Jake Debrusk scored the game winning goal in the third period, and Brad Marchand also added two goals on Saturday night as the Boston Bruins opened the 2021-22 season with a 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars at TD Garden in Boston.
Boston opened the scoring when Brad Marchand was given a penalty shot late in the first period. Marchand beat Dallas goalie Braden Holtby blocker side at 17:38 for a 1-0 Bruins lead. The Stars (1-1) tied it in the second when Tanner Kero found a wide open Luke Glendening between the faceoff dots. Glendening snapped a quick shot past Jeremy Swayman at 9:15 to make it 1-1. Debrusk got the difference maker and put Boston up 2-1 at 4:43 of the third period when he cleaned up a loose puck in the slot near the Dallas goal, after Nick Foligno had put some pressure near the front. David Pastrnak would find Marchand streaking through center ice for a partial breakaway empty net goal at 18:23 to put it away.
Swayman stopped 24 of 25 shots for the win in net, as the former UMaine goalie is still unbeaten at TD Garden. Foligno, Erik Haula, and Pastrnak each had an assist in the victory. Holtby made 37 saves in the loss for Dallas. The Bruins went 0-3 on the powerplay, while the Stars were 0-6. Boston now heads on the road to play the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.
