Marchand leads Bruins over Pens
BOSTON -- Brad Marchand began his day by avoiding what would have been the fifth suspension of his NHL career.
He ended it by scoring two goals in the second period to allow his Boston Bruins to come from behind for a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final game before the All-Star break for both teams Thursday night.
Marchand, who is going to the All-Star Game, scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season and his third and fourth in the last two games. He was also part of a power-play scramble that resulted in Patrice Bergeron's insurance goal 51 seconds into the third period, although he didn't get an assist.
That goal became big when Penguins winger Patric Hornqvist scored with 9:25 left. The Bruins also had to kill two late penalties.
Marchand was fined $10,000 by the NHL for his "dangerous trip" of Detroit's Niklas Kronwall on Tuesday night -- also a Boston win as the Bruins (25-21-6) hit the break with two big victories that evened their home record at 12-12.
The goals, the first one short-handed with his team down 2-0, gave Marchand 12 goals and 22 points in the last 18 games.
Bergeron, Marchand's center, also had an assist, while David Pastrnak, who scored Tuesday's overtime winner, had two, giving him four points in two games.
Marchand had his disciplinary hearing via telephone and later expressed relief over not being suspended -- because of the importance of this game for his team.
After defenseman Justin Schultz and winger Phil Kessel put Pittsburgh (30-13-5) ahead in the first -- Schultz scoring off Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo -- Marchand struck twice and Riley Nash once to give the home side a 3-2 advantage heading into the third.
The four goals went past Matt Murray, who lost for the first time in three games against Boston. He made 33 saves.
Tuukka Rask made 19 saves in his ninth straight start, his 15th in the last 16 games.
Carlo had a tough first period, first directing Schultz's centering pass with what looked like a shot into the empty net with Rask well off to the side. The rookie then took a cross-checking penalty later in the period. But he did have an assist on the second Marchand score. He left the game early in the third period with an apparent right leg injury.
The Penguins made it 2-0 on the power play with Kessel first making a nifty pass but eventually shooting his 15th of the season past Rask, who again left a side open. It was the seventh goal for Kessel in 36 games against his old team.
Bergeron's cross-ice pass off the boards sprung Marchand for his first goal, his third and the team's sixth short-handed goal of the season, 1:38 into the second. Marchand then tied the game with a rebound of a Pastrnak shot 6:27 into the period.
Nash scored his second goal since Nov. 7 by tipping a Torey Krug shot up and over Murray for a 3-2 Bruins lead.
NOTES: Bruins LW Brad Marchand avoided what would have been the fifth suspension of his career when he was fined $10,000 and not suspended for his slew-foot trip of Detroit D Niklas Kronwall Tuesday night -- the NHL Player Safety Department calling it "a dangerous trip." "I feel very fortunate," said Marchand, who could have missed this weekend's All-Star Game with a suspension of longer than one game. It was his second fine, totaling $12,500. "This is a huge game tonight that I get to be part of it and, hopefully, have a good game." ... RW Patric Hornqvist, questionable for the game, played for Pittsburgh, which was missing All-Star C Evgeni Malkin, D Kris Letang and C Matt Cullen. ... The Penguins recalled C Carter Rowney from Wilkes-Barre and returned D Steve Oleksy to the AHL team, but Rowney did not dress. ... Pittsburgh RW Bryan Rust played in his 100th NHL game.