Special teams power Bruins past Devils

NEWARK, N.J. --Torey Krug scored two goals and Anton Khudobin made 35 saves to help the Boston Bruins to a 5-3 win against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Sunday.
Adam McQuaid scored his first goal since Feb. 12, 2017, at 11:55 of the third period to give the Bruins a 4-3 lead.

"I'm very happy McQuaid] got the game-winner," Krug said. "He deserves it. He battles so hard for us and does the little things like blocking shots and making big hits. It's nice to see him get rewarded."
***[\[WATCH: All Bruins vs. Devils highlights\]*
Boston scored two shorthanded goals and a power-play goal. The Devils finished 0-for-7 (eight shots on goal) on the power play.
Tim Schaller and Patrice Bergeron scored for the Bruins (34-12-8), who trail the Tampa Bay Lightning by three points for first place in the Atlantic Division with one game in hand.
"We're getting production up and down the lineup," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "If they shut down our top guys, than someone else contributes and that's been a hallmark of our group. They like to pick each other up."
Taylor Hall, Miles Wood and Kyle Palmieri scored, and Eddie Lack made 22 saves for the Devils (27-20-8). Hall's goal gave him at least a point in his past 14 games.

New Jersey has 62 points and holds the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
"Our power play was not great and was the difference," Hall said. "They got one power-play goal, and we gave up a couple on the other end. The effort was there; 5-on-5 I thought we had them for sure. Our power play could not execute."
New Jersey has lost four straight games and is 5-11-3 in its past 19.
Palmieri scored off a tip-in at the right post off a pass from Hall at 11:07 into the second period to tie the game at 3-3.
Krug scored his second of the game on a power play 2:03 into the second off a slap shot from the right point to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead.

Hall scored 32 seconds into the second off a wrist shot from the left hash to tie the game 2-2.
Khudobin stopped a penalty shot by Travis Zajac 6:06 into the first after Patrice Bergeron was called for hooking Zajac on a breakaway.
"My mindset on the penalty shot was to stop the puck," Khudobin said. "I tried to think what he going to do. He's a right-handed shot so I tried to take away his options with what moves he might do, so that's my mindset."
The Bruins took a 2-1 lead in the first on shorthanded goals by Krug and Schaller. Krug made it 1-0 when his attempt into the slot from behind the Devils net deflected off the stick of Nico Hischier at 13:32.

Wood tied the game when he scored off a backhand at 16:26. Schaller made it 2-1 when his wraparound at the left post crossed the goal line under Lack's glove with three seconds remaining. A video review confirmed the call on the ice of a good goal.
"[Schaller's] an effort player and sometimes you do that 99 times and nothing comes of it," Cassidy said. "The one he did was a big difference for us and gave us a lift going into the intermission."
Bergeron scored into an empty net at 19:21 to make it 5-3.

Goal of the game

McQuaid's goal at 11:55 of the third period.

Save of the game

Khudobin's save on Travis Zajac's penalty shot at 6:06 of the first period.

Highlight of the game

Krug's goal at 13:32 of the first period.

They said it

"We want to skate hard, have the home team to react to us (on the road). I think every road game we've given ourselves a chance to win going into the third period." -- Bruins defenseman Torey Krug
"If you look at the response this team made after what happened in (a 6-1 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday), that right there tells you why this team is in the thick of the playoff race at this point in the season. Let's take it, let's build on it. Let's be ready to go on Tuesday." -- Devils coach John Hynes

Need to know

The Bruins, who are 19-2-4 in their past 25 games, won their seventh straight road game and are 11-0-2 in their past 13 away from home. ... Boston is 10-2-0 in the past 12 games against New Jersey, including three wins this season. ... McQuaid had four hits and four blocked shots. ... Hall has 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in his past 14 games. ... Palmieri has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past seven games. ... Boyle left the game in the first period (undisclosed) and did not return.

What's next

Bruins:Host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, NESN, SNW, NHL.TV)
Devils: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+ 2, NBCSP, NHL.TV)