GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Boston Bruins fielded heavy criticism for a puzzling offseason that included the trades of defenseman Dougie Hamilton and left wing Milan Lucic.

After a sluggish start to the season, Boston has served notice that it still has plenty of talent left to compete for a playoff spot, especially if its power play keeps producing at such a torrid pace.

Left wing Brad Marchand had a shorthanded goal in his return to the lineup, center David Krejci had a goal and two assists and center Patrice Bergeron scored a pair of third-period goals as Boston survived a rally to defeat the Arizona Coyotes 5-3 on Saturday at Gila River Arena for its second straight win.

Boston (2-3) went 3-for-6 on the power play against the Coyotes to improve to 7-for-18 (38.9 percent) this season with the man advantage, the second-best percentage in the NHL this season.

"I think we're moving the puck really well and we're taking what's open," Bergeron said of the power play. "We're not forcing things."

The Coyotes (3-2) opened the scoring at 2:12 of the first period on a play that Boston coach Claude Julien challenged because he thought left winger Joe Vitale interfered with Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (21 saves). Right winger Shane Doan was credited with the goal because he was the closest to the puck, but Boston defenseman Kevan Miller did the work, kicking the puck into the net as he stopped in front of the crease to move traffic out from in front of Rask.

"I thought it was a good challenge because somebody was in my crease," Rask said. "But the ref told me I had a chance to recover after that. It was a tough goal but you have to trust the refs."

The goal gave Doan his 900th career point and he added two more points off assists. Dale Hawerchuk is the only other player in franchise history to reach 900. He had 929.

Despite the early deficit, the Bruins controlled the first two periods and finally solved goalie Mike Smith when right winger Tyler Randell slipped a backhander under his arm off a 2-on-1 at 8:42 of the second period.

Krejci gave Boston the lead on a power play at 15:19 of the period when he rifled a one-timer from the left circle past Smith off a pinpoint pass from defenseman Torey Krug. It was Krejci's fourth goal of the season. The Bruins outshot the Coyotes 33-10 through the first two periods.

"Our execution was poor," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "When you don't make two or three passes together it's hard to get any flow in your game; hard to get any speed and you look hemmed in."

Marchand put Boston up 3-1 at 4:44 of the third period on a shorthanded breakaway, but the Coyotes rallied to tie it on a power-play goal from left wing Tobias Rieder and a rebound goal from left wing Kyle Chipchura.

"In the third period we played a little more aggressive and made more plays," Doan said. "Getting in on the forecheck and getting to some pucks put pressure on their D, but give them credit. They answered back."

Bergeron scored the Bruins' second power-play goal on a redirect of center Ryan Spooner's shot at 9:10 of the third period. He added an insurance goal at 18:54, also on the power play.

NOTES: Bruins LW Brad Marchand missed the last two games after suffering a concussion against Montreal on Oct. 10. With Marchand back, RW Brett Connolly was a healthy scratch. ... Coyotes rookie LW Jordan Martinook missed the game with a lower-body injury. He is day-to-day. With Martinook out, RW Joe Vitale played his first game of the season. He was a healthy scratch in the first four. Vitale left the game after a fight with Boston D Kevan Miller and was taken to the hospital for X-rays on his face. ... Coyotes coach Dave Tippett broke up the defensive pairing of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Michael Stone and put Zbynek Michalek with Ekman-Larsson because he hasn't been happy with Ekman-Larsson's defensive game. "We've got to get him a little more focused on the hard parts of the game," Tippett said. "(Michalek) drags Oliver into the fight a little more." ... Coyotes C Antoine Vermette returned to the lineup. Vermette left Thursday's game against Minnesota in the second period with a lower-body injury.