DETROIT — Brad Marchand netted the decisive goal in the third period, leading the Boston Bruins to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. This marks the Bruins’ second consecutive win under interim coach Joe Sacco, following a 1-0 triumph against the Utah team on Thursday in his first game since taking over for Jim Montgomery, who was let go earlier in the week. Marchand’s goal, coming with 8:30 remaining in regulation, was his sixth of the season and the 18th he has scored in his career against the Red Wings.
In addition to Marchand, Justin Brazeau contributed with a power-play goal for Boston, while goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 19 saves to secure the win. For Detroit, Lucas Raymond found the net, though the Red Wings have now dropped four out of their last five games. Cam Talbot, the goaltender for Detroit, stopped 27 shots during the match.
The Bruins successfully defended against a Red Wings power play in the final 1:22 of the game. Detroit’s Moritz Seider nearly tied things up, hitting the crossbar with just 30 seconds left. However, Swayman was quick to cover the puck, maintaining Boston’s slim lead.
Key observations from the game included the Bruins’ power play, which has been examining improvements, managing to score during a man-advantage in three consecutive matches despite previously ranking last in the league.
On the Red Wings side, Raymond’s early season performance has been subdued compared to last year’s success of 31 goals, now tallying only two goals in the first 18 games. Nevertheless, he did score a critical winner against the Islanders earlier this week, as well as his strike against the Bruins.
A significant moment in the match occurred right before Marchand’s goal when the Red Wings were assessed for icing, even though a player from Detroit was close to the puck at the time of the whistle. This allowed Boston to maintain possession in Detroit’s zone post-faceoff, leading to Marchand’s shot over Talbot’s shoulder from the right circle.
In terms of milestones, Dylan Larkin’s assist on Raymond’s goal was the notable 300th of his career, making him the 15th player in Red Wings history and the 12th player from Michigan to achieve this milestone in NHL history.
Looking ahead, the Bruins are set to host the Vancouver team on Tuesday, while the Red Wings will take on the Islanders in New York on Monday.