Jets offence falters late as Bruins take comeback win behind Pastrnak's winner

David Pastrnak scored a tiebreaking power-play goal early in the third period to give the surging Boston Bruins a 3-2 win over the travel-weary Winnipeg Jets on Saturday in Boston.

Andrew Copp and Jansen Harkins each had a goal for the Jets, who played their seventh of eight games on the road to open 2022 because of COVID-19-related postponements. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 29 shots.

Winnipeg plays the final game of its lengthy trip Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

"It's a frustrating loss for sure. The schedule is going to get harder and harder," Jets centre Pierre-Luc Dubois said. "We have a back-to-back in 22 hours, which I've never had in my life, except maybe in juniors."

Boston's leading scorer, Brad Marchand, surprisingly returned to the lineup Saturday after leaving Thursday's game with an apparent right shoulder injury when he was hit from behind into boards by Washington's Garnet Hathaway, a check that Boston coach Bruce Cassidy felt was a "cheap" play. Cassidy said on Friday that Marchand would be out at least one game.

WATCH l Pastrnak's 19th goal of the season lifts Bruins over Jets:

Pastrnak's bomb gives Bruins win over Jets

3 years ago

Duration 1:04

David Pastrnak fired home his 19th goal of the season on the power play to lead Boston to a 3-2 win over Winnipeg.

The winger got a huge ovation when he was announced in the starting lineup.

"It's been a little bit of whirlwind," Marchand said. "I didn't expect to play today either. I have to give our training staff a ton of credit. They threw everything at it. This morning it felt a little better and I jumped on the ice and it felt OK."

In the third period, and with Adam Lowry off for interference, Pastrnak one-timed Matt Grzelcyk's pass into the net from the left circle for his 10th goal in the last 10 games.

"We rely on him for that shot and he came through for us," Cassidy said.

The Jets had a 6-on-4 advantage for the final 1:27 of the game with their goalie pulled and Boston's Tomas Nosek off for high-sticking.

The Jets are 3-3-1 in their current road trip to start 2022. They hope to finish the stretch above .500 on Sunday.

"It would be a nice way to close out the trip and go home to Winnipeg and play in an empty building," Jets forward Blake Wheeler said.

In the first period, Harkins' wrister from the left circle ticked off Rask's glove into the net, making it 1-0 at 2:46. Steen collected a loose puck in front and tied it with about 8 minutes left in the first, but Mark Scheifele's cross-ice pass hit off Copps' skate and then caromed into the net off the skate of Bruins defenceman Urho Vaakanainen with only 26 seconds left in the first.

Coyle tipped in Derek Forbort's shot from the point, tying it at 2 just 2:31 into the second.

Wheeler returns to Jets lineup

The Jets activated forward Blake Wheeler from long-term injured reserve before the game and placed forward Nikolaj Ehlers on long-term reserve.

Winger Steven Fogarty was set to make his Bruins debut before Marchand felt he was good to play. The 28-year-old Fogarty has played 27 games in his NHL career, scoring one goal in his time with the Rangers and Sabres.

He was recalled from club's AHL affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island, where he scored eight goals in 26 games this season.

The team's pregame TV broadcast even highlighted Fogarty's upcoming debut during warmups.