-2, in the next frame and tie the game.

Garnet Hathaway gave the Bruins the lead in the third as the fourth line was rewarded with the game-winner after a strong effort all game.

Linus Ullmark made 29 saves in the win.

Here are the highlights!

First period:

The Red Wings opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal at 1:36 of the first period.

On a two-on-one, Andrew Copp threw a wrist shot on net from the top of the right-wing circle that beat Linus Ullmark’s blocker. 1-0 Red Wings.

The Red Wings took a two-goal lead at 4:32 of the first period on the power play.

David Perron found Alex Chiasson at the back door where he tapped in a quick shot low past Ullmark’s left skate. 2-0 Red Wings.

Second period:

The Bruins cut into their deficit at 12:43 of the second period.

Charlie Coyle sent a slick backhanded pass to Hampus Lindholm to let a wrist shot fly past Magnus Hellberg’s blocker. 2-1 game.

The Bruins tied the game at 14:11 of the second period on the power play.

Jake DeBrusk found Patrice Bergeron out front where he redirected a quick shot past Hellberg. 2-2 game.

Third period:

The Bruins took the lead at 13:54 of the third period.

It was a full line effort as Tomas Nosek got the puck to A.J. Greer who threw a wrist shot at Hellberg. Garnet Hathaway picked up the rebound on his backhand to put one past Hellberg and give the Bruins the lead and the eventual game-winner. Final score: 3-2 Bruins.

Game notes:

• The afternoon did not start the way it ended, but the Bruins battled back after a rough opening 20 minutes.
• The first five minutes of the game defined the period, as the Red Wings got on the board quickly with a shorthanded tally and power-play goal.
• But the opening shift of the second period set the tone for the rest of the game. Bergeron and DeBrusk got to work fast with two viable chances right away. The Bruins went on to outshoot the Red Wings by a staggering 18-2 in the middle frame, and didn’t allow Detroit to get a shot on net until seven and a half minutes into that period.
• The second period was also big for the Bruins who capitalized on the power play to tie the game. Head Coach Jim Montgomery also saw the execution of the game changed during the second. He thought the team did a better job getting the puck in deep and then moving it in the offensive zone.
• Throughout the night, the fourth line of Hathaway, Nosek, and Greer was the best line for the team. They were strong in the offensive zone, continually crashing the net and bringing a physical game that the Bruins needed. They also created momentum because of those substantial offensive-zone shifts they were getting. It was only fitting the line got the game-winning goal.
• SCOC asked Bergeron how nice it was for the fourth line to get the game-winning goal on top of their efforts all game. Bergeron said: “It was great. They deserved everything of it. They were the ones that got us back in the fight. Their work ethic throughout the season, ever since Garnet came in as well, the way that they play. today they were the best line and they got us going and they got rewarded with a great goal.”
• The fourth line combined for eight shots on net — and they were quality. Montgomery felt they had a lot of good looks and carried the play up ice from the beginning of the game.
• The Bruins are right back at it against the Red Wings tomorrow in Detroit at 1:30 p.m.