Pavel Zacha ‘Working On The Little Things’ To Find Game Again

The Boston Bruins center had two points in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks at TD Garden.

BRIGHTON, Mass. – After logging just two goals from Dec. 31 to Jan. 27, Pavel Zacha has scored in consecutive games since the Boston Bruins returned from All-Star break.

The 26-year-old center put the B’s up 4-0 in Thursday’s win over the Vancouver Canucks at TD Garden. Zacha picked up a crafty pass from linemate James van Riemsdyk off the rush, and wristed it home for his 12th tally and 33rd point of the season.

While Zacha’s scoring touch hasn’t been as consistent as he would like, the pivot has nonetheless been an important part of the Bruins’ top six and leaned into his 200-foot game.

“If I’m not scoring goals at the time, how else can I help the team? And that’s, I think, my defensive game, penalty kill and stuff like that,” Zacha said Friday. “That’s something that I can kind of start from when things are not going that great.”

Most recently, Zacha has been centering the second line between van Riemsdyk and David Pastrnak. The trio has combined for 18 points in the past five games, including four assists from Zacha.

“Even though outwardly he comes across as a very composed person, I think inwardly he puts a lot of pressure on himself,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said of Zacha Friday.

“When you are that kind of person, when things aren’t going well, you force more instead of relaxing. I think playing with ‘Pasta’ helps that, because ‘Pasta’ is pretty relaxed.”

Zacha has been getting extended ice time with Pastrnak since the Bruins’ point-leader moved from his original line with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle. The two Czech forwards are also on the first power play unit together in which Zacha has posted three goals and Pastrnak 11.

“I’m playing with great players. They’re going to give me the opportunities to score goals or make plays, so I just have to use the opportunity that I get – playing top minutes and power play – and just keep getting better,” Zacha said.

As Zacha works to rediscover some regularity in his scoring in the second half, he’s also bought into his defensive game and said being at the center position has allowed him to make an impact on a nightly basis because of the backend responsibilities.

“I also think it helps my game, too. If I don’t feel my legs or something, I can focus on something else than just performing offensively,” Zacha said. “For me especially, I want to be a two-way center.”

Zacha will look to build off his two-point performance against the Canucks on Saturday as the Bruins face the Washington Capitals for a 3:30 p.m. matchup at TD Garden.

“It’s getting better,” Zacha said. “I think I had a little bit of a down play there. I wasn’t performing as good as I wanted to, and I think just trying to work on the little things and get back to my game a little bit.”