Bruins score five straight, surge past Red Wings

DETROIT --The Boston Bruins scored five straight goals in a 5-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday.

Charlie McAvoy and Tomas Nosek each had a goal and an assist for the Bruins (16-10-2), who scored three times in a 4:41 span in the third period. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves in Boston's second win in as many days after a 15-day break. They defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in overtime Saturday.
"That was a great win, especially since we only went into the third period with a one-goal lead," Swayman said. "We knew we needed more, and the guys went out and got us three insurance goals."
For the second day in a row, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy split up "The Perfection Line" of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.
"They are all elite players who would have been easy choices as Olympians again this year," Cassidy said. "When they are together, everyone leans on them a little bit. When you split that up, there's a little more oxygen in the room for the secondary guys."
Alex Nedeljkovic made 32 saves for the Red Wings (15-15-3).
"Boston wants to bully you if you give them the opportunity, and we let them do it," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "We know we have to do a better job of pushing back against that."
Tyler Bertuzzi gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead at 11:28 of the first period, knocking in a loose puck at the side of the crease.
Bergeron tied it 1-1 at 14:47 on a one-timer off a pass from Craig Smith. Bergeron scored four goals against Detroit in a 5-1 win at TD Garden on Nov. 4.

Erik Haula took advantage of a bad Red Wings line change to put Boston ahead 2-1 at 7:37 of the second period, breaking down the left wing and beating Nedeljkovic high glove side.
Haula, who was playing with Pastrnak and Taylor Hall, almost scored again late in the period but hit the post on a shorthanded breakaway.
"It is obviously exciting to play with two great players like that," Haula said. "We've had a couple of really good wins with this lineup, and hopefully we can keep that going."
Boston's quick goals in the third period put the game away.
"We pushed hard in the first period and we were still right there in the second," Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said. "We were just too passive in the third. We have to come out with a stronger defensive effort and pin them in their end."
McAvoy gave the Bruins a 3-1 lead at 5:59, putting away a cross-slot pass from Hall.

Trent Frederic scored his first of the season on a rebound to extend the lead to 4-1 at 7:55, and Nosek made it 5-1 at 10:40.
"I thought [Nedeljkovic] did a nice job tonight, but we obviously weren't good enough in front of him in the third period," Blashill said. "We had too many defensive blunders at the end."
NOTES: Detroit lost back-to-back home games for the first time this season. … The Bruins are 11-5-2 in their past 18 games against the Red Wings.