DeBrusk scores pair in final frame to lift Bruins past Penguins in Winter Classic

Boston goaltender Linus Ullmark raised his arms in jubilation when the final buzzer sounded and the party was complete for the sellout crowd at Fenway Park.

Jake DeBrusk scored his second goal of the third period with just over two minutes remaining and the NHL-leading Bruins rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Winter Classic on Monday at Fenway.

“It’s just pure joy and happiness afterwards,” Ullmark said. “It’s something I’ve dreamt about for 14 years, since I saw the first one at home in Sweden. I always dreamt about it. I was always very jealous of the people that have played before me and had the opportunity.”

Kasperi Kapanen scored for the Penguins, and Casey DeSmith made 19 saves in relief of Tristan Jarry, who left with an injury late in the first period.

“It’s tough to lose a guy that early in the game,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, who didn’t have an update but said the goalie was being evaluated for a lower-body injury.

“It was obviously a real competitive game, it was a pretty even game, there was a fine line between winning and losing and we ended up on the wrong side of it tonight,” Sullivan said.

Playing on an unseasonably warm day with temperatures around 4 degrees Celsius early in the game, the Bruins won for the fourth time in the NHL’s 14th annual showcase event that was held at the home of the MLB’s Boston Red Sox in front of a sellout crowd 39,243.

Playing with the stadium lights illuminating the ice, DeBrusk swooped in and banged home the rebound of Taylor Hall’s backhand shot with 2:24 left.

“This is Fenway Park, Winter Classic, and something you dream of doing,” DeBrusk said. “You dream of scoring in the Winter Classic.”

DeBrusk collected a pass from Brad Marchand at the side of the net seconds after a power play expired, spun in front and slipped it behind DeSmith to tie it at the 7:46 mark of the period.

“The last thing I left them with is: ‘You guys have been the best team in the league and the best third-period team and our first 40 minutes have not been what we’ve wanted. Let’s go turn it around,”‘ Bruins first-year coach Jim Montgomery told his team before the final period.

Kapanen collected a pass in front from Danton Heinen and shoveled it past Ullmark’s glove as he was falling to his knees 8:40 into the second period for the Penguins’ early lead.

In an interesting twist, the Penguins are owned by Fenway Sports Group, which also owns the Red Sox. They were sold to the group that’s headed by principle owner John Henry in December of 2021.

Led by Bruins’ home anthem singer Todd Angilly, the crowd sang “Take me out to the Hockey Game” midway into the third period.

During the second-period intermission, there were performers taking trick shots off Fenway’s fabled 37-foot Green Monster, which was adorned with the logos of the Bruins, Penguins and Winter Classic.

There was a souvenir foul puck in the second when Ullmark made a save and the puck popped into the air, sailing into the first row of seats behind the Penguins’ dugout.

It was the second Classic in Fenway; Boston beat Philadelphia 2-1 in overtime in 2010.

Penguins defenseman Kris Letang missed the game due to the death of his father in Canada.

Pittsburgh played in the first Winter Classic when Crosby scored the winning goal in a shootout with light snow falling against the Sabres in the Buffalo Bills’ home stadium in 2008.

Ceremonial 1st puck

Bruins legend and Hall of Famer Bobby Orr participated in the ceremonial puck drop between Penguins’ captain Sydney Crosby and Boston’s Patrice Bergeron.

Orr also took a shot, sliding it to former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, who squatted down and made the catch.

On a stage set up just outside the visitors’ bullpen in right field — where Red Sox Hall of Famer David Ortiz sent some of his 541 career homers —The Black Keys played during the first intermission.

During a stoppage in the second, the Boston Pops, wearing Winter Classic hats and scarfs, played Sweet Caroline, a staple in the middle of the eighth inning during Red Sox games. They also played during the second intermission.

Winter Classic to feature Seattle hosting Vegas in 2024

Selling the NHL on bringing the 2024 Winter Classic to the Pacific Northwest required the purchase of a protection plan — a retractable roof.

But the decision to hold the game on the West Coast for the first time required the added safety of the retractable roof at the home field of the MLB’s Mariners in case Seattle’s familiar winter rains decide to show up.

“We just want to pause and thank Mariners for their support because with our weather, we needed the potential for a roof and we had the perfect neighbor,” Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said. “And they not only agreed to do it, they helped us sell up the league and helped us put our best foot forward.”

The NHL announced the matchup for one of its showcase events before Boston and Pittsburgh met in the 2023 installment at Fenway Park. The game between the Golden Knights and Kraken will be played on Jan. 1, 2024, bringing together the league’s two newest franchises.