Charlie Coyle and David Krejci scored late in the third period to back Jaroslav Halak in net as the Boston Bruins blanked the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 Tuesday.
Halak made 24 saves to earn his second shutout of the season in his 500th NHL game as the Bruins extended their winning streak to eight. Boston is also riding a 12-game point streak (9-0-3) and remains the only team undefeated in regulation at home (12-0-4).
James Reimer stopped 32 shots for the Hurricanes, who have lost three of four.
The meeting was the first between the clubs since the Bruins completed a four-game sweep of the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals of last season's Stanley Cup playoffs. Boston outscored Carolina 17-5 during that series.
On this occasion, both teams went scoreless through the first two periods.
The Hurricanes thought they had a goal off a backhander from Jaccob Slavin in transition with 2:08 left in the second, but replay showed the puck cut through the right side of the net before exiting out the other side. Referees quickly ruled it a no goal, to the delight of the Boston crowd.
The stalemate held into the third until the Bruins broke through on Coyle's redirect goal with 4:05 remaining following a 3-on-2 push up ice. Krejci's tally, a redirect of a Charlie McAvoy shot from the blue line, made it 2-0 just over a minute later. The goal was the 200th of Krejci's career.
The Hurricanes pulled Reimer for the final 40 seconds but couldn't get on the board.
Boston held a 22-18 edge in shots over the first 40 minutes. Carolina's Nino Niederreiter had the best scoring chance in that time early in the second period when he beat Halak five-hole, but the puck hit the post and deflected away from the net.
Both teams came up empty on two power-play chances apiece in the first period.
--Field Level Media