Alex DeBrincat, Red Wings knock off NHL-best Bruins for 2nd time, 5-2

BOSTON - BOSTON (AP) — Alex DeBrincat and J.T. Compher each had a goal and an assist, and the Detroit Red Wings beat Boston 5-2 on Friday for their second victory over the NHL-leading Bruins this season.

Robby Fabbri, Dylan Larkin and David Perron also scored for the Red Wings, who are the only team to beat Boston (14-2-3) in regulation. Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists and Ville Husso stopped 25 shots.

"A big win for us," Husso said.

In their third meeting in a month — the Bruins won the first game on Oct. 28 — Detroit took advantage of six Boston penalties to improve to 10-0-2 when scoring four or more goals.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 24: Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings reacts to the third-period goal against the Boston Bruins on November 24, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

"A really good start. I feel like our guys were focused and locked in," coach Derek Lalonde said. "A pretty complete road game against a very good team."

Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen scored for the Bruins, who had been 5-0-2 since losing at Detroit on Nov. 4. Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves on his 25th birthday.

"It’s one thing if you play well and things happen and you don’t get the result," Bruins center Charlie Coyle said. "But that wasn’t the case I don’t think."

Despite a 16-save shutout Wednesday against New Jersey, Alex Lyon was the Red Wings’ backup. Husso had allowed at least four goals in his past three starts, but had been on paternity leave and hadn’t played since Nov. 11.

"He should have a kid every six weeks," Lalonde said, smiling.

The Bruins finally solved Husso when DeBrusk knocked home his own rebound on the power play to get Boston within 2-1 early in the second period.

It was DeBrusk’s second goal in as many games after managing one in his first 16 games.

But Husso kept the surging Bruins at bay until Fabbri scored on a wrist shot from the faceoff circle at 13:24 of the second.

Heinen’s wrist shot 4:12 into the third got the Bruins within a goal. But Brandon Carlo was called for hooking less than a minute later and Larkin scored five seconds into the power play to give Detroit another two-goal cushion.

Perron added an empty-netter with 1:45 left.

"Once we did start chipping away, it seemed like we had a penalty and they would capitalize," DeBrusk said. "They controlled our momentum swings and that’s why they got the win."

Boston coach Jim Montgomery gave veteran James van Riemsdyk the day off in the team’s traditional Black Friday home matinee, with Morgan Geekie returning to the lineup.

An early Geekie miscue and an odd bounce put the Bruins in a hole. With Geekie serving a holding penalty, Compher redirected Gostisbehere’s shot at 5:13. The puck bounced off Swayman’s chest and trickled between his legs.

The Red Wings made it 2-0 late in the first period when DeBrincat pickpocketed rookie Matt Poitras in the neutral zone, skated in alone and wristed a shot past Swayman for his team-high 12th goal.

Boston couldn’t overcome the sleepy start and lost in regulation at home for just the fifth time in 50 regular-season home games over the past two seasons.

After using 11 forwards and seven defensemen for several games this season, including their first victory over Boston, the Red Wings had a traditional 12-6 lineup with Jake Walman (illness) scratched.

It worked as Detroit won its second straight after returning from a 0-1-1 trip to Sweden.

"We know we’re a good team," Husso said. "If we can bring it every night, every day, our best game, we can beat any team in this league."

UP NEXT

Red Wings: Host Minnesota on Sunday.

Bruins: At the New York Rangers on Saturday, with Matt Grzelcyk (upper-body injury) expected to return.