Avon’s Ben Smith has goal and an assist in Blackhawks’ 3-2 win over Bruins

Chicago’s Ben Smith, left, and Boston’s Brad Marchand fight for position in front of the net Thursday in Boston in the Blackhawks’ 3-2 victory. (Steve Babineau photo courtesy Chicago Blackhawks via Facebook)

BOSTON, Dec. 11 – Avon native Ben Smith felt right at home in the TD Garden in Boston Thursday night. The former Boston College star scored a goal and had an assist as his Chicago Blackhawks won their eighth straight game and 11th out of the last 12 with a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins.

Smith, who had just two goals and an assist in his previous 28 games, scored his second goal in less than a week with 1:17 left in the first period to give the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead. He assisted on Klas Dahlbeck’s goal with 10:50 remaining in the first period as Chicago took an early 1-0 lead.

Smith scored a goal against Montreal last Friday, Dec. 5.

Against the Bruins, Smith was in the right place at the right time. A shot from teammate Daniel Carcillo deflected off Boston goalie Tuuka Rask and off the stick of Bruins defenseman Seth Griffith. It rolled right to Smith, who quickly popped it into the net.

Smith’s persistence paid off with the first goal of the game. Working hard behind the net to control the puck, Smith was pushed to his knees by Bruins defenseman Greg Campbell. But Smith fought his way back onto his feet, grabbed the puck and got past the net. To the left of Raska, Smith found a wide open Dahlbeck at the top of the circle and he rifled it past Rask.

Smith won eight of ten faceoffs and had a sharp, one-time shot off a pass from Marion Hossa late in the second period that Rask deflected away. Following the save, Smith picked off a Bruins pass and fed it to Patrick Sharp and Rask (18 saves) had to make a good save to keep Boston in the game. The Bruins (15-13-1) have lost four of their last five games.

The Blackhawks (20-8-4) complete their three-game road trip to the Northeast when they travel to New York on Saturday to take on the Islanders. Chicago beat New Jersey, 3-2 in a shootout on Tuesday in Newark.

Smith, an Avon native who played high school hockey at Westminister in Simsbury, now has three goals and two assists this season.

At Boston College, Smith helped the Eagles win two NCAA national titles in 2008 and 2010 and earn a berth in the NCAA championship game in 2007.