David Pastrnak and Matt Grzelcyk scored two goals apiece, and Brad Marchand added three assists to lead the Boston Bruins over the New Jersey Devils 5-1 on Tuesday night.
Tuukka Rask made 25 saves and New Jersey native Connor Clifton added a goal as the Bruins beat the Devils for the eighth time in nine meetings.
Blake Coleman scored for New Jersey, which was looking for its first three-game winning streak since December 2018. Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves in starting for the 12th time in 14 games.
Boston Bruins center Brad Marchand (63) controls the puck in front of New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoKathy Willens)
The win was only Boston’s second in the last seven games (2-2-3), and the Bruins got goals from the expected and unexpected.
Pastrnak has an NHL-high 19 goals in 21 games, including 17 in his last 16 contests. Grzelcyk had six career goals in his first 149 games in the NHL. The defenseman had his first two-goal game in No. 150.
Marchand set up the unlikely duo for goals 14 seconds apart in the first period for a 2-0 lead.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (29) makes a save during the first period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoKathy Willens)
Coleman cut the margin in half late in the second, but the Bruins broke the game open in the third with three goals.
Pastrnak drew a penalty from P.K. Subban at 3:11 of the third period and scored eight seconds later with a rising shot from inside the blue line that whizzed past Blackwood.
Grzelcyk stripped the puck from Subban at the Devils line and skated in to beat Blackwood in close.
Boston Bruins Bruins center Brad Marchand, left, and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (48) and celebrate after Grzelcyk scored the Bruins' first goal during the first period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, in Newark, N.J. (AP PhotoKathy Willens)
Clifton got his second of the season on a point shot.
Boston top line center Patrice Bergeron missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. David Krejci centered for Pastrnak and Marchand, and the line finished with seven points.
NOTES: Devils G Cory Schneider cleared waivers and was assigned to Binghamton (AHL). ... Bruins forwards Brett Ritchie and Jake DeBrusk returned to the lineup after they each missed five games with injuries. ... Coleman played in his 200th game and extended his point streak to four games.
UP NEXT
Bruins: Return home to face the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
Devils: At the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports