SUNRISE, Fla. – Mark Recchi’s latest milestone came at a good time for the Boston Bruins.
Recchi scored two third-period goals to become the 13th player to reach 1,500 career points and help the Bruins rally past the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Wednesday night.
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Brad Marchand scored a short-handed goal and Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots as the Bruins won for the eighth time in 10 road games. Thomas improved to 11-1-1.
The 42-year-old Recchi was already the NHL’s active leader in games, assists and points. One of 11 players to play in four decades, Recchi took pride in his latest milestone being meaningful for the team.
“It’s pretty nice when it comes on a big win like that,” Recchi said. “You get the two goals and it’s two important ones and that makes it even more special.”
Tomas Vokoun, whose mishandling of the puck led to Marchand’s short-handed goal eight seconds into the third period, made 34 saves. Steve Reinprecht scored for Florida, which lost for the first time in nine games in which it led after two periods.
Marchand’s hustle and Vokoun’s gaffe enabled Boston to tie the score at 1.
Zdeno Chara took the puck from the period-opening faceoff and fired it off the sideboards into the Florida zone.
As Vokoun went behind the Panthers’ net, the puck hit the goalie’s stick and bounced in front of the net. Marchand beat Florida’s Stephen Weiss and Dennis Wideman to the puck and put it into the open net.
“They were kind of waiting for the puck, but I was able to get the shot off and fortunately it went in,” Marchand said.
Weiss said Boston took advantage of a good bounce.
“They got a lucky break,” Weiss said. “Then we had a little bit of a sag and they get one right away. Then we didn’t have a response.”
Boston went ahead 2-1 at 2:54 of the third when Recchi scored from in front. Recchi skated around Chris Higgins and got a pass from behind the net by David Krejci. It was Recchi’s third goal of the season and No. 566 in his career.
Recchi scored again at the 16:00 mark with Boston on a two-man advantage. That goal helped secure another win for Thomas.
“It’s just a good situation for me right now,” Thomas said. “I’m getting a good effort in front of me and just seeing the puck well and tonight was another example of that. It’s just been a good run.”
Reinprecht scored his fourth goal to give Florida a 1-0 lead 2:14 into the second period.
Michal Repik fired a shot from the top of the right circle. Thomas made the save with a crowd in front, but Reinprecht backhanded the puck into the net while standing to the goalie’s right.
Reinprecht missed the previous two games because of a groin injury.
NOTES: The Bruins avoided losing consecutive road games for the first time this season. Boston lost 3-1 at Tampa Bay on Monday night.
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