McCann scores twice as Penguins halt Bruins' point streak

[March 11, 2019]  Jared McCann scored twice Sunday as the Pittsburgh Penguins halted the visiting Boston Bruins' 19-game point streak with a 4-2 win.

The Bruins were 15-0-4 during their streak and had not lost in regulation since Jan. 19.

Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist, and Nick Bjugstad also scored for Pittsburgh, which has won four of its past five games and is 5-1-1 in its past seven.

Goaltender Matt Murray stopped 39 of 41 Boston shots. Murray started for the eighth straight game, including the second night in a row and the third time in four nights.

David Krejci and John Moore scored and Danton Heinen had two assists for the Bruins. Jaroslav Halak made 33 saves.

Poor puck management cost Boston in the first period.

After Boston's Lee Stempniak turned the puck over in his end, Pittsburgh's Dominik Simon got the puck to Patric Hornqvist, whose shot was tapped in by Bjugstad for a 1-0 lead at 1:33.

Krejci lost control of the puck in the Penguins' end during a Boston power play, and Pittsburgh's Teddy Blueger sprang McCann on a breakaway. He beat Halak on a backhander at 13:54, a short-handed goal and a 2-0 lead.

Each team lost a player in the second period. Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk left while favoring his right arm after taking a hit by Hornqvist. Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese left for unspecified reasons.

According to a tweet from the Bruins' Twitter account, coach Bruce Cassidy said X-rays on Grzelcyk were negative, and Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe tweeted that while there was no fracture, there was "some damage to the right forearm and/or elbow. Extent, severity unknown."

Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (30) makes a save against Boston Bruins right wing David Backes (42) during the first period at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Penguins coach Bruce Sullivan had no update on Aston-Reese after the game.

Krejci extended his goal streak to four games and brought Boston to within 2-1 at 4:32 of the second. On a power play, he got a rebound in the lower portion of the left circle and swiped the puck behind Murray from a sharp angle.

At 16:32 of the second, Guentzel notched his 34th goal to make it 3-1. Although the Penguins were on a power play, the goal came off the rush. Guentzel lofted a shot past Halak from the slot after a slick pass from Sidney Crosby.

Moore scored with 1:01 remaining from the left point past a screen with Halak pulled to make it 3-2.

McCann sealed it with an empty-netter with 20.5 seconds left.

--Field Level Media

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