Frederic Paces Bruins to Win Over Red Wings

DETROIT – Trent Frederic had two goals and an assist to help the Boston Bruins to a 5-3 victory against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday.

“This was a little bit of a gutsy win,” Frederic said. “We had tough travel with playing last night and playing a 5:00 game tonight, but I thought we came out with great energy. It was nice to pull that one off.”

Charlie McAvoy had three assists for Boston (22-7-6), which defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Saturday and has won three straight after an 0-2-2 stretch. Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves, and David Pastrnak and Hampus Lindholm each had two assists. 

“I think we’re absolutely past that,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I like the way we are competing for each other and the energy on the bench. Even though some guys might not be getting the minutes they want right now, they are being incredible teammates.”

Jake Walman, Ben Chiarot and J.T. Compher scored for Detroit (17-16-4), which has lost 10 of its past 13 games. Alex Lyon made 19 saves.

“This was an opportunity missed,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “This was probably our most complete 60 minutes from start to finish in a while, but it came against a team where there is a very slim margin of error to be successful.”

Frederic gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 19:08 of the first, shooting a backhand over the shoulder of Lyon on a breakaway. Lyon was shaken up after a collision with Frederic but remained in the game after getting attention from the training staff.

“[Pastrnak] hit a pretty good 60-degree wedge to me,” Frederic said. “I was a little slow getting after it, so all I had was the backhand. I was lucky to get it up and over his shoulder.”

Frederic made it 2-0 at 4:25 of the second period with a wrist shot from the right wing after skating past Dylan Larkin.

“I think he’s playing faster, and he’s underrated as a great skater,” Montgomery said. “He’s driving pucks consistently instead of delaying, which he did a lot, and he’s opening up space for himself.”

Walman made it 2-1 at 13:01 with his third goal in two games.

Chiarot tied the game 2-2 with a shot from the slot at 16:42.

Charlie Coyle gave Boston a 3-2 lead at 3:52 of the third period, shooting a one-timer past Lyon from the slot off a pass by McAvoy.

“That was disappointing,” Lalonde said. “They had one chance in the third period on a missed face-off assignment, and it ended up in the back of our net.”

Jake DeBrusk made it 4-2 with an empty-net goal at 17:59, but Compher’s power-play goal made it 4-3 at 18:38.

Pavel Zacha, playing his 500th NHL game, scored into an empty net at 19:36 for the 5-3 final.

NOTES: The teams finished their four-game season series with two wins each…McAvoy recorded his 43rd career multi-assist outing and ranks in the top six among defensemen in Bruins history behind Ray Bourque (243), Bobby Orr (161), Brad Park (63), Torey Krug (50) and Zdeno Chara (50)...Pastrnak has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 28 career games against the Red Wings.