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Golden oldie Recchi sparks Bruins

Mar 7, 2009 - 10:13 PM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Mark Recchi scored his first two goals since being acquired at the trade deadline as the Boston Bruins held off the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-3, on Saturday.

Playing his second game since moving from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins on Wednesday, the 41-year-old Recchi registered his 14th and 15th goals of the season.

David Krejci scored his 21st with 4:19 left in the second period to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead and Recchi tallied his second of the game just 35 seconds later when he re-directed Patrice Bergeron's slap shot.

"This is a very deep hockey team with great defense and great goaltending," said Recchi, who went from a team that will miss the playoffs to one that has a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

"In tight around the net, (Recchi's) extremely good - always has been - at tipping pucks," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "He's a pretty good veteran in this league and he's still not afraid to go into what we call the dirty areas."

It was Recchi's 80th career two-goal game.

"He's been around," Blackhawks left wing Brian Campbell said. "You expect him to (contribute). He's got some grit. He sticks his nose in there."

Tim Thomas recorded 32 saves for the Bruins, who completed their six-game homestand with a winning record (3-2-1) after nearly squandering a 4-1 lead in the third period.

"I think it's very encouraging," Julien said. "Our energy level and our effort was much better. Having said that, I don't think it was a perfect game. Overall, it was definitely a step in the right direction and something to build on."

After Recchi opened the scoring midway through the opening period, Chicago dominated the first 15 minutes of the second. Thomas held off the Blackhawks until Jonathan Toews' stuff attempt on the power play deflected into the net off the stick of Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward.

It was the second-year center's team-high 27th goal of the season.

However, Boston got a break of its own just 30 seconds later as Krejci's bad-angle shot somehow snuck under the pads of Blackhawks netminder Cristobal Huet, who appeared to have the goal line sealed off.

The Bruins appeared to put away the contest early in the third as Phil Kessel matched Toews with his 27th - also a team high - 95 seconds into the period.

"We had a dangerous opponent," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "We thought they were going to be ready and they were. We were lucky to come out of that first period down one."

After Kris Versteeg and Patrick Kane scored to bring Chicago within 4-3 with 5 1/2 minutes remaining, Boston finally clinched the win on P.J. Axelsson's empty-netter with 33 seconds left.

"We wanted to make it a little more exciting for the fans," Thomas said. "That's hockey these days. A three-goal lead is not the end of the game."