Jake DeBrusk returned after being benched one game for lack of effort and scored his first goal in almost a month, chasing Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev early in the second period and leading the Boston Bruins to a 4-0 victory on Thursday night.
David Krejci scored his first goal of the season and Brad Marchand had two assists — one of them after sliding the puck through his own skates to set up Patrice Bergeron's short-handed goal that gave Boston a 2-0 lead after one. David Pastrnak also scored for Boston, and Jaroslav Halak stopped 28 shots for his second shutout of the year.
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Jake DeBrusk returned after being benched one game for lack of effort and scored his first goal in almost a month, chasing Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev early in the second period and leading the Boston Bruins to a 4-0 victory on Thursday night.
Georgiev stopped 10 of the 14 shots he saw before he was pulled five minutes into the second period after allowing back-to-back goals 1:21 apart to Krejci and DeBrusk. Keith Kinkaid came on and stopped all 13 shots the rest of the way for New York, which lost its third in a row.
TAKING THE LEAD
The teams meet again in Boston on Saturday.
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) slides against the boards as New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) controls the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) and Boston Bruins defenseman Jarred Tinordi (84) compete for the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
The Bruins snapped a two-game losing streak and earned just their fourth victory in 11 games.
Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) and New York Rangers center Brett Howden (21) vie for position during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
Georgiev stopped 10 of the 14 shots he saw before he was pulled five minutes into the second period after allowing back-to-back goals 1:21 apart to Krejci and DeBrusk. Keith Kinkaid came on and stopped all 13 shots the rest of the way for New York, which lost its third in a row.
DeBrusk, who had 16 goals as a rookie in 2017-18 and 27 the next year, had just one score and four assists in 17 games before coach Bruce Cassidy sat him for Tuesday's game against the Islanders. Asked why, the coach didn't hold back, saying, “We just feel we’re not getting the effort required.”
DeBrusk returned to the lineup on Thursday and scored for the first time since Feb. 18, converting a crossing pass from Krejci to make it 4-0 and chase Georgiev. The 24-year-old forward also had two hits and blocked a shot in 15:48 of ice time.
New York Rangers coach David Quinn, middle rear, speaks to players during a timeout in the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
TAKING THE LEAD
Pastrnak gave Boston a 1-0 lead with four minutes gone in the game when he one-timed a pass from Marchand past Georgiev from the blue line. With Nick Ritchie off for tripping, Marchand skated into the zone, slid the puck into his skates to elude a defender and then backhanded it to Bergeron in the slot.
UP NEXT
New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) grabs Boston Bruins center Brad Marchand (63) along the boards during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
The teams meet again in Boston on Saturday.
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New York Rangers goaltender Keith Kinkaid (71) covers the puck next to Boston Bruins center Sean Kuraly (52) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) slides against the boards as New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) controls the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)
New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) and Boston Bruins defenseman Jarred Tinordi (84) compete for the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 11, 2021, in Boston. (AP PhotoElise Amendola)