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Sturm, Bruins surprise Red Wings to snap skid

Mar 11, 2007 - 8:58 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Although they have struggled of late, the Boston Bruins apparently still know how to win in Joe Louis Arena.

Marco Sturm tallied twice and registered an assist as the Bruins rallied from an early deficit to post a 6-3 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings.

It was the first meeting between the clubs since January 10, 2004, when the Bruins posted a 2-1 overtime victory in Boston. The Bruins had recorded a 3-0 victory here three days earlier in their last trip to Detroit.

Boston coach Dave Lewis, who was behind Detroit's bench during those contests, downplayed the significance of his return to Joe Louis Arena.

"For me, it's two points," said Lewis, who spent 20 years with the Red Wings as a player, coach and scout. "All I have are great memories of this team, this organization, these fans. I knew how to get into the visitors' locker room, but I hadn't been in there in a long time."

Boston entered Sunday's contest on a three-game skid, a stretch in which it netted a total of just two goals.

But the Bruins snapped their losing streak in explosive fashion against one of the league's top teams, overcoming an early 2-1 deficit by going 2-of-4 on the power play over the last two periods.

"We've waited for this for a long time," Sturm said. "Power plays are obviously a big part of the new game right now, especially as you're going down the stretch. The power play makes a big difference, and I think that's why we lost some games."

Sturm, who opened the scoring five minutes into the first session, forged a 2-2 tie at 5:43 of the second period with his 23rd goal, a power-play tally off a feed from Marc Savard.

Petr Tenkrat gave Boston the lead for good at 11:38 of the middle session with his eighth goal. He skated through the right faceoff circle before blasting a slap shot past Dominik Hasek to make it 3-2.

Patrice Bergeron, Chuck Kobasew and rookie Phil Kessel all tallied in the third period to add insurance for the Bruins (33-31-5), who climbed within five points of the Carolina Hurricanes (34-28-8) and the New York Rangers (34-27-8) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. New York posted a 2-1 shootout victory over Carolina on Sunday afternoon.

"Everybody's believing in here still," Savard said. "That's the nice thing. I've said all year, they're character guys and they're proving that."

Boston provided more than enough offense for Tim Thomas, who made 34 saves to win his first career game against the Red Wings.

A native of Flint, Thomas was thrilled to beat his hometown team.

"It meant a lot," Thomas said. "I tried to tell myself that it didn't, because I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself. ... I realize how much it meant to me with just a few minutes left. The emotions started to boil up."

Hasek stopped 18 shots while Jiri Hudler had a goal and an assist for Detroit (43-17-9), which entered three points behind Nashville (46-18-6) for the best record in the NHL.

"We can't, from the back end, continue to turn over the puck like we have been," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We were terrible at the start. This has been coming. This isn't a surprise to anybody who has been watching the team."