BOSTON (Interstat) — The Boston Bruins defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-2 on Thursday night at TD Garden in a game preceded by the retirement of Zdeno Chara’s No. 33. Marat Khusnutdinov and Viktor Arvidsson scored 2:51 apart early in the first period to establish a lead Boston never relinquished before a crowd of 17,850. Mark Kastelic added a short-handed goal in the second period, and David Pastrnak sealed the win with an empty-net goal. Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves for the Bruins, who completed a five-game homestand sweep. Chandler Stephenson and Eeli Tolvanen scored for Seattle. The Bruins improved to 27-21, while the Kraken fell to 21-25.

BOSTON (Interstat) — On a night dedicated to honoring a franchise legend, the current Boston Bruins authored a performance worthy of the banner-raising ceremony that preceded it. Marat Khusnutdinov and Viktor Arvidsson scored in the opening 3:45, setting an immediate tone, and the Bruins completed a perfect five-game homestand with a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday at TD Garden. The win, witnessed by a capacity crowd of 17,850, came after the Bruins raised Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 to the rafters in an emotional pregame tribute. Boston then channeled that energy into a fast start, sweeping a homestand of five or more games for the first time since 2019 and winning for the seventh time in eight contests overall. The Bruins improved to 27-21, while the Kraken fell to 21-25. Khusnutdinov opened the scoring just 54 seconds into the game, capitalizing on a Seattle turnover. He collected a giveaway from Chandler Stephenson, drove the net and slipped a backhand past goaltender Joey Daccord for his 10th goal of the season, assisted by Charlie McAvoy. The lead doubled before the first media timeout. At 3:45, Arvidsson deflected a point shot from Pavel Zacha, with a secondary assist to Casey Mittelstadt, for his 10th goal, stunning the Kraken early. Seattle settled in and cut the deficit in half on a power play later in the period. With Boston’s Jonathan Aspirot in the box for holding, Stephenson atoned for his earlier mistake by redirecting a Jared McCann shot past Jeremy Swayman at 7:29 for his 12th goal. Vince Dunn earned the secondary assist. The middle frame saw both teams trade chances before Boston restored its two-goal cushion with a critical short-handed marker. With Tanner Jeannot off for slashing, Mark Kastelic intercepted a pass in the neutral zone, raced in on a breakaway and beat Daccord with a backhand at 8:40 of the second period. It was Kastelic’s eighth goal of the year and a pivotal momentum swing. The Kraken responded just over four minutes later. Eeli Tolvanen took a pass from Brandon Montour and snapped a wrist shot from the right circle past Swayman at 12:27, making it 3-2. Kaapo Kakko registered the secondary helper on Tolvanen’s ninth goal. Seattle pressed for the equalizer in the third period, outshooting Boston 12-6, but Swayman and the Bruins’ defense held firm. The Kraken’s efforts were hampered by penalties to Brandon Montour (roughing) and Matty Beniers (holding) in the final five minutes. After killing off the Beniers penalty, Boston sealed the victory with David Pastrnak’s empty-net goal at 19:45. The tally, Pastrnak’s 20th of the season, came with Seattle serving consecutive minor penalties and their net empty for a 5-on-4 advantage. McAvoy notched his second assist of the night on the clinching goal. Swayman was stellar in net for Boston, turning aside 26 of 28 shots to earn the win. Daccord made 31 saves on 34 shots in a losing effort for Seattle. McAvoy was named the game’s top star, contributing two assists, three hits and several key defensive plays. His steady presence anchored a Bruins defense that limited Seattle’s high-danger chances, especially in the third period. Pastrnak finished with a goal and four shots on net. For Seattle, Montour had an assist, four shots and two penalty minutes, while Tolvanen’s goal led the offensive effort. The game was a reversal of the teams’ meeting just over a week prior in Seattle, where the Kraken emerged with a 7-4 victory on Jan. 6. Boston’s victory defied the pregame projections from National Statistical, which had simulated a 3-2 Bruins win but with an over/under line of 5.5 that the combined six total goals went under. Boston covered the -1.5 spread with the two-goal margin of victory. The Bruins now head out on a two-game road trip, beginning Saturday in Chicago against the Blackhawks. The Kraken continue their road swing with a visit to the Utah Mammoth on Saturday.

BOSTON (Interstat) — The Seattle Kraken look to continue their recent surge and sweep a season series from the Boston Bruins when the teams meet Thursday night at TD Garden. The Kraken (21-23) have won three of their last four, including a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday. They handed the Bruins a 7-4 defeat in Seattle on Jan. 6 in the only previous meeting this season. A key to Seattle’s improved play has been forward Jordan Eberle. He has points in eight of his last 10 games, tallying five goals and four assists in that span. He scored a goal in the Jan. 6 win over Boston and again in Monday’s victory. The Bruins (26-21) aim to halt that momentum and avenge the earlier loss. They are coming off a 3-0 shutout of Detroit on Tuesday, anchored by goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who stopped all 24 shots he faced. Swayman’s recent performances have been a study in contrasts. He was pulled after allowing four goals on 11 shots in a 6-2 loss to Ottawa on Dec. 21, but has since posted two shutouts, including a 10-2 rout of the Rangers on Jan. 10 where he made 27 saves. He allowed four goals on 26 shots in the loss to Seattle earlier this month. Boston’s offense, which exploded for 10 goals against New York, was held to a single goal by Pittsburgh on Sunday before breaking out with three against Detroit. Consistency remains a quest for a team that has alternated wins and losses over its last six games. Seattle has found a more stable groove, going 7-2-2 since Dec. 20. Their penalty kill was perfect in the win over the Rangers and will be tested by a Boston power play that ranks in the league’s top 10. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Boston 3, Seattle 2. The game opens a two-game road trip for Seattle, which visits the Utah Mammoth on Saturday. Boston begins a two-game trip in Chicago on Saturday.