Defending Stanley Cup champions Boston extended their hot streak to six consecutive wins with a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
The Bruins (9-7-0) got off to a slow start this season, slipping to last in the Eastern Conference at one stage, but they have been unstoppable this month and they came into the game having scored at least five goals in as many contests.
New Jersey (8-7-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead on David Clarkson’s goal midway through the second period, but Chris Kelly tied the score four minutes later.
Brad Marchand netted six seconds into the third period to put the Bruins 2-1 up, before a double from New Jersey’s Nick Palmieri and a goal from Boston’s Shawn Thornton left the score tied at 3-3 heading into the closing minutes.
Benoit Pouliot then popped up to score the game-winner with three minutes remaining after he had been asked to sit out the team’s previous game on Saturday.
“I did chat with [Pouliot] the other night and explain to him some of the things we were kind of looking for,” Boston coach Claude Julien told reporters. “It was nice to see him respond quickly. It obviously says a lot about [his] character.”
The Bruins had been led during their streak by 19-year-old Tyler Seguin, who entered the night with seven goals in his last four games, but he was held scoreless and his teammates stepped in to pick up the slack.
Boston have scored 34 goals in their six games this month and conceded just 13.
Panthers 6, Stars 0
In Dallas, the Florida Panthers moved into a tie for the top spot in the NHL’s Southeast Division with an authoritative 6-0 thrashing of another divisional leader, the Dallas Stars, on Tuesday.
Kris Versteeg and Stephen Weiss each had a goal and two assists, while Scott Clemmensen made 25 saves for the shutout.
Defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Jason Garrison added first-period goals, while Tomas -Fleischmann and Evgeny Dadonov also scored.
Weiss skated in his 574th game for the Panthers, moving into second place on the franchise list behind current Dallas Stars forward Radek Dvorak’s 613 games.
Penguins 6, Avalanche 3
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the hosts came back from a two-goal deficit to overwhelm Colorado.
James Neal had a goal and two assists, while Jordan Staal, Evgeni Malkin, Brooks Orpik, Pascal Dupuis and Kris Letang also scored for the Penguins.
Neal’s power-play goal, his 12th of the season, in the third gave him at least one goal in each of Pittsburgh’s eight home games this season.
Jay McClement, Matt Duchene and David Jones all scored first-period goals for the Avalanche, who lost to an Eastern Conference team for the first time this season.
Coyotes 3, Maple Leafs 2, SO
In Toronto, Patrick O’Sullivan and Radim Vrbata scored shootout goals, as Phoenix overcame Toronto’s furious rally.
Shane Doan and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored in regulation for Phoenix, before Mike Komisarek and Phil Kessel replied for the hosts in the third period.
Still, the Maple Leafs suffered their fourth straight home loss.
They also have injury concerns after Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur both left the game.
In other games, it was:
‧ Predators 3, Capitals 1
‧ Blues 2, Red Wings 1
‧ Rangers 4, Islanders 2
‧ Senators 3, Flames 1
‧ Wild 4, Blue Jackets 2
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