The Bruins’ time in second place in the Atlantic Division lasted only a few hours on Saturday.
In a to-the-wire slugfest with the Panthers (because why wouldn’t it be the Panthers?), the Bruins matched Florida’s win over the Sabres with a win of their own in primetime, and with a six-goal downpour on Pittsburgh’s goaltending.
And for the Bruins, it was as balanced an attack as Jim Montgomery could’ve hoped for, with six different skaters on the board with a goal, and 13 separate skaters on the scoresheet with at least one point by the night’s end.
Third Star: Michael Bunting
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 13: Michael Bunting #8 of the Pittsburgh Penguins reacts after scoring a goal in the second period during the game against the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 13, 2024. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)
When the Bruins appeared set to run away with this game, the Penguins’ Michael Bunting made it a game through 40 minutes by way of a power-play goal that sliced the Pittsburgh deficit to two by the second intermission.
Bunting didn’t quit on this game, either, as he also appeared to score Pittsburgh’s fourth and final goal of the contest, though that strike was later changed to belonging to Evgeni Malkin.
Second Star: Brad Marchand
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 13: Brad Marchand #63 of the Bruins celebrates with Charlie Coyle #13 after scoring a a short-handed goal in the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 13, 2024. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Bruins captain Brad Marchand has never seen a shorthanded chance he didn’t want to bury, and he simply added to that lore Saturday night in Pittsburgh, with the shorthanded tally that started reliever Tristan Jarry’s night off on the worst possible note in the second period of play.
Marchand’s goal was good for his 67th point of the season, which matches last year’s total, and gives the 5-foot-9 wing two goals and four points in his last five outings overall.
Looking at it through a career scope, Marchand is now up to 36 career shorthanded goals, which is tied for the eighth-most shorthanded goals in NHL history. Next up on the leaderboard for Marchand: Butch Goring, Jari Kurri, and Dave Poulin, all of whom recorded 39 shorthanded markers in their respective NHL careers.
First Star: Pavel Zacha
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 13: Pavel Zacha #18 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after scoring a goal in the second period during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 13, 2024. (Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Believe it or not, Boston was (offseason) home to Pavel Zacha even before the Bruins acquired him from the Devils in 2022. But Zacha, added to the fold in a one-for-one trade for Erik Haula, has truly looked like a player who has found his place with the Bruins, and Saturday brought about another milestone for Zacha, who has now recorded a career-high 58 points on the season thanks to a one-goal, two-point night against the Penguins.
In addition to the career-high in points, Zacha’s second-period tally also saw him hit the 20-goal mark for the second straight season with the Bruins. And though Zacha will be the first to tell you that he is not ‘replacing’ David Krejci, there is some sort of comfort in knowing that Zacha did best Krejci’s numbers from a year ago with that two-point outing, as he’s now up to 58 points on the year after Krejci finished last season with 56 points in 70 games for the B’s.
What a steal of a trade for Don Sweeney.
