BOSTON (Interstat) — The Boston Bruins opened a five-game homestand with a commanding 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night at TD Garden. Sean Kuraly had a goal and an assist, and Tanner Jeannot added two assists for the Bruins, who scored twice in each of the first two periods before a crowd of 17,850. Elias Lindholm, Mason Lohrei and Casey Mittelstadt also scored for Boston. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 28 shots. Connor Zary scored the lone goal for the Flames in the second period. Boston avenged an overtime loss in Calgary on Dec. 29. The Bruins improved to 23-21, while the Flames fell to 18-26.

BOSTON (Interstat) — Sean Kuraly had a goal and an assist, Tanner Jeannot added two helpers and the Boston Bruins opened a five-game homestand with a decisive 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night at TD Garden. Elias Lindholm, Mason Lohrei and Casey Mittelstadt also scored for the Bruins, who rebounded emphatically from a 7-4 loss in Seattle two nights prior. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo turned aside 28 shots to secure the win before an announced crowd of 17,850. The Bruins improved to 23-21, while the Flames fell to 18-26, dropping their second straight contest. Boston established control early, striking twice in the opening period. Lindholm, facing his former team, opened the scoring at the 12:06 mark. After sustained pressure in the Calgary zone, David Pastrnak fed the puck to Marat Khusnutdinov, who found Lindholm in the slot for a quick wrist shot past Flames netminder Dustin Wolf for his eighth goal of the season. The lead doubled before the period ended. At 19:48, Kuraly capitalized on a strong forecheck by Jeannot, taking a pass from Charlie McAvoy and firing a shot from the right circle that beat Wolf for his fourth goal, sending the Bruins into the first intermission with a 2-0 advantage. The Flames showed brief signs of life early in the second period, but Korpisalo and the Boston defense held firm. The Bruins then extinguished any momentum with two more goals in quick succession. First, defenseman Lohrei pinched into the play and snapped a wrist shot home at 8:02, with assists going to Kuraly and Jeannot. Just over two minutes later, at 10:59, Mittelstadt finished a crisp passing sequence involving Viktor Arvidsson and Pavel Zacha, burying his 10th goal of the campaign to make it 4-0. Calgary finally broke through on Korpisalo with just over three minutes remaining in the second. Connor Zary took a feed from Morgan Frost and wired a wrist shot from the left circle for his seventh goal, with Kevin Bahl earning the secondary assist. That would be the only blemish on an otherwise solid night for the Bruins’ goaltender. The third period was a largely uneventful affair, with Boston content to manage the game and Calgary unable to generate sustained offensive pressure or solve Korpisalo a second time. The Bruins killed off the only penalty of the period and closed out the game without significant incident. Statistically, the Bruins were efficient, scoring four times on 31 shots. Wolf made 27 saves for Calgary in the losing effort. The game featured a physical edge, with both teams combining for 44 hits. Key performers for Boston included Lindholm, who added three shots and a hit to his goal, and the checking line of Kuraly and Jeannot, which provided significant secondary offense. For the Flames, Zary’s goal and four shots on net were a bright spot in an otherwise quiet offensive showing. The result flipped the script from the teams’ previous meeting just 10 days prior, when Calgary edged Boston 2-1 in overtime on Dec. 29. The Bruins’ victory also defied the pregame projections from National Statistical, which had given Boston a 54.7 percent probability to win but projected a closer 4-3 final score. The combined total of five goals went under the betting over/under line of 5.5. Calgary continues its road trip Saturday in Pittsburgh before visits to Columbus and Chicago next week. The Bruins, now 1-0 on their critical homestand, face a quick turnaround with a marquee matchup against the New York Rangers at TD Garden on Saturday, followed by a Sunday contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Bruins Host Flames in Key Midseason Matchup BOSTON (Interstat) — The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames, two teams seeking consistency in the middle of the NHL season, will face off Thursday night at TD Garden. The Bruins (22-21-0) return home after a 1-2-0 Western road trip, concluding with a 7-4 loss in Seattle on Tuesday. Star winger David Pastrnak scored twice in that defeat, bringing his total to four goals in his last four games. He was held off the scoresheet, however, in Boston’s 2-1 overtime loss in Calgary on Dec. 29, the most recent meeting between the clubs. The Flames (18-24-0) arrive after a disappointing 5-1 home loss to Seattle on Monday. Rookie forward Adam Klapka provided one of the few bright spots, scoring Calgary’s lone goal. The 24-year-old winger has points in three of his last six games (two goals, one assist) and will be a player to watch as the Flames look to reignite their offense. Calgary has shown flashes, winning five of eight games from Dec. 13-31, a stretch that included their overtime victory over Boston. Their form has since dipped, with losses in three of their last four outings. Boston’s season has been marked by streaks, both positive and negative. They have not won consecutive games since a three-game run from Dec. 16-31. Defense has been an issue, allowing four or more goals in five of their last nine games. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Boston 4, Calgary 3. The Bruins will begin a three-game homestand with this contest before hosting the New York Rangers on Saturday. The Flames continue a four-game road trip, their next stop in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.