David Pastrnak secured his 17th-career hat trick Tuesday night at TD Garden in the Boston Bruins’ third consecutive win.
David Pastrnak secured his 17th-career hat trick Tuesday night at TD Garden in the Boston Bruins’ third consecutive win.
A three-goal third period lifted the Boston Bruins to a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night at TD Garden.
David Pastrnak had a hat trick, Justin Brazeau logged his first multi-goal game in the NHL and Linus Ullmark was sharp with 30 saves as the B’s extended their win streak to three games.
“We were up by one goal and it was important for us to recognize that we were leading by a goal at home going into the third,” Pastrnak said Tuesday. “We made sure we’re going to keep playing on our toes and extend the lead. Don’t sit back.”
Pastrnak can, evidently, make anything interesting – including a first period where the Boston Bruins had one shot on goal through the opening eight minutes of play.
The assistant captain netted his first of three goals at 8:27 of the first, shaking awake his team that had been snoozing. Pastrnak tipped in Matt Grzelcyk’s shot from the left circle for the 1-0 lead, and doubled it less than three minutes later. Pastrnak intercepted Ottawa forward Tim Stützle’s pass by the defensive blueline and took off on the breakaway, pulling the puck to his backhand and lifting it over goaltender Joonas Korpisalo’s stick-side and in.
The play made it 2-0 Bruins at 11:23 of the first and marked Pastrnak’s 43rd goal of the season and seventh point in the last five games.
“I thought they were really good. I thought they were good in all three zones,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Tuesday of Pastrnak’s second line. “Obviously we see the offensive prowess, but I think their puck support early, that was the line that was on the game and they broke through with those two goals.”
The Bruins found themselves defending a 5-on-3 Senators power play early in the second period with Johnny Beecher and Charlie Coyle in the box for slashing and tripping, respectively. Ullmark was the strongest link on the penalty kill, making a handful of key stops to keep Ottawa off the scoresheet.
Shane Pinto, however, struck on the Senators’ next man advantage as Andrew Peeke sat for interference. Pinto wristed it from the high slot to cut Ottawa’s deficit to 2-1 at 13:08.
Boston got its first power play of the night at 18:15 and used it to extend its lead. Brazeau – in his net-front position on the second unit – knocked home the rebound of Kevin Shattenkirk’s shot from the point for the 3-1 scoreline at 18:51.
“I’m really comfortable down there, especially with these guys – I know they can make so many good plays, I just kind of have to get in front of the net and screen the goalie,” Brazeau said Tuesday.
The Senators didn’t head into the third quietly, though. Brady Tkachuck pulled his team within one with four seconds remaining in the period as he poked a loose puck in front past Ullmark to make it 3-2.
In a period where the Bruins got outshot 23-11, a 3-2 lead wasn’t exactly a bad thing.
Pastrnak completed his 17th-career hat trick at 4:43 of the final frame with a backhanded shot near the hash marks. Just 25 seconds later, Jesper Boqvist carried the puck into the zone, charged the net and slipped it past Korpisalo for the 5-2 lift and his fifth of the season.
Shattenkirk picked up his third assist of the night on Boqvist’s goal – making an obvious impact in his first game back in the defensive rotation since March 11 against the St. Louis Blues.
“I just have to stay ready when I get in the lineup and take advantage of those opportunities,” Shattenkirk said Tuesday.
Brazeau potted his second of the game – for his first multi-goal NHL performance – to close out the 6-2 win. The net-front tally came on the power play at 18:06 of the third as Brazeau made space for himself down low before flicking the puck in.
“I think I’m just getting more confidence every game I play,” Brazeau said. “I think the league almost slows down a little bit when you get that confidence, and you can make more plays with pucks.”
The Bruins will be back in action Thursday as they host the New York Rangers for a 7 p.m. puck drop at TD Garden.
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