David Pastrnak scores all four Boston goals in win over Ducks
Oct 14, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) celebrates his goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Bruins have rediscovered their recipe for success: The Bergeron Line and the league’s best goaltending tandem.
Back on TD Garden ice after a 3-0 victory over the Devils on Saturday night, David Pastrnak and the rest of the B’s first line straight-up assaulted John Gibson and the Ducks in what finished as a 4-2 final, and with all four goals from Pastrnak.
Pastrnak first got Boston on the board just eight seconds into their first power-play opportunity of the day, as Pastrnak converted a one-time blast through Gibson, and off a between the legs pass from Bruins center Patrice Bergeron. It was a goal that you could have seen coming from a mile away, but with a finish that not even Gibson could have touched.
Up 1-0 through 20 minutes, Pastrnak pushed the Boston edge to two when Brad Marchand intercepted an attempted backhand pass out of the zone from Hampus Lindholm and fed No. 88 for an easy tap-in through a sprawled Gibson.
Name a more iconic duo than Brad Marchand (@Bmarch63) and David Pastrnak (@pastrnak96). pic.twitter.com/eNbvJJYqdh
— NHL (@NHL) October 14, 2019
But the Bruins once again dealt with some middle-period struggles, though, as they were outshot by a staggering 16-to-6 mark and forced to kill off three penalties by the period’s end. The Ducks finally got on the board during that 16-shot barrage on Jaroslav Halak, who was forced to stop multiple breakaway and odd-man rush chances, as Rickard Rakell scored with 2:08 left in the second period to bring the Ducks within one through 40 minutes of play.
It was about as ugly a second period, which has been a point of emphasis for Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy in recent days (and probably dating back to last season), that the B’s could have had.
Pastrnak made sure the sluggish second period wouldn’t come back to haunt the Bruins, though, as he connected for his third and fourth goal of the afternoon in the third period. The goals, scored just 2:14 apart, were good to give Boston a three-goal edge over Gibson and Co, and made No. 88 the first Bruin to score four goals in one game since Patrice Bergeron accomplished the feat in a win over the Hurricanes on. Jan. 6, 2018.
Here's No. 3. 🎩 @pastrnak96 | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/SCT3iUTcjQ
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 14, 2019
And No. 4. 🍝 @pastrnak96 | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/wgGYHCcnp0
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 14, 2019
The Ducks refused to go quietly, however, as center Adam Henrique brought Anaheim within two with a goal scored with just 3:52 remaining the contest, and a trio of chances from Ryan Getzlaf (two of which with the Anaheim net empty).
Halak, who had a slight injury scare in the third period when he appeared to take a Rakell stick to the head (it was enough to knock his mask off), finished the day with 30 saves for his second win of the season .
Marchand, meanwhile, extended his point streak to five games by way of a two-assist night.
Bruins center David Krejci suffered an apparent injury in the first period and returned for the second period, but took two shifts before riding the bench for the remainder of the afternoon. Krejci missed the season opener due to a lower-body injury he sustained in the final week of the preseason. With Krejci out, the Bruins moved Charlie Coyle up with Jake DeBrusk.
Steven Kampfer, a healthy scratch for the first five games of the year, made his 2019 debut to the right of Matt Grzelcyk on Boston’s third pairing. That pushed Connor Clifton to the press box as the B’s healthy scratch. David Backes and Par Lindholm continued to sit as the Black and Gold’s scratches up front.
The Bruins are back at it Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
