Lucic lights lamp for 30th time

Lucic celebrates/By S. Bradley

BOSTON — The Bruins needed some insurance while protecting a one-goal lead tonight against New Jersey.

So they’re leading goal-scorer provided them with a two-goal lead by burying a shot from the left hash mark with just 3:47 left in regulation Boston’s eventual 4-1 win at TD Garden.

The goal was Lucic’s 30th — making him the first to score that many since Phil Kessel in 2008-09.

“It feels great that I was able to get the thirtieth,” Lucic said after the game. “Obviously I think the biggest thing here tonight, I felt like we played Bruins hockey again. Obviously it wasn’t the best start for ourselves, first 10 minutes we only had one shot and after they got their first power-play goal I think we started kicking into gear and started getting pucks in behind them and started winning battles like we used to. And that was a big reason why we were able to generate four goals today.”

The humble Lucic’s previous career-high for goals was 17. He came into this year hoping to just score 20.

“His shot has always been big. He is a huge strong guy and he gets a little bit more room than other guys because he is so tough and so big and strong,” said teammate Shawn Thornton. “I think him playing with [Nathan] Horton and [David] Krejci, it looks like they are having a lot of fun out there too. I think that is the big thing. But yeah definitely, he has developed into a heck of a hockey player.”