Korpisalo Backstops Bruins to 4-1 Win Over Flames

BOSTON –– Joonas Korpisalo skated to the starter’s crease for the first time in nearly two weeks.

“That was fun to get back in there,” Korpisalo said. “I’ve done this before, so you just go out there and do your best. Try to enjoy the game and get the win.”

​The goaltender settled right in and proceeded to make 28 saves in the Boston Bruins’ 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday at TD Garden to open the team’s five-game homestand.

​“It was awesome. Korpi, he battles every day, and he’s a heck of a goalie,” Casey Mittelstadt said. “He played great tonight. That was awesome to see.”

​Korpisalo held Calgary off the scoresheet in the first period while the B’s got to work on the other end of the ice.​

Sean Kuraly gave the Bruins the lead with his fourth goal of the season. The forward picked up a pass from linemate Tanner Jeannot, and ripped the puck from the high slot to make it 1-0 at 9:48. Charlie McAvoy logged the secondary assist, extending his point streak to four games.

​“I think as a group we knew tonight was really important for us,” Kuraly said. “For us, that offense, I think, is almost second or third from playing our good D-zone game. It’s crazy how much our offense comes from just playing a solid defensive game.”

​Boston doubled its advantage at 12:06 with a tally from Elias Lindholm off a quick tic-tac-toe play with David Pastrnak and Marat Khusnutdinov. The trio skated on the updated first line together against the Flames. Lindholm’s snapshot put the B’s up 2-0; it was his eighth goal of the year and fifth point in the last four games.

Pastrnak also pushed his point streak to four games with the helper. The forward has eight points through that stretch.

Mason Lohrei widened the gap in the middle frame with his second goal in two games. The defenseman faked a shot, toe-dragged, and then fired it past Calgary netminder Dustin Wolf at 14:02 for the 3-0 boost. Kuraly and Jeannot each earned their second points of the night with the assists.

“When I kind of went to take the slapshot, I just kind of read what he did. When he went down, I decided to pull it,” Lohrei said. “Any time we can get back in front of our fans here at the Garden, there’s nothing better than playing in front of them and playing at home. No lack of energy there.”​

Mittelstadt made it 4-0 at 17:59 with a strong move to the net before Connor Zary brought the contest to its final 4-1 standing at 18:44. It was a scoreless third period for both sides as the Bruins shut down any fight from the Flames.

“It’s the kind of hockey we want to play and the kind of hockey we need to play if we’re going to win games and make a push here,” Lohrei said. “It’s about just defending together and being a unit.”

The Bruins continue their homestand on Saturday when they host the New York Rangers for a matinee matchup.

“Overall, I’m very pleased with where we are at right now. Sure, there are some stretches and games I would like to have back, but I think at this point now, at least I think everyone knows how we have to play, how we have to defend, how we have to be in transition,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “Being more consistent, I think that’s going to be the next step.”