In Boston, the Winnipeg Jets scored twice in the first period to grab a 2-0 lead over the Bruins on Thursday.
And as is the fashion, they surrendered that lead when David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk scored in the middle frame to tie the game, 2-2.
“All I could think of [was] just to hit the net,” Pastrnak said. “I knew [Hellebuyck] was gonna make an effort to come back, so I was just hoping I wouldn’t hit him.”
The Bruins now have an active 20-game home points streak.
“When you have this record, when you have a season like we’re having, you become the hunted a little bit,” Bruins forward Nick Foligno said. “Every team gets up to play you, but our mindset needs to still shift to attacking, and being on the offense and being on our toes. When we do that, we’re a real dangerous team.”
DeBrusk scored off the power play, Boston had four chances and turned in one goal.
After a scoreless third period, Foligno scored the game-winner at 11:06 of the third in a 3-2 win for the Bruins over the Jets.
“There’s such a quiet confidence in this room, so I don’t think we ever get too flustered by anything,” Foligno said. “I think it’s always to how we’re playing, so it’s never ‘what are teams doing?’ It’s usually what we’re not doing.”
Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves in the Bruins win.
Boston improved to 26-4-2.
“We were relieved because the crowd got into it, and I think we started to play a lot better,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I thought [Winnipeg] did the best job that we have faced as far as a forecheck and being over top of us. Really good sticks that unfortunately we didn’t manage the puck well against, but I give credit to them for how determined they were at checking us.”
Winnipeg took a 1-0 lead on a strike from Mark Scheifele in the first.
Winnipeg was scoreless in two chances on the power play.
The Jets dropped to 21-11-1.
“We knew it was going to be a measuring stick of two really good teams,” Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon said. “Obviously got the start we wanted. A little penalty trouble there in the second and they got some momentum, and then obviously a breakdown on their game-winning goal.”
Jansen Harkins hit for a marker in the first for the 2-0 lead to the Jets.
“They battled hard, so that’s all you can ask,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “So you’d like to see a few more shots on net? Yeah. A little more pressure on their [end]? Yeah, but the guys did work hard, and again, [Boston’s] the top team in the League, so we were right there with them.”
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Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves in the Winnipeg loss.
“[Hellebuyck’s] been the backbone of this team all year,” Scheifele said. “He’s made some amazing saves, and he was again solid tonight. Would have been nice to capitalize on a few more of those [chances] and get a few more shifts in the [offensive] zone.”
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