DETROIT — This time, it took him all of eight seconds.

On a faceoff in the Bruins’ offensive zone, Brett Connolly won the puck back to Brad Marchand, who wristed it past Petr Mrazek for a goal just eight seconds into Sunday’s game. Not only was it Marchand’s 13th goal in 13 games, not only was it his 28th of the season, tying a career high, but it was also the fastest any Bruin had scored after puck drop in a game in franchise history.

So, yes, it seems that everything is going in for Marchand these days.

“To be honest, I’m trying not to think about it a whole lot,’’ said Marchand, who beat the prior record — set exactly 63 years ago by Fleming Mackell — by one second. “It’s nice, but I’m just trying to prepare the same way and focus more on working hard and playing the right way, and when you do that then good things happen.’’

They have, certainly, been happening in droves for the left wing, who should score 30 goals for the first time in his career and could possibly go as high as 40 before the season is done.

“I think it’s obvious his whole approach, he’s come in this year and he said I want to be a leader,’’ coach Claude Julien said. “We lost a lot of guys, had some younger players, and he’s kind of taken it upon himself to want to be a good player, and he’s done just that.

“I think he’s playing some of his best hockey we’ve seen him play in this organization. He’s on top of things. His confidence is as high as it’s ever been. And he continues to help us win hockey games.’’

Though the Bruins played a mess of a game on Sunday — one that ended 6-5 — it was notable that Marchand was able to continue his run, even without his usual running mate, Patrice Bergeron, missing his second straight game. As Marchand said, “He’s such a big hole to fill when he goes down, but we all have to realize that we all have to be a little bit better.’’

And it was notable, too, that even in a game in which the opponent scored six goals, Marchand ended the game plus-4. He was not on ice for any of the goals allowed to the Red Wings.

But there is something that Marchand needs to guard against, especially as the goals keep coming.

“I think at times for me when things are going right I try to force things a little bit,’’ Marchand said. “So I’m trying to focus right now on trying not to force things too much and try to keep things as simple as I can, make the right play.

“That’s something that the coaching staff has talked to me a lot about this year is really focusing on making the right play and not the hard play. If I can continue to do that then hopefully things will continue to go well.’’

Step up for Kemppainen

Joonas Kemppainen has done well since returning from the AHL in the wake of the Bergeron injury, scoring a rare goal on Sunday afternoon. It was just his second of the season, with the first coming on Oct. 23. This one was shorthanded.

“The two games he’s been with us so far, he’s been doing the things that we asked him to do,’’ Julien said. “Has to be a little bit more assertive on the offensive side, so it was nice to see him get that tying goal. You were hoping that somewhere we could maybe muster up a point there and deal with the rest, but we didn’t get to that point.’’

It was a positive sign for Kemppainen.

“It was a relief,’’ Kemppainen said. “It was a long time since I scored last time. It was kind of nice to score, but still we lost, so it doesn’t matter.’’

Still, that was part of the goal in sending Kemppainen to the AHL.

“The last couple months hasn’t been that good, so I think now I came back here and I try to approach the game a little bit different and not so serious, loose and have fun,’’ he said. “I think I feel a little bit better now, so it was obviously good to get a couple games there [in Providence]. I think it helped me.’’

Bergeron out again

Bergeron missed his second consecutive game with an undisclosed injury, likely suffered in Thursday’s game in Winnipeg against the Jets, a game in which he had a rare fight. Bergeron will continue to remain with the team through the road trip, with Julien labeling him “day-to-day.’’ . . . Dennis Seidenberg scored his first goal of the season, and his first goal since Nov. 21, 2014. “Hopefully there’s more to come,’’ he said. “We’ll see.’’ . . . Joe Morrow came out of the lineup for Colin Miller on Sunday. Tyler Randell was the team’s other healthy scratch . . . The Bruins will have the day off on Monday after playing three games in four days in three cities, before returning to work on Tuesday for a game in Columbus.

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @amaliebenjamin.