BOSTON—David Pastrnak scored two power-play goals, Patrice Bergeron had a goal and three assists and the Boston Bruins beat the San Jose Sharks 6-3 in Bruce Cassidy’s coaching debut Thursday night.
Cassidy was named Boston’s interim coach after longtime bench boss Claude Julien was fired Tuesday. Cassidy joined the Bruins as an assistant last May after spending five seasons coaching Providence in the AHL.
Julien thanked Bruins fans in a statement Thursday: “Your devotion, unmistakable passion, energy and support is what makes Boston the best sports city in the entire world.”
David Backes added a goal and an assist, and Tim Schaller and Brad Marchand also scored to help Boston end a two-game skid. Tuukka Rask made 23 saves.
Joe Thornton, Justin Braun and Timo Meier scored for San Jose. The Sharks have lost three straight and four of six following a season-high six-game winning streak.
Martin Jones allowed three first-period goals and had nine saves before Sharks backup Aaron Dell relieved him to start the second. Dell finished with 18 saves as San Jose was outshot 33-26.
Backes scored 52 seconds in, and Bergeron and Pastrnak also had goals in the first period. Thornton ended a 10-game stretch without a goal with his first-period strike to tie it after Backes’ goal.
Braun notched his 100th career point with his goal 1:08 into the second to bring the Sharks within one, but Schaller restored the two-goal advantage late in the period. Pastrnak flipped a wrister past a diving Dell with 48.4 seconds left in the third for his second goal.
Meier scored with 2:37 remaining to make it a two-goal game again, but Marchand tossed in an empty-netter with 29.3 ticks left to seal it.
San Jose hosts Boston on Feb. 19 to conclude the two-game season set.
The Bruins cancelled their morning skate due to a snowstorm.
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