Pastrnak scores again, Bruins top Sharks to stay undefeated

SAN JOSE – David Pastrnak scored in his third straight game to open the season, and Linus Ullmark made 26 saves for the Boston Bruins, who remained unbeaten with a 3-1 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Thursday.

"He was really dominant with his skating and he wanted the puck, and he was commanding the park," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said of Ullmark. "When he's doing things like that, he's a very dominant player."

Brad Marchand scored his first goal of the season, and James van Riemsdyk scored for the Bruins (3-0-0), who opened a four-game road trip.

"To go on the road with a trip like this earlier in the year is important for us," van Reimsdyk said. "I think it's a good opportunity to get on a little bit of a roll. We have a lot of games in a short span, and I think that's good this time of year to kind of get in the rhythm of playing games and going from there."

Anthony Duclair scored, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 33 saves for the Sharks (0-3-1), who ended a four-game homestand to begin the season.

It was Duclair’s first goal with San Jose after being acquired in a trade with the Florida Panthers on July 1 for forward Steven Lorentz and a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

"We made a step forward with the things we touched on after our last game," Sharks coach David Quinn said. "I thought we spent more time in the [offensive] zone and there was definitely more possession and forechecking. But, we've got a long way to go to where we want to get to."

Marchand gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 18:06 of the first period with a wrist shot from the left circle. Van Riemsdyk extended the lead 21 seconds later to 2-0 when he poked the puck off Kahkonen's pads and over the goal line.

"I think we were just in good spots offensively, just trying to support each other," van Reimsdyk said. "We threw it at the net and were able to get some whacks at it and I was fortunate it went in."

Pastrnak made it 3-0 at 16:46 of the second period. Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic tried to stop the forward on a breakaway and tripped him up, and his unbalanced shot still got the puck past Kahkonen and in.

"We've got to be better. We give up two goals that are easily coverable, and then the third one was just really fluky and crazy," Quinn said. "The third goal kind of deflated us."

Duclair cut it to 3-1 at 11:13 of the third period when Tomas Hertl set him up in front of the net.

"I'm just looking for a full 60-minute effort from myself," Duclair said. "It's always nice to see a puck go in the back of the net. Obviously, it was a lucky one, but it was good for confidence. For myself especially, before the road trip, to get one in. Hopefully it's the start of something special."

Notes: Pastrnak has four goals in the first three games, and was also the last Bruins skater to score in his first three games of the season (2016-17). Boston has won 12 straight games against San Jose dating back to Feb. 9, 2017.