They Did It Again

BOSTON - At this point, there's no reason to expect anything else.
For the second consecutive game, it appeared that things just weren't going to go the Bruins' way. Then, the Bruins did what the Bruins do: they found a way.
Trailing by a goal midway through the third, Chris Wagner notched the tying tally, setting up more final-minute heroics, with David Krejci tipping home Danton Heinen's wrister with 45 seconds to play to lift the Bruins to a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden.

"You need that down the stretch, especially come playoff time, and we're seeing a lot of good things right now," said Brad Marchand, who had a power-play tally in the second period. "Even when we're not playing our best hockey, you've got to be able to find ways to win and that's what we're doing. It's great to see out of the group."

Boston closed out a perfect 6-0 homestand and extended their winning streak at TD Garden to 10 games, the longest on Causeway Street since 2008-09 (14 games). The Bruins also pushed their points streak to 19 games (15-0-4), the second-longest run in team history, behind only a 23-game stretch (15-0-8) in 1940-41.
"I don't think of the streak too much," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "We're in every game. They're grinds every night…but yes, it's nice to look at yourself and where you are in the standings. We're paid to win, and we're doing a lot of that lately, so that's comforting.
"But now I'm worried about Sidney Crosby and [Evgeni] Malkin and the next challenge [against Pittsburgh on Sunday night]."
Krejci's tally gave him goals in three consecutive games and upped his points total to 16 (6 goals, 10 assists) in his last 12 games. It marked the first time in Bruins history - and fourth time in NHL history - that a team scored the winner in the final minute of regulation in consecutive games.
"We're on one of those runs," added Cassidy. "Obviously, we've got some good players in the room stepping up at the right time. It's a sign of a good team because we need it."

The winner started with Matt Grzelcyk wheeling the puck back into the neutral zone and sending a cross-ice pass to Heinen at the Ottawa blue line. Heinen then cut to the slot and dangled around two Senators, before firing a wrister toward the net. Krejci was stationed at the post to tip it by Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson and put Boston ahead for good.
"I just tried to get to the middle and get it through, really, short-side," said Heinen. "Luckily, there were some bodies there and Krech made a good play."
And it was Chris Wagner - promoted to first-line duty alongside Patrice Bergeron and Marchand mid-game - coming through with yet another clutch tally earlier in the third to tie the game at 2. Wagner battled through Ottawa defenseman Ben Harpur in the slot, stretching out his stick and getting just enough of Torey Krug's wrister to trickle it through Anderson at 8:47 of the third.
"I think he was over top of me for a little bit there," said Wagner, now with 11 goals on the season. "And then I saw Torey kind of looking at me and I kind of knew he was going to shoot it, so I was just trying to get my stick free. I was turning around to see if there was a rebound, but it trickled in."
Wagner, who has five goals over his last 11 games, considered it an honor to get the call to play up with Bergeron and Marchand.
"I was trying not to screw up," Wagner said with a smile. "I watch them a lot…it was only six minutes, so you can't really get in that much of a groove. You just want to complement them and try to get them the puck and see what they can do."

Stempniak Debuts

Lee Stempniak, signed to a one-year contract on Feb. 24, made his season debut, landing two hits and registering three takeaways in 7:46 of ice time.
"It's nice to be playing games, especially in the NHL," said Stempniak, who last played on April 7, 2018. "You never take it for granted, but going so long between games you cherish it a little bit more. It was nice to get back out there and be a part of a win. I felt like I was moving my feet and played pretty well."

Numbers Game

• Boston extended its home points streak to 12 games (10-0-2), the best since a 15-game stretch in 2014.
• The Bruins swept a six-game home stand for the second time in team history (2017-18), becoming just the second team in NHL history to twice sweep a home stand of six or more games. They are one of six teams in NHL history to accomplish the feat once.
• Tuukka Rask extended his personal points streak to 19 games at 16-0-3, with a 1.94 goals against average and .929 save percentage in that span.
• Krug's second assist was the 283rd of his career, tying him with Craig Janney for the most points by an American-born Bruin in team history.
• John Moore played in his 500th career game.
• Marchand's power-play goal in the second period gave him 24 points (9 goals, 15 assists) in his last 16 games and extended his home points streak to 15 games.
• Bergeron's assist on Marchand's goal gave him 19 points (8 goals, 11 assists) in his last 15 games and also extended his home points streak to 15 games.