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  Saturday, Mar. 18 3:00pm ET
Youth leads B's past Jagr-less Pens
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston Bruins fans got their first look at the future on home ice without their captain Ray Bourque.

The Bruins played their first home game since 1979 without Bourque and beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Saturday.

Cameron Mann
Boston's Cameron Mann, center, gets a pat on the back from Andre Savage after scoring the game's first goal.
Since the trade, both sides seem to have benefited. In six games with Colorado, Bourque has five goals and two assists and has led the Avalanche to a 4-1-1 record.

The Bruins snapped a six-game home winless streak and are 3-2 in their last five, but have eight points in those games.

"We certainly can cause some chaos in the conference and we've got some people worried," said Bruins coach Pat Burns. "I don't know if we have a good chance to make the playoffs, but I like to be a spoiler."

The Penguins had two outstanding chances to tie the game in the last 15 seconds on shots by Martin Straka and Janne Laukkanen, but Bruins goaltender John Grahame made saves on both attempts.

"I saw the (Straka's) shot out of the corner of my eye and I was fortunate to get my foot on it," Grahame said.

Cameron Mann and Eric Nickulas gave Boston a 2-0 lead when they scored 4:46 apart in the first period. The Bruins outshot the Penguins 13-2 in the period.

Mann scored his fifth goal of the season at 11:18, wristing a shot over the shoulder of Penguins goaltender Ron Tugnutt. Tugnutt was making his first start for Pittsburgh since being acquired from Ottawa for Tom Barrasso.

"I wasn't really myself tonight," Tugnutt said. "I wish I could have the Nickulas goal back because those are the saves I have to make."

Jaromir Jagr is expected to return on Sunday in Pittsburgh against the New York Rangers after missing 12 games. The Penguins are 4-10-3 overall without Jagr this season and have one goal in their last 25 power-play opportunities.

Tyler Wright cut the deficit to 2-1 midway through the second period when his slap shot beat Grahame.

McLaren increased the lead to 3-1 with three seconds remaining in the second period when his slap shot beat Tugnutt, who had fallen.

"We didn't play a smart game in the first period," said Penguins coach Herb Brooks. "Then we dug ourselves a hole in the second period when we had to kill off ten minutes in penalties."

The Bruins have scored 17 goals in their last four games and have beaten the Penguins four straight at home.

"We were a little more under control tonight," said Bruins defenseman Kyle McLaren. "Nobody expects us to make it, which is in our favor because everybody is counting us out."

Grahame made 23 saves for the Bruins.

Matthew Barnaby scored at 3:48 of the third period to narrow the deficit to 3-2. Barnaby then taunted the crowd after getting booed earlier when fighting with Bruins defenseman Hal Gill.

Tugnutt made 28 saves for the Penguins, who have scored more than three goals only once in the last 18 games.
 


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AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Eric Nickulas rips one from outside.
avi: 482 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1

 Cameron Mann blasts one past Ron Tugnutt.
avi: 492 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1