Bruins defeat Sharks, extend point streak to 14

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins extended their point streak to 14 games with a 4-1 win against the San Jose Sharks at TD Garden on Tuesday.

Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists for the Bruins (37-17-9), who are 10-0-4 in their past 14 games and have won eight of their past nine. Boston leads the Toronto Maple Leafs by three points for second in the Atlantic Division.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson didn't play in the third period because of injury for the Sharks (37-19-8), who finished a four-game trip 2-2-0. San Jose trails the Calgary Flames by five points for first in the Pacific Division.
WATCH: [All Sharks vs. Bruins highlights]
There was no update on Karlsson's status after the game. He missed the Sharks' previous game, a 5-3 win at the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, because of a groin injury after leaving in the second period of San Jose's 4-0 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. He missed nine games with the injury before returning Feb. 16.
"Well sure, anytime somebody gets hurt there's regret [about playing him]," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said, "but I really don't know -- same injury, different injury? I have no idea what we're dealing with yet. I can't even make that call."
Logan Couture gave San Jose a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 12:47 of the first period. He stole Zdeno Chara's pass from behind the net and stuffed the puck under Jaroslav Halak's right pad.
David Krejci, who had a goal and an assist, tied it 1-1 with a power-play goal, scoring on a one-timer from just above the left face-off dot at 14:39.

The Bruins scored three goals in 3:19 in the second period. Unlike in their 6-5 overtime win at San Jose on Feb. 18, when Boston led 3-0 in the first period, the Bruins did not let the Sharks come back.
"Yeah, we had a good start again like last week," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Didn't finish as well but certainly had the opportunities, some breakaways in all alone. But I think then we played the right way after that in terms of not letting them to get back into the game, not giving them anything easy."
Charlie McAvoy gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead at 9:09 when he took a pass from Marchand and scored on a shot from the right hash marks.
Jake DeBrusk made it 3-1 at 9:46 with a tip-in of a Krejci centering pass after a San Jose turnover at the Sharks blue line.

Marchand scored shorthanded to make it 4-1 at 12:28. He went around Karlsson in the high slot and slid a backhand through Martin Jones' five-hole.
"A couple of lucky bounces, but strong plays," Marchand said of Boston's three quick goals. "I think we played a pretty strong first, and if you continue to play that way consistently through three periods you're going to get some bounces and you're going to make some plays."
Halak made 19 saves for Boston; Jones made 28 for San Jose.
"Our mindset going into that game was probably a little too lax about the compete level that it was going to take to beat these guys," Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. "And the commitment coming through the neutral zone, it was a pretty loose game by us early on and then we kind of got in trouble there with a couple quick goals."

They said it

"Obviously not the results we wanted today, but it was good to get this out of the way." -- Sharks forward Gustav Nyquist on his San Jose debut after being traded by the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday
"I want to go as far as he was our best player out there. He looked confident with the puck. Just good plays in the neutral zone. You can see the poise and his ability to move around and play that game where he can share the puck, and skate, and shoot." -- Sharks captain Joe Pavelski on Nyquist, who had one shot in 17:21
"It felt like it took a little bit [of time], but it was a lot of fun out there. It's such a good team, you just go out and play, you don't have to think too much." -- Bruins forward Marcus Johansson on his Boston debut; he was traded by the New Jersey Devils on Monday

Need to know

Marchand tied Rick Middleton for the most shorthanded goals in Bruins history (25). … Johansson assisted on DeBrusk's goal and had two shots in 14:49.

What's next

Sharks:Host the Colorado Avalanche on Friday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, ALT, NHL.TV)
Bruins: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN1, SNE, SNO, TVAS, NHL.TV)