Bruins vs. Ducks Takeaways: Boston Rallies for Road Win originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Bruins continued their hot start to the season Friday night, overcoming an early two-goal deficit to defeat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 at Honda Center.
Boston struggled to contain Anaheim in the opening period, allowing two goals in the final minute to fall behind. Frederic Brunet got the Bruins on the board with his first NHL goal in the second period before David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm scored on the power play in the third. Matthew Poitras added an insurance goal to seal Boston's fourth consecutive victory.
Michael DiPietro stopped 25 shots to earn his first NHL win.
Here are four takeaways from Boston's victory over Anaheim.
Frederic Brunet Makes His Mark With First NHL Goal
Brunet gave Boston a much-needed spark after Anaheim took control late in the first period.
The Ducks scored twice in the final minute, with Tim Washe opening the scoring on a long shot through traffic before Beckett Sennecke doubled the lead 20 seconds later. Sennecke finished a passing sequence involving Cutter Gauthier and Nikita Nesterenko to put Anaheim ahead 2-0.
Boston needed a response, and Brunet provided one early in the second period.
The defenseman fired a shot from the blue line that traveled through traffic and past Anaheim goaltender Lukas Dostal at 3:15.
The goal marked the first of Brunet's NHL career and cut the deficit to one. James Hagens and Pavel Zacha picked up assists on the play.
Boston still had work to do, but Brunet's goal gave the Bruins a foothold in a game that threatened to get away from them early.
David Pastrnak Moves Up Bruins' All-Time Scoring List
Pastrnak continued to add to his place in Boston history while helping the Bruins complete their comeback.
The winger tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal early in the third period, finishing a give-and-go with Lindholm. The goal was the 423rd of Pastrnak's career, moving him past Brad Marchand for fourth place on the Bruins' all-time goals list.
Only Johnny Bucyk, Phil Esposito and Patrice Bergeron have scored more goals for Boston.
The milestone came at an important moment for the Bruins, who had struggled to generate enough offense to keep pace with Anaheim in the opening period. Pastrnak's finish pulled Boston even and set the stage for Lindholm to take over moments later.
Boston's power play proved to be a major difference-maker. The Bruins capitalized on their opportunities in the third period, turning a two-goal deficit into a lead they would not relinquish.
Elias Lindholm Delivers the Go-Ahead Goal
Elias Lindholm played a central role in Boston's comeback, helping the Bruins erase their deficit before putting them ahead for good.
The forward assisted on Pastrnak's tying goal brought Boston even at 2-2. Less than five minutes later, Lindholm found himself open near the net during another power play and tapped in a pass from Zacha with 11:39 remaining.
The sequence highlighted Lindholm's impact on both goals. He helped create the tying tally before finishing the go-ahead opportunity himself, giving Boston its first lead of the night.
The Bruins had entered the third period trailing by a goal after Brunet's second-period marker. Their ability to capitalize on consecutive power-play opportunities completely changed the game.
Lindholm's goal ultimately proved decisive, as Boston shut down Anaheim's offense over the remainder of the contest.
Bruins Find Their Game After Slow Start
Boston's comeback offered an encouraging response after a difficult opening period.
Anaheim generated the better chances early and scored twice in the final minute before the first intermission. The Bruins tightened up defensively after that, limiting the Ducks' opportunities while gradually finding their rhythm in the offensive zone.
Brunet's power-play goal provided the initial breakthrough. Pastrnak and Lindholm then took advantage of special-teams opportunities in the third period before Poitras added the finishing touch with 3:40 remaining. Hagens recorded his second assist of the night on the insurance goal.
DiPietro also played an important part in the victory, stopping 25 shots to help Boston complete the comeback.
The win improved the Bruins to 6-2-0 and extended their winning streak to four games, including consecutive victories over San Jose and Anaheim.
The result also continued Anaheim's recent struggles at home. The Ducks have lost three straight home games while allowing 13 goals during that stretch.