Frederic Brunet scored his first NHL goal as the Anaheim Ducks edged out the Boston Bruins 2-1 at the Honda Center on Friday night. The powerplay goal came in the second period and proved decisive as the Ducks held off a late Bruins push.
The Ducks took an early lead late in the first period when Tim Washe fired a long-range shot past Boston goalie Michael DiPietro with just 37 seconds remaining. Washe’s goal, assisted by Jackson LaCombe and Tristan Luneau, broke a scoreless deadlock and set the tone for Anaheim. Less than a minute later, Beckett Sennecke doubled the lead after the Bruins turned the puck over in the neutral zone. Sennecke’s goal was set up by Nikita Nesterenko and Cutter Gauthier, giving the Ducks a 2-0 advantage going into the first intermission.
Boston struggled to keep pace in the opening 20 minutes, with Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal denying several attempts, including shots from Fraser Minten and JJ Peterka. The Bruins were slow on the ice compared to their recent performances and failed to capitalize on scoring chances.
The second period saw Boston finally get on the board with Brunet’s milestone goal at 11:10 p.m. Eastern Time. David Pastrnak’s initial shot rattled the crossbar, but Brunet was quickest to the rebound and netted his first NHL goal. The play was assisted by James Hagens and Pavel Zacha, delivering a powerplay goal that brought Boston within one.
Despite Boston’s renewed pressure, the Ducks maintained a defensive edge. Bruins defender Nikita Zadorov was penalized multiple times, including a four-minute double minor for elbowing and a post-whistle clothesline on Frank Vatrano, which gave Anaheim an extended powerplay opportunity to start the third period.
The Bruins continued to press but were unable to find the equalizer. Dostal made several critical saves, including a point-blank stop on a Pastrnak shot that nearly tied the game. Anaheim’s goaltender was key to preserving the lead, especially during a tense powerplay in the final minutes.
The Ducks improved to 4-2-0 on the season, bouncing back from a recent loss to the Calgary Flames. Leo Carlsson remains their top point scorer with seven points, including two goals and five assists, but he was held scoreless in this game. Boston moved to 5-2-0 but saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.
Michael DiPietro, making only his second appearance of the season for the Bruins, faced a barrage of shots but could not keep the Ducks off the board. The Bruins had scored 17 goals over their last three games before this matchup, but the Ducks’ defense and Dostal’s goaltending stifled their efforts.
The game featured a physical edge, with multiple penalties and a tense exchange after the whistle involving Zadorov and Vatrano. Anaheim’s disciplined play and timely scoring proved enough to withstand Boston’s late surge.
The Bruins will continue their West Coast road trip on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings, while the Ducks prepare for a trip to New York to face the Rangers on Tuesday.
According to Yahoo Sports.
