RECAP: Bruins outlast Red Wings in New Year’s Eve battle, 5-3

DETROIT – In a back-and-forth affair between Atlantic Division rivals, the Boston Bruins outlasted the Detroit Red Wings, 5-3, before a sellout crowd in the annual New Year’s Eve game at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday evening.

With the win, Boston improved its season record to 22-7-6 (50 points). The Red Wings ended the 2023 calendar year with a 17-16-4 mark (38 points). The season series between the Bruins and Red Wings is now knotted at 2-2, with all four games decided in regulation.

Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman earned the win, stopping 27 of the 30 shots he faced. Red Wings netminder Alex Lyon recorded 15 saves in the losing effort, and seemed to avoid injury after Boston’s first goal in the opening period.  

The first period featured chippy play from the opening horn, and a combined seven penalties. The Red Wings earned a pair of power plays but were unable to convert. Boston’s Trent Frederic scored his eighth goal of the season with just 51.8 seconds remaining after an opportunistic pass up the right side of the ice by David Pastrnak.

Frederic’s backhanded shot beat Lyon, followed by a collision adjacent to the goal. Lyon remained in the game after falling to the ice and being tended to by the Red Wings’ training staff. The Bruins out-shot Detroit in the opening period, 8-5.

Frederic scored again less than five minutes (4:25) into the second period to give Boston a 2-0 lead. His uncontested shot from just outside the right faceoff circle beat Lyon.

Detroit’s Jake Walman sliced Boston’s lead in half (2-1) with 6:59 remaining in the second period after firing a shot from the left point past Swayman. It marked Walman’s third goal in the past two games and his ninth of the season, matching his single-season career-high. Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond picked up assists on the play.

Less than four minutes later – with 3:18 left in the period – Ben Chiarot collected his third goal of the season with a rising shot in between the faceoff dots that got through Boston’s defense and Swayman. Boston challenged for goalie interference, but the goal was held up, tying the game at 2-2. Andrew Copp and Joe Veleno picked up assists on the equalizer.

Boston reclaimed the lead, 3-2, at 3:52 of the third period after winning a faceoff and setting up a feed from Charlie McAvoy to Charlie Coyle, who buried his 13th goal of the season. Jake DeBrusk pushed Boston’s lead to two goals (4-2) with an empty netter and the eventual game-winner with 2:01 remaining, before Detroit’s J.T. Compher trimmed the deficit to 4-3 with an extra skater on the ice at the 18:38 mark of the final period. The Bruins’ Pavel Zacha ended the game’s scoring with another empty netter with just 24 seconds left.

NEXT UP: The Red Wings will open 2024 with a three-game West Coast road trip, beginning with next Tuesday’s (Jan. 2) matchup against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center. Puck drop is set for 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde

On Detroit’s overall effort in a close game…
“We did some quality things tonight to get back in that game. Obviously, we could have won that game. Probably our most complete 60 minutes from start-to-finish in a while. Just came against a team with a very slim margin of error.”

On the importance of capitalizing on the power play…
“With the power play, you get a little frustrated when you don’t get looks. It just didn’t go in the net. That’s their (Boston’s) recipe. They’re a high-compete, well-coached team that leans on elite, elite, elite goaltending. That’s a very comfortable game for them. So, our power play got one tonight, gave us a chance with an extra skater at the end. But we probably needed another one early on.”

Defenseman Ben Chiarot

On the improved defensive effort…
“It was better tonight. Still a couple missed assignments that cost us. But better for sure, not as frequent of breakdowns. But still could be a lot better.”

On the offensive contributions from Red Wings defensemen…
“It’s great anytime you can get offense from the back end, and it’s going to help you win a game. But it wasn’t enough tonight. Obviously as defensemen, we’re always looking to jump in and contribute. We’ll have to keep doing that.”