Recap: Bruins tie NHL record in 2-1 win over Devils

The Boston Bruins tied the NHL record for most wins in a regular season, becoming the third team to hit that mark, as they topped the New Jersey Devils, 2-1, tonight at the TD Garden.

Pavel Zacha scored two quick goals and the Bruins were able to hold onto that lead for the rest of the game.

Linus Ullmark made 29 saves in the win.

Here are the highlights!

First period:

The Bruins opened the scoring at 2:00 of the first period on the power play.

Hampus Lindholm sent a long shot on net from the blue line. Zacha was out front with the screen and got a piece of the shot as it traveled past Mackenzie Blackwood’s blocker. 1-0 Bruins.

The Bruins extended their lead at 4:44 of the first period on Zacha’s second goal.

Zacha picked up the bouncing puck from Pastrnak’s attempt to put a backhanded shot through Blackwood’s five-hole. 2-0 Bruins.

The Devils bounced back at 6:21 of the first period.

Jack Hughes sent Jesper Bratt on a breakaway where he beat Ullmark with a low shot past his right skate. 2-1 game.

Second period:

No goals

Third period:

No goals

Final score: 2-1 Bruins

Game notes:

• The Boston Bruins made history yet again tonight when they tied the NHL record of most regular season wins at 62 games. Only two teams before them — the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning — hit that mark. The B’s have three chances now to break the record.
• Head Coach Jim Montgomery said win No. 62 and reaching this point reflected how the team has played all season. It embodied the team’s selflessness and playing for each other, he said.
• Montgomery recognized there’s a bigger goal at hand, but it’s a special moment to have the team’s name, and the Spoked-B etched in the etched in NHL history with this tied record.
• The energy was electric in the building and felt by the players, Taylor Hall said postgame. It was another playoff-esque atmosphere with two of the best Eastern Conference teams battling it out.
• While the Bruins now chase a record with the win, the loss for the Devils has New Jersey at a standstill to gain any ground for the No. 1 seed in the Metropolitan Division.
• The Bruins got off to a fast start right away in the first period. They capitalized on an early power play — and their only man-advantage of the night — as Zacha tipped in Lindholm’s shot. Prior to the play, both units did a good job of not giving the Devils time to think. Instead of overpassing and looking for the perfect set-up, they were shooting and it paid off.
• The power play was a perfect 1 for 1 and the penalty kill successfully staved off three penalties, including a four-minute, high-sticking call on Charlie McAvoy.
• Over half of the Bruins’ shots on net during the game came in the first period. They had 22 shots on net in the first alone. Brad Marchand let SOG in the first with five shots. The Bruins ended the night with 40 SOG.
• Taylor Hall returned in his first game back since Feb. 25. He had four shots on goal and played 12:12 minutes. Postgame, Hall said it was a good game to get back into the mix with the fast pace of the game. He said he wanted to play in either this game or the last one to feel that playoff intensity. “To play a game where every shift matters was great,” Hall said.
• Ullmark was unreal to keep it a one-goal game throughout the 60 minutes. In particular, one sequence had him stopping back-to-back attempt from Hughes and then a shot from Yegor Sharangovich. He had a .967 save percentage. He’s only allowed one goal or less now in 21 games this season.

• After rewatching the final seconds of the game, I think it’s safe to say the puck crossed the goal line on Pastrnak’s wraparound...
• With a quick turnaround time for tomorrow’s game (well really later today), it will be interesting to see who might stay back in Boston. The B’s are right back at it at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, against the Philadelphia Flyers in Philly.