Fraser Minten’s three-point night leads Bruins past Flyers in 5-1 win at TD Garden

Minten helps Boston turn volume into separation

Boston did not need one dominant scorer because the offence arrived in layers. Pavel Zacha opened the night at 12:21 of the first period with a wrist shot off a David Pastrnak setup, and Mason Lohrei doubled the lead late in the second at 17:12, finishing a play started by JJ Peterka and Minten. What looked like a controlled 2-0 game through 40 minutes became much firmer 1:55 into the third, when Marat Khusnutdinov pushed the margin to three with Minten and Will Borgen collecting the assists.

That sequence captured the shape of Boston’s attack. Five different Bruins scored, and the assists were spread through the lineup as well: Minten finished with a goal and two assists, Peterka had two helpers, and Pastrnak, Elias Lindholm, James Hagens, Hampus Lindholm and Borgen all appeared on the scoresheet. It was not a night built on one hot line or one special-teams burst. Boston kept adding contributors until Philadelphia ran out of room to recover.

The broader numbers matched the result. Boston outshot Philadelphia 32-15, won 55.1 per cent of the faceoffs and delivered 25 hits. Just as important, every Bruins goal came at even strength. Their power play went 0-for-2, but the offence still produced five times at five-on-five, which is usually the clearest sign that a team controlled the game on its own terms.

Martone cuts the gap, but Boston closes the door quickly

Philadelphia did find one opening in the third. Porter Martone scored at 6:32, with assists from David Jiricek and Denver Barkey, trimming the deficit to 3-1 and briefly giving the Flyers something to chase. Because the Flyers finished with one goal and one power-play goal, Martone’s finish stood as their only special-teams conversion of the night.

Any hope of that becoming a real turn lasted only 2:49. Casey Mittelstadt restored Boston’s three-goal cushion at 9:21, set up by Elias Lindholm and Hagens, and Minten added the fifth at 15:59 off feeds from Peterka and Hampus Lindholm. That quick response was the decisive stretch of the game: Philadelphia finally got on the board, and Boston answered before the score could tighten further.

There were still a few respectable individual efforts for the Flyers. Dan Vladar stopped 27 of 32 shots, a workload that could have turned uglier without him. Travis Sanheim logged 28:51, Jiricek and Nick Seeler each blocked four shots, and Martone put three shots on goal to go with his finish. But the offensive base was too thin. Philadelphia managed only 15 shots, lost the faceoff battle and was charged with 22 giveaways, a combination that left Jeremy Swayman with a comparatively light night at the other end.

Our take: Boston’s even-strength game looks sturdy; Philadelphia needs cleaner possession

Boston’s most encouraging takeaway is that this win did not depend on a hot power play. Five even-strength goals, nine assists and meaningful production from young and veteran players alike suggest a lineup that can create offence from several places. If there is a caution in the Bruins file, it is discipline and special teams: they took 18 penalty minutes and gave Philadelphia four power plays while going scoreless on their own two opportunities. Against a sharper opponent, that balance could become less forgiving.

For the Flyers, the correction starts with making more of their possessions count. The raw clues are plain enough: 15 shots is not much over 60 minutes, and 22 giveaways is far too much against a team that was already winning draws and generating double the shot total. The power play did deliver their only goal, which matters, but Boston scored all five of its goals at even strength. Until Philadelphia creates more at five-on-five and cuts down the loose puck management, nights like this will ask too much of the goaltender and too little of the opponent.

Scoring moments

1. 1st · 12:21

   Pavel Zacha Goal (1) Wrist Shot, assists: David Pastrnak (5)

2. 2nd · 17:12

   Mason Lohrei Goal (2) Wrist Shot, assists: JJ Peterka (1), Fraser Minten (2)

3. 3rd · 1:55

   Marat Khusnutdinov Goal (1) Wrist Shot, assists: Fraser Minten (3), William Borgen (2)

4. 3rd · 6:32

   Porter Martone Goal (1) Wrist Shot, assists: David Jiricek (1), Denver Barkey (1)

5. 3rd · 9:21

   Casey Mittelstadt Goal (2) Wrist Shot, assists: Elias Lindholm (3), James Hagens (2)

6. 3rd · 15:59

   Fraser Minten Goal (2) Wrist Shot, assists: JJ Peterka (2), Hampus Lindholm (3)