BOSTON — David Krejci scored twice and Drew Stafford had his first with Boston during a four-goal first period that carried the Bruins to a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night.

Brad Marchand had his team-leading 31st and 32nd goals, and David Pastrnak added a score for Boston, and Tuukka Rask made 26 saves. Boston improved to 9-3 since interim coach Bruce Cassidy replaced fired coach Claude Julien on Feb. 7.

Bruins fans celebrate after the fourth goal of the first period against the Detroit Red Wings in Boston on Wednesday. (Photos by Charles Krupa/Associated Press)

Bruins center David Krejci pokes the puck past Red Wings goalie Jared Coreau for a goal during the first period.

Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask skates out of the crease to clear the puck during the first period.

Niklas Kronwall had his first goal of the season for Detroit. The Red Wings finished a five-game trip 1-3-1.

Detroit starting goalie Jared Coreau was pulled after giving up three goals during a 2:25 span in what’s likely his last game with the team before he’s shipped back to the minors.

Jimmy Howard, a regular goalie with the Red Wings the past eight seasons, finished his second two-game conditioning stint with Grand Rapids of the AHL on Tuesday. He’s scheduled to join the team this week.

Krejci gave Boston a 1-0 lead 11:07 into the game when he skated around defenseman Danny DeKeyser and slipped a wrist shot by Coreau’s glove.

Marchand skated quickly to a loose puck just inside the blue line and broke in alone before firing a shot inside the left post, making it 2-0 just 1:01 later.

Stafford, acquired for a conditional sixth-round pick from Winnipeg at the trade deadline, made it 3-0 at 13:32. Krejci stole the puck from defenseman Dylan Larkin in the slot and beat goalie Petr Mrazek with 14.9 seconds left. Marchand scored on a clean breakaway late in the second period.

NOTES: The 32-year-old Howard has been out since spraining his right knee on Dec. 20. Before the injury, he had a .934 save percentage and a 1.96 goals against average in 17 games. … It was Krejci’s first two-goal and three-point game of the season. … Bruins center Tim Schaller went hard – skates first – into the backboards and left the ice favoring his right leg in the first. He didn’t return. … Boston forward Ryan Spooner was out with a concussion sustained in Monday’s loss at Ottawa. Jimmy Hayes took his spot after being a healthy scratch the previous two games. … Henrik Zetterberg’s next goal will be the 324th of his career, moving him into a tie for sixth with Ted Lindsay on Detroit’s career list. … The Bruins are 10-1-1 in their last 12 against Detroit.