BOSTON _ Eventually, the Devils lack of puck possession caught up to them.
And it cost them at least a point.
Patrice Bergeron, capping a dominant return to the lineup, scored from a shot high in the slot at 18:45 of the third period as the Bruins won their home opener, 2-1, over the Devils on Thursday night at TD Garden.
The Devils (1-2-1) played their fourth straight one-goal game but have scored just six goals this season.
Cory Schneider made 34 saves, including 15 in the third period as the Bruins applied sustained pressure. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots for Bruins (3-1-0) despite the Devils, on the power play, skating six on four for the final 49.9 seconds with Schneider off for an extra skater.
Kyle Palmieri finally broke a scoreless game with a power-play goal _ the Devils' third in two games _ at 4:14 of the third period as his shot deflected in off Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo with Bergeron off for hooking Andy Greene.
Palmieri's goal erased the sting of Taylor Hall missing a wide open net while standing at the crease on the delayed call.
But Brad Marchand tied the game at 1 at 9:47 with a snap shot from the right circle that beat Schneider off the far post. The Bruins took the game's next eight shots after Palmieri's goal.
Yet the Devils stubbornly stuck close, helped again by their penalty kill, which held the Bruins scoreless in four attempts and is now 13 for 14 this season.
The Bruins, still missing defenseman Adam McQuaid (upper body), were close to full strength for the game with top-line center Patrice Bergeron returning to their lineup after missing the first three games with a lower-body injury.
"I know their lineup has gotten a little bit younger," Devils coach John Hynes said. "But when you look at their veteran core, they have great leaders. They know how to win."
They also know how to control the play quickly.
The Devils, who had done such a good job of puck possession and management in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Ducks in their home opener, didn't touch the puck much in the first period.
It's how the Devils believe they have to play to be successful, playing up the ice, pushing the attack and establishing a strong forecheck. Essentially outworking opponents.
"This is about getting to our identity," Hynes said. "Early in the year, probably the first 10 games, teams are finding out what works for them, what doesn't. It'll be good for us to sustain the style of play that works for us."
Yet the Bruins took the first five shots _ Jacob Josefson had the Devils' first at 5:59 _ and eight of the first 10 before ending the opening 20 minutes with an 11-6 advantage.
Schneider was forced into several close-range shots, including at 11:38, when Riley Nash slammed his stick against the backboards in frustration after Schneider stopped his shot from the left.
The Devils, though, got better in the second period with a 15-8 shot advantage.
Taylor Hall, who had two power-play goals Tuesday, created a short-handed chance by pushing the puck up the ice to himself off the left boards but could not convert the opportunity, then was called for slashing John-Michael Liles behind the Bruins' crease at 5:53.
That created 14 seconds of a 5-on-3 for the Bruins.
Hall set up the Devils' best second-period opportunity with his physical play, bumping Torey Krug off the puck low in the Bruins' zone and feeding Adam Henrique for two whacks at Rask at 9:56.
By that point, Hynes was juggling his lines, looking for more production.
Hall wound up taking some shifts with rookie center Pavel Zacha, along with Devante Smith-Pelly, and Henrique had Beau Bennett put on his right wing along with Mike Cammalleri. P.A. Parenteau, who started on Travis Zajac's top line with Hall, wound up skating with fourth-line center Vern Fiddler and left wing Jacob Josefson.
