Bruins score six in second, eliminate Devils from playoff contention

BOSTON --The Boston Bruins scored six straight goals in the second period and eliminated the New Jersey Devils from playoff contention with an 8-1 win at TD Garden on Thursday.

Brad Marchand had two goals, Marc McLaughlin scored in his NHL debut, and Linus Ullmark made 25 saves for Boston (42-20-5), which has won five of six to move five points ahead of the Washington Capitals for the first wild card from the Eastern Conference.
The offensive outburst comes two days after a 6-4 home loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"We tried to build some good habits in the third period [Tuesday], have a good working practice yesterday, carry it into tonight, and I think it did," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "I think it helped that it looked like New Jersey was trying to be physical early on, so that's kind of the game we probably needed to get our attention as well, so it worked out both ways."

Jack Hughes scored for New Jersey (24-38-5), which has lost six of eight. Nico Daws allowed five goals on 20 shots in his fifth straight start before being pulled 9:01 into the second period. Jon Gillies made 17 saves in relief.
"There's a lot of things we can learn, obviously," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "It's one of those games again where we're going to have to talk about puck management. But nobody's on the outside of this. We all have a part in this one. Didn't like the game of the group."
Matt Grzelcyk put the Bruins ahead 1-0 57 seconds into the first period with a wrist shot from the point.
Hughes tied it 1-1 at 11:02 with a wrist shot to the top left corner from a sharp angle to the side of the net.
Jake DeBrusk put Boston ahead 2-1 at 16:09, scoring on a backhand-forehand move in front after Daws saved Patrice Bergeron's shot. It was DeBrusk's third straight game with a goal.
"I got to give a lot of credit," Ruff said. "They played well. They created turnovers, they put us in some tough positions. Physically, on some of the goals, they dominated us. … We had a part of it, but I'm going to give them credit for how hard they came out."
Erik Haula extended the lead to 3-1 at 2:22 of the second, finishing a rebound in the slot after David Pastrnak's shot
Marchand made it 4-1 at 6:33 with a one-timer from the high slot off a pass from DeBrusk, and Bergeron redirected Pastrnak's slap shot on a power play to push the lead to 5-1 at 9:01.
"These games don't happen often," Marchand said. "We did some good things, but at the same time we got puck luck, had good bounces, and capitalized on our opportunities. It's a good game, but we kind of have to let this one go and prepare for the next one now."
Marchand scored his second of the game and 30th of the season 1:33 later to make it 6-1 at 10:34, and McLaughlin extended the lead to 7-1 at 12:04 with a one-timer on a 2-on-1 with Trent Frederic.
"It was pretty special. I feel like I've lived that moment as a kid a hundred million times, down in my basement or shooting pucks," McLaughlin said. "[Frederic] made a great pass right in my wheelhouse, and all I had to do was shoot it in."

Taylor Hall gave Boston an 8-1 lead at 16:12, finishing a pass from Pastrnak off the rush.
"They wanted to make a statement," Ruff said. "It's the same thing I talked to our team about after the game, this game is over. It's 'What is going to be the answer to this game?' And there's a lot of small details in the game, from our puck play to our [defensive] zone position that cost us goals."
NOTES: McLaughlin is the fifth Massachusetts-born player to score in his NHL debut with the Bruins after Ryan Donato, (March 19, 2018), Frank Vatrano (Nov. 7, 2015), Shawn Bates (Oct. 2, 1997) and Hago Harrington (Dec. 29, 1925). McLaughlin had three shots in 13:01 after signing a two-year, entry-level contract March 15. He replaced Craig Smith, who was ill. … Boston scored six goals in a regular-season period for the 24th time and first since Nov. 3, 1983 in a 9-5 win against the St. Louis Blues. It also scored six goals in one period once in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the third period of a 6-1 win against the Hartford Whalers in the Adams Division semifinals April 11, 1991. … Bergeron reached the 50-point mark for the 13th time in his NHL career. Only two players have as many with the Bruins, Ray Bourque (18) and Johnny Bucyk (17). … Marchand scored at least 30 goals for the fifth time in NHL. … Defenseman Josh Brown was plus-2 with a fighting major in 10:18 in his Bruins debut after being acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on March 21. … Boston forward Anton Blidh had two shots and four hits in 12:24 in his first game since March 16. … Pastrnak has scored 10 points (five goals, five assists) in a four-game point streak. … Hughes has scored eight points (six goals, two assists) in a five-game point streak. … Devils forward Jesper Bratt had his seven-game point streak end (10 points; three goals, seven assists). … The Bruins won the season series 3-0-0.