Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves as the Boston Bruins scored early in each period and extended their road winning streak to six games with a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
The Bruins improved to 26-4-4 since their 5-2 win in New York on Nov. 3. Boston also won its fourth straight overall by scoring within the first five minutes of each period, including two goals within the opening two minutes of periods.
Pavel Zacha and Patrice Bergeron scored in the first two periods before Connor Clifton tallied in the third. Brad Marchand and David Krejci collected two assists apiece as the Bruins improved their overall road record to 15-4-1.
Swayman helped keep the game in Boston’s favor by making numerous key saves. He prevented Chris Kreider from scoring the tying goal on a redirection just before the buzzer in the first and then protected a two-goal lead by denying Artemi Panarin on a breakaway with about seven minutes left in the second.
Swayman, who improved to 6-0-2 in his past eight starts, was aided by a defense that blocked 25 shots.
Defenseman Ben Harpur scored with 4:23 left in the third for New York.
The Rangers fell to 7-3-0 in their past 10 home games and 14-4-2 in their past 20 games since a 5-2 loss to the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 3.
New York’s Igor Shesterkin made 24 saves.
After a New York giveaway near the right corner, David Pastrnak gained possession and skated to the left point. He released a shot and Zacha lifted his stick for the tip-in over Shesterkin’s right shoulder 1:19 into the first to make it 1-0.
The Bruins scored another early goal in the second as Marchand easily entered the offensive zone and stopped in the left faceoff circle. He moved the puck to Bergeron, who sped through the slot and lifted a wrist shot over Shesterkin’s right shoulder for his 17th goal 4:42 into the second.
Boston opened a 3-0 lead when Clifton finished off a two-on-one with Marchand 28 seconds into the third. Harpur’s shot from the left faceoff circle sailed over Swayman to make it 3-1.
–Field Level Media
