The game was briefly delayed after referee Marc Joannette was injured with 9:34 to play in the second period after he was clipped in the leg by the stick of Bruins defenseman Jakub Zboril. He was helped off the ice and did not return. Two referees officiated the remainder of the game.
The Bruins outshot the Red Wings, 17-5, in the second frame, but Detroit held onto its one-goal lead.
Things got heated early in the third period after Gustav Lindstrom cross-checked Boston captain Patrice Bergeron and was penalized. Just 59 seconds later, the Red Wings found themselves down two skaters when defenseman Marc Staal was called for a hooking penalty.
Boston took advantage of the five-on-three opportunity when forward David Pastrnak, assisted by left winger Taylor Hall and defenseman Charlie McAvoy, beat Nedeljkovic to tie the game, 1-1, with 13:40 remaining.
Momentum shifted back in Detroit's favor mid-way through the third period. After a delayed penalty call, Staal aggressively capitalized on an open net to score his first goal of the season, and the eventual game-winner, with 8:27 remaining.
"It was a good response," Larkin said. "There were stretches throughout that game that we were hemmed in our own zone, and we had to grind it out. Ned made some big saves, and we just did it."
Boston was without coach Bruce Cassidy, who was placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol on Tuesday. Forward Brad Marchand was also unavailable, as the Bruins' leading scorer served the first game of his three-game suspension.
The Red Wings will welcome the Kraken, the NHL's newest franchise, to Little Caesars Arena for the first time on Wednesday night. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. It will mark the first of two meetings between Detroit and Seattle this season.