BOSTON – There’s nothing like a tying goal 8 seconds into the third period to shake a team out of a two-period slumber.

Nathan Horton’s second goal of the game keyed Boston’s three-goal third period as the Bruins beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 Tuesday night in game that saw both teams attempt penalty shots.

“We’re a good enough team and a smart enough team to at least come out in the third with some desperation and some intent in our game to do the right things and find a way to win,” Boston Coach Claude Julien said.

After Horton scored his fifth goal in four games — off an outstanding spin and feed by David Krejci — to tie the score, Tyler Seguin (team-leading 17th) and Benoit Pouliot (power play) followed over the next 6:33 to lift the Bruins to their 24th win in 29 games.

“We knew we weren’t playing our best hockey in the first and second,” Horton said. “But it’s nice to get that quick goal at the beginning and obviously when Seguin scored, it kind of gave us a little momentum.”

Boston goalie Tuukka Rask stopped Chris Thorburn’s penalty shot 5:57 into the first period and Shawn Thornton beat Winnipeg’s Ondrej Pavelec in the second for a short-handed goal after he came flying out of the penalty box and grabbed a loose puck.

Thornton beat Pavelec with a neat toe-drag and backhander to tie the score 2-all 5:16 into the second period. Rask said it was a move the rugged winger, known more for his fists than his scoring, had tried so often in practice he’d stopped trying it.

“I knew he has that but I didn’t know he was going to pull that off,” Rask said. “He scored a goal, it was a really big goal and you could see all the players on the bench were very excited and happy for him.”

Thornton, who scored his fourth goal of the season and the 28th of his 407-game NHL career, added: “I haven’t taken a penalty shot in front of people since the Max Milk Midget Tournament, I think. I won that shootout competition by the way — I have the belt buckle to prove it.”

The Bruins had a penalty shot for the second straight game after Daniel Paille failed to convert Saturday against Vancouver.

Andrew Ladd, Blake Wheeler and Eric Fehr scored for the Jets, who got two assists apiece from defensemen Zach Bogosian and Tobias Enstrom.

“It’s disappointing. It’s a disappointing game,” Winnipeg Coach Claude Noel said. “You play pretty solid for 40 minutes and you miss an open assignment on the opening shift of the third and you’re tied.

“They played, they won the battles and we didn’t pay the price that was necessary at our net — that’s where they scored three of their goals. For me there is no excuses. But, we’re playing against a team that won a Cup and emotionally they get to a level that you know you’re going to have to dig down and reach, and we didn’t get it done.”

Rask came in with three shutouts in his last four starts while stopping 128 of 129 shots. He led the NHL in goals-against average and save percentage, but yielded three goals on 24 shots in the first two periods. He then shut the door as his teammates took over at the other end.

Rask is 6-0 since his last loss, Dec. 6, with one of the wins coming in relief.

Krjeci, who has a nine-game points streak, Patrice Bergeron and Milan Lucic all had two assists for the Bruins.

Rask stopped Thorburn, still looking for his first goal of the season, before either team scored. It was the first penalty shot against the Bruins this season, while Winnipeg has missed all three of its attempts.