BOSTON – Garnett Hathaway broke a third-period tie to give Boston a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, giving the Bruins their 50th win of the season and the fastest to reach the milestone in NHL history. Became a team. ,
The Bruins needed only 64 games to reach 50 wins, tying the record of 66 set by the 1995–96 Red Wings and matched by the 2018–19 Lightning. Depending on the other games later on Saturday, the Bruins could become the first team this season to clinch a playoff berth.
Hummus Lindholm and Patrice Bergeron scored 88 seconds apart to help Boston overcome a two-goal deficit, and Linus Ullmark stopped 30 shots. The Bruins won 10 straight games before losing to Edmonton on Thursday.
“I told the team, after the first [period], I said, ‘If we start checking, I’ve seen you guys before — when you guys are moving the puck like you are now, we usually come back and win,'” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said.”So, you could see our game coming. We needed to be a little tougher on the puck.”
Magnus Helberg made 35 saves for Detroit, which snapped a six-game losing streak when it beat Chicago on Thursday. Andrew Cope scored a short-handed goal in the second minute of the first period, and Alex Chiasson also scored.
They gave the Red Wings a 2–0 lead before the game was 5 minutes old, but the Bruins came back with a dominant second period, taking the first 12 shots on goal and an 18–2 lead in shots in all. .
“It was probably the penalty,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Our four penalties happened in the first 30, 35 minutes, and that’s too much on our group. And it just gives [Boston’s] Top guys too much speed.”
Lindholm scored with seven minutes remaining in the second, and the Red Wings responded quickly. But Dylan Larkin’s goal was taken off the board as he had hit David Krejci’s hand seconds earlier.
Instead, Bergeron tied it up on the power play, deflecting a pass from Jake DeBrusk through Helberg’s legs. This remained the case until Hathaway gathered in the rebound with his backhand and then put it past the goalie to give Boston its first lead of the game.
It was the first Bruins goal for Hathaway, who arrived in Boston before the trade deadline from the Washington Capitals and has played on Boston’s fourth line since his arrival.
“Really deserved. I thought they were our best line all night from the first inning of the game,” Montgomery said. “hey was very good looking and he spent a lot of time in [offensive] Area.”
The teams play again in Detroit on Sunday. Before Saturday’s win, Montgomery said backup goaltender Jeremy Swayman would start the second game of the weekend set.
Hathaway said, “50 wins is awesome. And it’s a testament to how hard this team has worked all year.” “But I think people want 51, you know? People are excited to play on this team.” [Sunday] already.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
