The Bruins needed a playoff-level performance to lift them out of their funk, and they got it against a Flyers team that brings out of the best in them.
The Bruins got the games first goal for the first time in eight games and paraded through an encouraging first period with a two-goal lead against Philadelphia. That good start allowed them to hold on for a 3-2 shootout victory when the Flyers inevitably made their run back at Boston in the latter 40 minutes of the game.
Jakub Voracek tied the game in the third period, but shootout strikes from David Krejci, Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron proved to be the difference-maker.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Bruins and improved them to 32-0-0 this season when theyve put together a two-goal lead at any point during a hockey game. It also put the Bruins back into first place by virtue of their games in hand.
Chris Kelly pounded on a Benoit Pouliot rebound little more than six minutes into the first period for his 17th goal of the season, and the Bruins had their secondary scoring. Then Patrice Bergeron and Tyler Seguin teamed for the 20-year-olds 25th goal of the season to double their output in the first 20 minutes, and then it became about protecting the house.
A slashing call on Seguin led to a Matt Read power play goal for the Flyers in the second period, and Philadelphia was able to keep things awfully tight and competitively close for the final two periods. But Tim Thomas and the Bruins recently beleaguered defense managed to keep the Flyers off the board, and came up with a huge kill in the third period on a Shawn Thornton goaltender interference call.