Boston Bruins vs New Jersey Devils Match Player Stats On Jan 14, 2021

Brad Marchand opened the scoring, assisted on Boston's other regulation goal and scored the only goal of the shootout Thursday night as the Bruins edged the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in the season opener for both teams in Newark, N.J.

Marchand, the Bruins' third shooter, fired a shot beneath the right leg of Mackenzie Blackwood as the Bruins improved to 3-1-0 in season openers under head coach Bruce Cassidy.

Boston's Nick Ritchie scored in the third period and goalie Tuukka Rask made 20 saves in regulation and overtime. He added two saves in the shootout, with the Devils' last attempt, from Jack Hughes, going wide of the net.

Miles Wood scored for the Devils but also committed two goalie interference penalties that led to the Bruins' regulation goals. Ty Smith, making his NHL debut, was credited with a goal late in the third period.

Blackwood made 35 saves as the Devils lost the head coaching debut of Lindy Ruff.

The Bruins outshot the Devils 16-4 in the first period but didn't break through until a power play generated when Wood interfered with Rask at 17:02. David Krejci pried the puck loose from Kyle Palmieri near the New Jersey blue line and dished to Patrice Bergeron. The center headed toward the net and fired a shot across the crease to Marchand, who was able to tuck a shot under Blackwood's arm at 17:40.

Wood intercepted a pass by the Bruins' Sean Kuraly at center ice to begin a breakaway that led to his game-tying goal off the post at 8:51 of the third period. Hughes assisted on the goal.

Another goalie-interference penalty on Wood set up the Bruins for what proved to be a short-lived lead with 6:48 left. Ritchie took a pass from Marchand and fired into the right corner of the net with one second left on the power play.

The Devils needed just 34 seconds to tie the game on what amounted to an own goal by the Bruins. Smith was credited as the goal-scorer when his shot into the crease bounced off several players before ticking off the upper body of Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and into the net.

The Devils outshot the Bruins 4-2 in overtime and had two breakaway chances in the final 75 seconds. Palmieri took a shot that bounced off Rask's pads, and Rask stymied Hughes with about seven seconds left.

--Field Level Media