Mark Stuart and the Bruins were emotionally engaged in the 4-2 win. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

The Bruins busted an 0-for-20 power-play slump with two man-advantage goals in the first, which gave them enough jump to record their first win in a week.

"Nice to see our power play give us the lead tonight," Claude Julien said. "We had a couple nice goals and some good net presence in front of the net."

Mark Recchi tipped Derek Morris's point shot past Jhonas Enroth for the first power-play goal. Recchi was involved in the second one as well, as he screened Enroth and engaged Henrik Tallinder while Zdeno Chara ripped a blast from the point. Chara's shot skimmed off Tallinder and beat Enroth.

* In Steve Begin's first game as alternate captain, the center recorded two assists, including a helper on Byron Bitz's game-winning goal. Like he did last year, Julien will rotate the second "A" every 15 games. "I really felt Steve has been a real consistent, good, hard worker," said Julien. "He's exemplified the player deserving of that for the next 15 games."

* Shawn Thornton hadn't fought since Oct. 24, when he took on Ottawa's Matt Carkner. Tonight, he threw down twice. In the first, when Steve Montador asked to fight, Thornton obliged his former teammate's request. In the third, Thornton took exception to Paul Gaustad's hit on Bitz.

* The Bruins are off tomorrow. They will resume practice on Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Ristuccia Arena.

STICK SALUTE: Tuukka Rask. Was impeccable with his rebound control. The Sabres like to buzz the net, so if steers any of those initial pucks into danger areas, it could have been a different result.

SIN BIN: Brad Marchand. Two minor penalties in the third, then gets tagged for a 10-minute misconduct. Marchand has to play on the edge, but he crossed that line tonight.

***

All done at the Garden. Bruins, 4-2.

19:55 (3). Daniel Paille misses an open net, leading to an icing.

18:12 (3). Bruins, 4-2. Tyler Myers dangles around Blake Wheeler and sets up Jason Pominville for the PPG.

17:10 (3). This time, it's before the whistle. Zdeno Chara and Patrick Kaleta get the gate for some pre-whistle jousting.

17:10 (3). More flareups. This time it's Mark Stuart getting the best of Jochen Hecht after a whistle.

14:00 (3). Shawn Thornton vs. Paul Gaustad. Thornton didn't like Gaustad's hit on Byron Bitz in the corner. Thornton got in Gaustad's face, dropped the mitts, and scored the win.

10:38 (3). Second straight penalty for Brad Marchand. Can't be taking stupid penalties like that.

6:45 (3). Good look for Blake Wheeler steaming down the left wing. Sharp stop by Jhonas Enroth.

Second intermission

After 40 minutes, Bruins with a 4-1 lead.

* Timely goal by Marco Sturm to give the Bruins a three-goal cushion. The Sabres were getting some rhythm going to their net-front game.

* As usual, Patrice Bergeron has been in the middle of the action. During Marco Sturm's boarding penalty, Bergeron picked off a Chris Butler pass and had a golden scoring chance on Jhonas Enroth. Brad Marchand then followed up with his own bid, but Butler recovered to help keep the puck out of the net.

* Marchand has been much better tonight than he has been in the last few games. Not making many mistakes and using speed and physical play to get in the Sabres' faces.

18:31 (2). Bruins, 4-1. Patrice Bergeron goes one-on-one against Derek Roy, drives to the net, cuts back, and spots Marco Sturm. The left wing cans a one-timer off the bar.

18:18 (2). Poor down-low work around the Boston net continues. Far too many in-close looks for the Sabres.

14:26 (2). More puck possession for Buffalo on the last few shifts. Bruins have to get out of the second with a two-goal lead.

11:40 (2). Two great SH looks for Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Have to bury those.

6:20 (2). Lewie on the Sabres for too many men. Third PP coming up for the Bruins.

3:47 (2). Quick reaction save by Jhonas Enroth on Vladimir Sobotka's tip of Zdeno Chara's shot.

2:47 (2). Bruins, 3-1. Derek Roy bats a bouncing puck past Tuukka Rask. Looked like Mark Stuart had a bad gap to let the initial odd-man rush enter the zone.

1:22 (2). Bruins, 3-0. Byron Bitz with the goal. Double-barreled forecheck by Steve Begin on Andrej Sekera and Shawn Thornton on Steve Montador leads to the turnover and goal.

First intermission

After 20 minutes, Bruins with a 2-0 lead.

* Like last year, Patrice Bergeron is the permanent alternate captain, with the other "A" rotating at Claude Julien's discretion. Last season, Marco Sturm, Andrew Ference, and P.J. Axelsson shared the second "A." No word on why Julien chose tonight to take the letter off Sturm's uniform and put it on Steve Begin's.

* The Bruins have scored more than one power-play goal for only the second time this season. They hadn't scored a PPG since Oct. 22 against Philadelphia.

* Strong play on the puck by Patrice Bergeron to strip Jason Pominville and set up Daniel Paille for the shorthanded bid. When Bergeron is on, the center is very strong on the puck.

* Mark Recchi is one assist away from his 900th. But Recchi deserves a phantom helper for setting a screen on Jhonas Enroth during Zdeno Chara's point blast.

18:28 (1). Scoring chance for Blake Wheeler after a perfect breakout pass by Dennis Wideman to Vladimir Sobotka. It's those simple plays that Wideman has to focus on rather than trying the cute stuff.

16:31 (1). Bruins, 2-0. Zdeno Chara brings the hammer down on a PP one-timer for his first goal.

14:29 (1). Shawn Thornton vs. Steve Montador. Thornton gets Montador's hat off and delivers a wallop of a right. Not sure what Monty was thinking.

13:24 (1). Big thump by Mark Stuart on Clarke MacArthur along the wall.

12:34 (1). Daniel Paille stoned on the breakaway. Great play by Patrice Bergeron to strip Jason Pominville at the point to release Paille.

11:44 (1). Dennis Wideman off for holding, giving the Sabres a 40-second five-on-three. Not the best period for Wideman.

8:15 (1) Yet another D-zone turnover by Dennis Wideman, this time to Jason Pominville. That's at least two really bad giveaways by Wideman.

3:17 (1). Bruins, 1-0. Mark Recchi with the PPG (!). Recchi tips a Derek Morris wrister past Jhonas Enroth. Bruins might want to save that puck. First power-play goal in the last seven games.

1:15 (1). Tape-to-tape pass by Mark Stuart to Matt Ellis in the D-zone. Tuukka Rask with the save.

0:15 (1). Steve Begin is wearing an "A" for the first time this season. Marco Sturm is not wearing one tonight.

0:00 (1). Johnny Boychuk is the healthy scratch.