DeBrusk, Marchand lift Bruins over Flames 6-4

BOSTON — The Bruins slowed down Johnny Gaudreau just enough Thursday night, and that got them past the high-scoring Calgary Flames.

Jake DeBrusk and Brad Marchand each had two goals, and Boston built off its Winter Classic victory by beating the Western Conference-leading Flames 6-4.

Boston has won three in a row and six of eight. Jaroslav Halak stopped 33 shots, and John Moore and David Pastrnak also scored.

“We have been offensively challenged for quite some time,” Krug said. “We’ve had to win a lot of tight, low-scoring games, so it was nice to win one like this.”

Even in a high-scoring game, Boston needed a few key stops on Gaudreau. The former Boston College standout scored from a tight angle with 9:27 left to cut Boston’s lead to 4-3 and also had an assist, but he failed to convert on two breakaways. The diminutive All-Star was coming off consecutive four-point games.

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“Gaudreau is a special player with his height and how he came into the league,” DeBrusk said. “He’s so nifty.”

Mike Smith had 21 saves for Calgary, which has dropped five of eight. Michael Frolik, Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund also scored.

Pastrnak, David Krejci, Torey Krug and Patrice Bergeron each had two points for Boston. Krejci was all smiles after he and his wife had a baby boy Thursday morning.

“It was a special day,” Krejci said. “They (Calgary) are really good and to get the two points was a cherry on top.”

After Gaudreau’s goal, DeBrusk quickly stretched the lead off a pass from Krejci with 6:14 to play. Backlund scored less than three minutes later to make it 5-4, but Marchand iced it with an empty-netter with 1:50 left.

“Caught him (Smith) off guard,” DeBrusk said. “It was lucky, but I’ll take it.”

Frolik got Calgary going with a short-handed goal 7:46 into the game. He charged out of the box after he and Lindholm were called for penalties five seconds apart and beat Halak.

NOTES: Boston F David Backes served the final game of his three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head. … Joakim Nordstrom sustained a non-displaced fibula fracture in the Winter Classic and will be re-evaluated in three weeks for the Bruins. … The Flames split the season series but have dropped seven of nine in Boston. … Boston has scored nine power-play goals in the last six games and has only allowed two in in the last ten.

UP NEXT

Flames: Visit Philadelphia on Saturday

Bruins: Host Buffalo on Saturday

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The Associated Press