Tuesday night the Bruins welcomed Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins to TD Garden for the first of eight meetings this season between the clubs.
Though Boston carried most of the five on five play in regulation, the game got away from them in the third period as Pittsburgh came back from 2-0 down to force overtime.
In a wild, back and forth extra session featuring a 3-on-0 for the Penguins, Craig Smith and David Krejci finished off a 2-on-0 of their own as Smith buried the game-winner with 10 seconds to go.
The Bruins have now won three straight and prepare for their rematch with Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
1. Marchand adds to franchise record
During the first period, Brad Marchand tallied the 28th shorthanded goal of his career.
The goal not only added to a franchise record already held by Marchand, but it was a sequence of beauty.
Following a Penguins' mishandled zone entry at the Boston blue line, Charlie McAvoy quickly moved the puck to Marchand and the winger's skill took over from there.
Streaking down his offside one on one against Kris Letang, Marchand cut left to the middle of the offensive zone and wired a snapshot top shelf on Tristan Jarry.
This is already the second shorthanded goal No. 63 has helped contribute to this season — the first being a primary assist on Patrice Bergeron's marker in New Jersey where Marchand won multiple puck battles before finding the Bruins' captain in the slot.
2. Tuukka scare
The Bruins' season flashed before their eyes during the third period when Tuukka Rask appeared to suffer a right leg injury.
After a flurry of power-play chances around the Boston goal, Rask wasn't able to get back on his feet in an attempt to stop the eventual goal by Jason Zucker.
The Pittsburgh goal that cut the Bruins' lead to one was seemingly irrelevant in the big picture if Rask's long-term health was in jeopardy.
Fortunately for the black and gold and all of Bruins' nation, the Vezina caliber goaltender didn't miss a second of game action.
Though he made a right pad breakaway save on Kasperi Kapanen midway through the third, Rask did seem a little hesitant on Kapanen's eventual tying goal.
Rask played great in overtime including an aggressive play on Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang to break up a Pittsburgh 3-on-0.
Still, if there is any concern Rask playing in either of the next couple games could hinder his health, then the coaching staff shouldn't hesitate to rest him and play Jaroslav Halak.
3. Jake DeBrusk leaves with an injury
While it's unclear exactly which play caused Jake DeBrusk to exit the game during the first period, it may not be a coincidence that DeBrusk's final shift ended with a rather late, hard hit from Brandon Tanev.
The team deemed it a lower-body injury which could be devastating for No. 74 as he has struggled to find his offensive game, and this could set him back if he has to miss any amount of time.
From a lineup perspective, David Pastrnak could return as early as Saturday, but if DeBrusk has to miss Thursday's game, the Bruins will be a little thin up front, with one of Greg McKegg, Par Lindholm or Karson Kuhlman likely to come in.
