BOSTON — Brad Marchand and Joakim Nordstrom scored in a 36-second span in the second period and Jaroslav Halak stopped 25 shots to help the Boston Bruins beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 on Thursday night.

David Pastrnak had his fourth goal of the season, and Patrice Bergeron added an empty-netter in the final minute for the Bruins, who have won three straight after lowing the opener 7-0 at Washington.

Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the season for the Oilers, and Cam Talbot had 28 saves.

The Oilers were playing only their second game of the season after falling 5-2 to New Jersey on Saturday in Sweden.

Edmonton struck first when McDavid got in alone on Halak and beat him 3:43 into the game.

Pastrnak tied it on a power-play goal at 9:20, and Marchand gave Boston its first lead at 14:37 on another power play off a centering pass from Matt Grzelcyk.

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Nordstrom scored again for Boston 36 seconds later on a give-and-go with David Krejci.

Edmonton just missed on two opportunities in the third. Boston captain Zdeno Chara poked the puck away as it slid along the goal line behind Halak as Edmonton’s Ty Rattie raised his arms, thinking Edmonton scored.

Play continued and replays showed the puck didn’t cross the line.

The Oilers were short-handed a few minutes later when Tobias Rieder got a breakaway on Halak, who stretched out for a save with his left pad to preserve the two-goal lead.

BRUINS GOALIE Tuukka Rask, who did not play Thursday against Edmonton, saw his save percentage rise by more than 100 points and his goals-against average nearly cut in half in the Bruins home opener Monday.

Rask had a brutal time in being pulled in the season-opening loss at Washington and entered Monday with a 11.11 GAA and a save percentage of .737.

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He made 28 saves for his first win of the season, but did the 31-year old Finn feel like he played better?

“Well I finished the game, so I guess that qualifies as a lot better,” Rask said.

NOTES: The teams will again next Thursday night in Edmonton. …

Bergeron had a goal and an assist, and Grzelcyk had two assists. … Halak made his first home start for the Bruins. … Pastrnak has 98 career goals. … The game was stopped for a few minutes late in the second period when a hit knocked the glass loose behind the Edmonton net.


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