Pastrnak's Secret To Success

Forget Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record. What David Pastrnak is doing right now is impressive. 

The Bruins forward scored in the first period against the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday to extend his point streak to 17 consecutive games. He now has 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) during his streak and ties Ray Bourque (1984-85) for eighth-longest streak in franchise history. 

It may sound elementary, but Pastrnak’s skill, hands and vision is one reason for his recent streak. Also, not focusing on such a streak helps. It’s about doing all the right things and creating chances. There’s no denying his creativity, but he’s also found a balance between that aspect of his game and keeping it simple. Confidence is a huge factor. When a player is confident, the puck has a tendency to find him and no doubt he’s in that zone right now. 

He's also been pretty humble since the streak began, especially with his team struggling. 

“I would give up the point streak for the wins,” he said after Thursday's loss to the New York Islanders. “I just want to get the (wins) and get back on a winning streak. I’m not focusing on anything else. It’s a team game and I’m trying to do my best to help the team.” 

 Teammate Brad Marchand believes Pastrnak's name should be in the running for the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP. 

“He should be very high in the MVP candidate race right now,” Marchand said. “He’s on another level and it’s impressive to watch him every night. He just creates so much for this group and he’s leading the charge right now. He’s rising to another level right now and he’s one of the best in the league. It’s fun to watch.”