Bruins rout Penguins six to two

Pavel Zacha scored two goals in the third period to help the Boston Bruins defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2 on Thursday night. The victory marked the third straight win for Boston, which has now won 10 of its last 13 games.

Morgan Geekie scored his third straight game goal and added an assist. Elias Lindholm, Mark Kastelic, and Fraser Minten also scored for the Bruins. David Pastrnak and JJ Peterka each recorded two assists. Michael DiPietro stopped 16 shots in goal for Boston.

The Bruins entered the second period leading 3-1. They extended that advantage to 5-2 by the end of the first 40 minutes. Zacha and Minten both scored during 2-on-1 situations. Geekie scored on a partial breakaway following a poor Pittsburgh line change. Lindholm scored after a turnover by Erik Karlsson in his own zone.

Karlsson finished the game with a minus-4 rating. The Pittsburgh defense struggled against the Boston attack. Arturs Silovs made 18 saves for the Penguins, who have lost their fourth straight game. Pittsburgh has dropped eight of its last 10 matches.

Justin Brazeau scored his first goal of the season in his second game back from a training camp injury. Nick Robertson also scored for Pittsburgh. Captain Sidney Crosby did not record a point. He remains tied with Marcel Dionne for sixth on the NHL all-time scoring list with 1,771 points.

The Bruins will open a four-game homestand Sunday against Florida. They play 10 of their next 11 games at home. The Penguins begin a three-game West Coast trip Saturday in Los Angeles.