Bruins beat the Penguins 2-1 with goals 50 seconds apart

Marat Khusnutdinov and Casey Mittelstadt scored less than a minute apart early in the first period to lead Boston to victory.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Boston Bruins defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 in an NHL hockey game on Tuesday night. Marat Khusnutdinov and Casey Mittelstadt scored less than a minute apart in the first period to give the Bruins the win, despite an early goal by the Penguins' Erik Karlsson. Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves for the Bruins.

Why it matters

The Bruins' victory keeps them in the hunt for a wild-card playoff spot in the NHL. The Penguins' loss is a setback in their push for a playoff position as well.

The details

Pittsburgh's Erik Karlsson scored just 42 seconds into the game to give the Penguins an early lead, but Khusnutdinov tied it at 1-1 with his 13th goal of the season at 5:10 of the first period. Mittelstadt then added his 13th goal of the season 50 seconds later, gathering the rebound of Nikita Zadorov's shot and firing it past Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner. Skinner finished with 26 saves for Pittsburgh.

  • Karlsson scored on the Penguins' first shot on goal 42 seconds into the game.
  • Khusnutdinov scored his 13th goal of the season at 5:10 of the first period to tie the game 1-1.
  • Mittelstadt scored his 13th goal of the season 50 seconds after Khusnutdinov's goal to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead.

The players

Marat Khusnutdinov

A Boston Bruins center who scored the game-tying goal in the first period.

Casey Mittelstadt

A Boston Bruins center who scored the go-ahead goal in the first period.

Erik Karlsson

A Pittsburgh Penguins player who scored the opening goal of the game just 42 seconds in.

Jeremy Swayman

The Boston Bruins goaltender who made 34 saves in the game.

Stuart Skinner

The Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender who made 26 saves in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

This game was a close battle between two teams fighting for playoff positioning in the NHL. The Bruins were able to overcome an early deficit and hold on for the victory, which keeps them in the hunt for a wild-card spot. The loss is a setback for the Penguins, who are also trying to secure a playoff berth.