BOSTON — Marat Khusnutdinov and Casey Mittelstadt scored less than a minute apart early in the first period and the Boston Bruins held on for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.
Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson scored just 42 seconds into the game, but Khusnutdinov tied it at 1-1 when he snapped the puck high inside the far post past Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner for his 13th goal of the season at 5:10 of the first.
Mittelstadt added his 13th of the season 50 seconds later when he gathered in the rebound of Nikita Zadorov’s shot and fired it past a diving Skinner and into an open net. Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves.
Karlsson scored on the Penguins’ first shot after the Bruins had two excellent scoring chances in the first few seconds, requiring solid saves by Skinner. The Bruins challenged for goalie interference but the goal was upheld. Skinner finished with 26 saves.
The Bruins had lost three of their previous four games — two in shootouts — but have now won 11 consecutive home games to remain in position for a wild-card playoff spot.
Charlie McAvoy’s nine-game point streak came to end. The Olympian joined Ray Bourque as only the second Bruins defenseman in the last 40 years with a nine-game point streak.
Up next
Penguins: Host Buffalo on Thursday night
Bruins: Visit Nashville on Thursday night
