Patrice Bergeron scored twice and reached the 30-goal mark for the fifth time and the streaking Boston Bruins beat the injury-ravaged New Jersey Devils 5-1 on Thursday night to open a six-point lead over Toronto in the race for second place in the Atlantic Division.
David Pastrnak, Danton Heinen and David Backes also scored for the Bruins, who are 16-3-1 in their last 20 games. Tuukka Rask made 22 saves to improve to 18-2-3 in his last 23 games.
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Patrice Bergeron scored twice and reached the 30-goal mark for the fifth time and the streaking Boston Bruins beat the injury-ravaged New Jersey Devils 5-1 on Thursday night to open a six-point lead over Toronto in the race for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Drew Stafford scored for the Devils, ending a 34-game goal-scoring drought. Cory Schneider made 22 saves as New Jersey lost for the ninth time in 12 games (2-9-1).
Pastrnak, who just returned from thumb surgery, got his 32nd at 12:58 of the second period. Bergeron won a faceoff and Marchand made the pass across the crease for Pastrnak's shot into an open net.
Bergeron scored into an empty net with 1:18 to play, and Backes tallied in the final minute.
Bruins: Head to Florida for a game against the Panthers on Saturday.
Boston, which has given up two goals while winning its last three games, and the Maple Leafs, who were idle, each have eight regular-season games left.
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, center front, of the Czech Republic, skates by his bench after scoring a goal against the New Jersey Devils during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)
Drew Stafford scored for the Devils, ending a 34-game goal-scoring drought. Cory Schneider made 22 saves as New Jersey lost for the ninth time in 12 games (2-9-1).
Boston's top line of Bergeron, Pastrnak and Brad Marchand combined for eight points in the game, including the first two goals.
Bergeron opened the scoring with 1:26 left in the first period with his 29th goal. Pastrnak took the puck from Marchand and made a pass across the crease to a Bergeron for a shot into an open net.
Referee Eric Furlatt (27) adjusts the mask of Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, of Finland, during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)
Pastrnak, who just returned from thumb surgery, got his 32nd at 12:58 of the second period. Bergeron won a faceoff and Marchand made the pass across the crease for Pastrnak's shot into an open net.
A Bruins turnover allowed the Devils to score less than two minutes later. Pavel Zacha, who returned after missing 16 games with an upper-body injury, got the puck in the right circle and found Stafford for his third goal.
Heinen restored the two-goal lead 29 seconds into the third period. Sean Kuraly blocked a shot by Devils defenseman Steven Santini with his glove and Heinen scored on the ensuing rush.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider tries to stop a scoring shot by Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)
Bergeron scored into an empty net with 1:18 to play, and Backes tallied in the final minute.
NOTES: Devils D Josh Jacobs made his NHL debut. ... Former Devil Marcus Johansson, who was acquired at the trade deadline, missed his eighth straight game since being hurt. ... Heinen's goal was his 10th of the season and gave Boston nine players with double figures in goals. It was his first goal since Feb. 16. ... Devils leading goal scorer Kyle Palmieri (27) sat out with an upper-body injury. He was hurt Tuesday against Washington. ... Boston won the season series 2-1.
UP NEXT:
New Jersey Devils right wing Drew Stafford (18) raises his arms after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)
Bruins: Head to Florida for a game against the Panthers on Saturday.
Devils: Host Arizona on Saturday afternoon.
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Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) stops a shot as New Jersey Devils center Kevin Rooney (58) watches during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoJulio Cortez)