Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman blocks a shot by New Jersey’s Tyler Toffoli during Wednesday’s game in Newark, New Jersey. Seth Wenig/Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jack Hughes scored with 2:13 to play in overtime and the New Jersey Devils rallied to beat the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Wednesday night despite an outstanding 34-save effort by Jeremy Swayman.
Dawson Mercer tied the game in the third period and Vitek Vanecek made 23 saves as the Devils won for the seventh time in nine games. Jesper Bratt extended his scoring streak to six games with the assist on the game winner.
Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins, who are now 13-1-3 when leading after two periods. The Bruins have won four of their last six.
Bratt found Hughes in the left circle for the winner after Swayman had stopped him three times earlier in overtime.
Mercer tied the early in the third period, batting the rebound of Erik Haula’s shot that hit off the goalpost out of the air and past Swayman.
Geekie had given Bruins a 1-0 lead at 16:51 of the first period after Boston had a hard-working shift deep in the Devils zone. Vanecek got a glove on a shot from the slot by James van Riemsdyk, but Geekie got the rebound and slid the puck into an open net for his third goal of the season.
Vanecek kept New Jersey close late in the second period, with a pad save on David Pastrnak after the Bruins’ leading scorer made a spectacular move in close.
The Bruins played without defenseman Charlie McAvoy for the second straight game and top-line center Pavel Zacha because of upper-body injuries.
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