BOSTON — When the Bruins scored less than two minutes into the game, it looked like they might pick up where they left off after scoring six goals in Wednesday’s win, but they never scored again.
In the Black Friday battle between the two teams most associated with that color in their uniforms, Boston had its worst game since Joe Sacco took over as the interim coach and fell to the struggling Penguins, 2-1, on Friday at TD Garden.
The Bruins host Montreal at 3 p.m. on Sunday for their 100th anniversary game.
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The Bruins have been good at the beginning of the game and bad at the end of periods this week.
Charlie Coyle gave Boston a 1-0 lead, 1:24 into the game. Trent Frederic fed him on the rush and he skated alone through the right wing circle and snapped a shot by Tristan Jarry.
Sidney Crosby nearly tied the game moments later, but Jeremy Swayman thrwarted him on a partial breakaway.
It looked like the game might get chippy early. Nikita Zadorov was given and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty while sitting on the bench. He jabbed Evgeni Malkin who was standing in front of the boards. It could have been worse. If officials determined it had affected the play, Zadorov could have been giving a game misconduct. Plus, had Malkin not reacted the play would have led to a 2-minute 5-on-3 as Tyler Johnson was already headed for the box. But Malkin swung his stick back at Zadorov to create the matching minors.
Pittsburgh outshot Boston through the first 40 minutes, but the Bruins led for most of that. But they couldn’t close out the frame. Rickard Rakell beat Swayman with 0.8 seconds left to tie the game 1-1 heading to the third.
It was the second straight game that Boston scored in the first two minutes of the game and allowed a goal in the last 10 seconds of the second.
The Penguins continued to gather momentum with more shots and more high-dangers chances in the third. Philip Tomasino put the struggling visitors ahead 2-1 with 13:34 left.
The Bruins had chances with the goalie pulled late but couldn’t break through.
Swayman finished with 33 saves, while Jarry stopped 32.
