Game 50: Boston 1 at Detroit 2

Ted Lindsay and Alex Delvecchio scored within 22 seconds of each other in the first period, and that was all Detroit Red Wings needed in a 2-1 win over Boston Bruins at Olympia Stadium.

Both Detroit goals were deflections of shots that eluded Boston goalie Terry Sawchuk, whose brilliance kept the game close.

Larry Regan scored at 18:08 of the second period on the power play to draw Bruins within one.

Red Wings outshot Bruins, 38-22 and were able to kill off four out of five Boston power plays. In the game's final minute, with Sawchuk pulled for an extra attacker, Detroit's Glenn Hall made a couple of crucial saves to preserve the victory for Red Wings (6-8-3), who pulled ahead of fifth place New York by four points. Rangers have a game in hand.

The win was much-needed by Red Wings, who came into the game in a 3-8-1 rut. But Red Wings still didn't get any scoring from a line other than Delvecchio, Lindsay and Gordie Howe, an issue that has plagued them for most of the season.

With the loss, Bruins (10-6-1) cling to a one-point lead over Toronto for second place and home ice advantage in the semi-finals.

A key moment came early in the third period.

Boston's Jack Bionda drew a double minor for high sticking, but Red Wings couldn't extend their 2-1 lead---mostly due to Sawchuk's acrobatic saves. Then, less than two minutes after Bionda's penalty expired, Detroit's Billy McNeill was whistled off for tripping. Yet Red Wings penalty killers held the lead.

1st Period
DET- Lindsay (Delvecchio, Arbour) 8:17
DET- Delvecchio (Lindsay, Godfrey) 8:39

2nd Period
BOS- Regan (Stasiuk, McKenney) PPG 18:08

3rd Period
No scoring

SOG
BOS 8-8-6 = 22
DET 11-14-13 = 38

PP: BOS 1-5; DET 0-6

Goalies
BOS- Sawchuk
DET- Hall


Delvecchio's deflection of Lindsay's shot proved to be the game-winner