Bruins newcomer Hathaway leads team to 50th win in 64 games, fastest in NHL history
Red Wings, on the losing end Saturday, held previous record since 1996
The Boston Bruins' T-shirt factory is struggling to keep up with all the milestones the team is cruising past on its way to the Presidents' Trophy.
"Fifty wins, it's amazing," said forward A.J. Greer, who was wearing a shirt commemorating Patrice Bergeron's 1,000th NHL point while discussing Boston's 50th win of the season, a 3-2 home victory over Detroit 3-2 on Saturday.
The Bruins are the fastest team to 50 wins in NHL history.
Hathaway gathered in a rebound and poked it in to break a third-period tie as Boston rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Detroit and improve to 50-9-5 on the season. The 50 wins in 64 games broke the record of 66 set by the 1995-96 Red Wings and matched by the 2018-19 Lightning.
"Congrats to us then, I guess," said goalie Linus Ullmark, who stopped 30 shots. "But we focus on the process, and our process is what's important."
Where there's a will, there's a 'WAY. <a href="https://t.co/1yGZe1LQlO">pic.twitter.com/1yGZe1LQlO</a>
—@NHLBruinsThe Bruins, who already were the fastest ever to 100 points, could become the first team this season to clinch a playoff berth if the Islanders beat the Capitals or the Canucks beat the Senators in regulation later Saturday.
"Fifty wins is great. And it's kind of a testament to how hard this team has continued to work throughout the year," Hathaway said before the team headed to Detroit for a rematch with the Red Wings on Sunday. "But I think guys want 51, you know? Guys are excited to play this team tomorrow already."
Hathaway broke the tie in the third scored to avert what would have been the Bruins' first back-to-back losses at home this season.
"We never want to lose two in a row. We showed that today," Ullmark said. "We came out a little slow. They came out hot as well. Give them credit, they really came here to play in that first period and we were just weren't ready for it.
"But we took a breather in between the first and second, and we told each other we've got to ramp it up a little bit. And then we absolutely dominated them in the second."
Lindholm scored with seven minutes gone in the second, and the Red Wings appeared to respond quickly. But Dylan Larkin's goal was taken off the board because he had smacked the stick out of David Krejci's hands seconds earlier.
Instead, Bergeron tied it on the power play, deflecting a pass from Jake DeBrusk through Hellberg's legs. It stayed that way until Hathaway tallied his 10th of the season and his first since arriving in Boston before the trade deadline from the Washington Capitals.
