BOSTON — The Detroit Red Wings’ inability to finish chances cost them another big game as they head into the Christmas break.
They came up short, 3-1, to Atlantic Division rival Boston on Saturday at TD Garden.
• Box score
Frans Nielsen scored shorthanded, countering a power-play goal from Brad Marchand. The Wings were outplayed in the first period but had the better second period. Patrice Bergeron scored twice in the third period, the second time into an empty net, while the Wings were denied by Tuukka Rask 30 times.
Tough start
Tyler Bertuzzi left after blocking a shot during the opening shift, but was back after a few minutes. He was called up to absorb the loss of Luke Glendening (out at least four weeks with hand injury). Martin Frk left midway through the first period after losing his balance and going hard into the boards, but was back within minutes, too. The Wings fell behind 1-0 during a 5-on-3 penalty kill when Marchand scored at 13:37.
Nielsen nets another
Nielsen scored at 14:38 of the first period when he struck a minute after the Bruins had converted, using his ninth goal of the season to tie the score. It was Nielsen’s second shorthanded goal of the season. It was one of six shots the Wings had in the first period, while the Bruins had 11.
Solid second
The Wings had better possession in the second period. Henrik Zetterberg wrapped the puck around the net and into the paint, but no one was able to finish the scoring chance. Dylan Larkin was denied on a wrist shot with about seven minutes to go in the period as the Wings sustained regular pressure. They went on a power play at 12:54, but were unable to generate good looks until the waning seconds. They earned a second power play in the last minute of the second period. The Wings had 13 shots in the second period.
Rask comes up big
Marchand out-battled Jonathan Ericsson for the puck and passed it to Bergeron, who one-timed a shot behind Jimmy Howard to put the Bruins ahead, 2-1, at 6:11 of the third period. Rask made a big save on Larkin when he used his speed to get to the slot and pounced on a loose puck. Gustav Nyquist tried a tip-in with less than four minutes to go as the Wings outshot the Bruins 9-4 in the third period. Nyquist had another chance turned away on a wrist shot a minute later. Henrik Zetterberg tried a backhand and Tomas Tatar a tip in the last minute of regulation.
Contact Helene St. James: [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.
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