Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
The Boston Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 2-1 in the 2023 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park, home of the MLB’s Boston Red Sox, on Monday afternoon. Boston padded their lead on the Carolina Hurricanes for top spot in the Eastern Conference and NHL by six points with both teams having played 37 games this season.
Pittsburgh remains in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference since they have played one fewer game than the New York Islanders (who they are tied with). Pittsburgh is a point behind the the New York Rangers (who have a game in hand) for the first wild-card spot.
The Washington Capitals leapfrogged Pittsburgh in points percentage after they lost (.603-.595) but Pittsburgh has two games in hand.
Boston goaltender Linus Ullmark made 26 saves while Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry pitched eight before getting replaced by Casey DeSmith (who made 19 on 21 shots-against) 15:30 in due to a lower-body injury suffered from getting hit by left-wing Tomas Nosek’s shot at 13:20.
First Period
Scoring
None
Shots: 14-10 Pittsburgh
Second Period
Scoring
8:40, 1-0 Pittsburgh: Right-wing Kasperi Kapanen one-timed a shot over the glove of Ullmark after left-wing Danton Heinen stripped the puck off Boston defenseman Derek Forbort behind the net and center Jeff Carter fed him.
HOME RUN, PENGUINS! pic.twitter.com/eeEYEvuaEY
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 2, 2023
Shots: 20-19 Pittsburgh (10-5 Boston in second)
Third Period
Scoring
7:46, 1-1: Left-wing Jake DeBrusk swept around the goal mouth and beat DeSmith under the left pad after getting a pass from left-wing Brad Marchand from the right dot down low as a power play expired.
JAKE WITH THE JAM. pic.twitter.com/m8cwuy606W
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 2, 2023
17:36, 2-1 Boston: After center David Krejci led the rush into the offensive zone, left-wing Taylor Hall deked and shot one blocker-side on DeSmith before DeBrusk tucked in the rebound into a wide open net.
HALLSY FOR THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/524tKfDEHd
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 2, 2023
Shots: 29-28 Boston (10-8 in the third)
Boston improved to 19-0-3 at home this season. Pittsburgh has lost five straight games (0-3-2).
The Pens were SO CLOSE to tying the game at the buzzer 😅 #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/EgPtR4moMJ
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 2, 2023
Scenes From Fenway
Batters up. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/51aWZ8kMku
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 2, 2023
What’s up, @kikehndez! 👋 #WinterClassic | @RedSox pic.twitter.com/7OmspsfuW7
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 2, 2023
New venue, same pre-game routine. pic.twitter.com/s5FdSkIiKb
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 2, 2023
Soccer before a hockey game in a baseball stadium. ⚽️ 🏒 ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/Pyb3KWxBRE
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 2, 2023
Here we go, folks. pic.twitter.com/6bsnpoLFeC
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 2, 2023
That’s a whole lotta legends. pic.twitter.com/HiJaOWgJZx
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 2, 2023
Bruins are 29-4-4. pic.twitter.com/jAQIOiPrn5
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) January 2, 2023
By Harrison Brown
As a baseball fan, the baseball motif for Boston and Pittsburgh was cool, with the Bruins dressing as Red Sox and the Penguins dressing like the Pirates.