David Pastrnak and Kevin Shattenkirk each scored two goals in the Boston Bruins' 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils Saturday night at TD Garden.
BOSTON – It was a four-goal second period for the Boston Bruins Saturday night at TD Garden.
What started as nearly three minutes of sustained offensive zone pressure at the end of the first period exploded into 20 minutes of domination in the middle frame, ripping the momentum from the New Jersey Devils in the eventual 5-2 win.
“I think the second period is the best second period we’ve had here all season,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said.
“I love the response of the bench. We felt we were playing a good game, we felt we were playing to our identity, we felt we were playing Bruins hockey and that played itself out.”
David Pastrnak and Kevin Shattenkirk each had two goals while Jake DeBrusk got some swagger back with his own goal and assist. Linus Ullmark posted 31 saves.
Devils captain Nico Hischier and rookie defenseman Luke Hughes each scored to give New Jersey a 2-0 lead by the early stages of the second before the Bruins took over.
DeBrusk opened scoring for Boston at 5:35 off a gritty, extra-effort play from Brad Marchand who stripped Devils goaltender Vitek Vanecek of the puck behind the net before circling it over to DeBrusk on the left side. DeBrusk pulled the rubber to his backhand and tucked it home for the 2-1 score and his first goal in 11 games.
“Obviously it was a great play by ‘Marchy.’ Those are chances that – even still with everything – I don’t really miss,” DeBrusk said. “I think it was just nice to have a reset honestly in the break and kind of take some time away from the game.”
Pastrnak tied the game 2-2 at 12:49 before giving the Bruins a 3-2 lead at 15:23 with a slick deke on Vanecek while crashing the net for his 22nd tally of the season. DeBrusk picked up the primary assist on the play.
“Vitek [Vanecek], I think he challenged me on the shot, I think he went forward,” Pastrnak said. “Initially I was thinking of shooting high-glove, but had a quick look, had a lot of speed, so it’s hard for a goaltender to follow me all the way to the far post.”
Dec 30, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) celebrates his goal against the New Jersey Devils during the second period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY SportsShattenkirk put the exclamation point on the period with a wrister from the left circle at 17:14 to make it 4-2. Charlie Coyle and Danton Heinen battled along the boards to win the puck and popped it up to Matt Grzelyck who dished it over to Shattenkirk for his 100th career goal.
“Felt great. I was just saying that I don’t think I was going into every game expecting to hit it – you know, I’m not ‘Pasta,’” Shattenkirk said. “You know it’s gonna come eventually, just stuck with it, and once it happens it’s a great milestone, something I’m proud of.”
The veteran defenseman notched his second goal of the night at 16:49 of the third period, knocking in a cross-crease pass from Marchand on the power play for the final 5-2 score.
Prior to the goal, Charlie McAvoy was helped off the ice and to the locker room after colliding left-leg-first into Linus Ullmark. While the assistant captain was slow to get up, Montgomery said McAvoy seemed to be “fine.”
“He’s fine. I think he just had a little bit of a scare,” Montgomery said. “He’s walking around, he’s happy right now.”
The Bruins will close out 2023 Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena where they’ll face the Detroit Red Wings for a 5 p.m. puck drop in the back-to-back game.