Pastrnak's Career Night Paces Bruins To Win Over Rangers

BOSTON - In his first four games back from a thumb injury, David Pastrnak showed a bit of rust. Despite notching a pair of goals and four assists in those first contests after a 16-game absence, there were signs of difficulty and re-adjustment for the 22-year-old winger.
On Wednesday night against the New York Rangers, Pastrnak showed no such signs.

"Great night," said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy of his young star. "He was firing the puck well, looked like he was more comfortable handling it in traffic. That was a bit of an issue a few games there. He was still finding his timing, so certainly put up points, was physical there in the third when we needed him to be…
"I liked his game, moved him around to try to get a different line going. It worked out for them, whether that was him or the line just got going. So, yeah, I like where he's at. He's got a little more energy too because he missed. This time of year, guys are trying to get to the finish line, to a certain extent. Everybody has something to play for, don't get me wrong, but the playoffs are in sight. Because he missed time, like I said, he's got a little more in the tank."
Pastrnak's tank was overflowing on Wednesday night. The 6-foot forward had a hand in each of the Bruins first five goals.
"Obviously it helps to me coming back," said Pastrnak. "After a long time haven't missed a game, so it was a bit tough at the beginning but it was fun to be back at the Garden and play at the home ice."

Pastrnak's final stat line of three goals and two assists marked a regular season career-high for points.
"Obviously my linemates help me a lot," said Pastrnak. "And get some nice touches in power play, a couple tap ins. So, it was good. Obviously how I said, they took advantage of me being out to try to get better."

Pastrnak started the game in his usual top line position riding shotgun next to Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Part way through the contest, Cassidy slotted Pastrnak down in the lineup next to David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk.
"He's a special player and any time you get that chance, especially with him and Krech [David Krejci], you know it's something that you kind of want to stick…" said DeBrusk, who's goal came as the direct result of a Pastrnak pass. "When we're on the ice I try to get as many pucks back to them as possible, you know, bring your attributes to whatever the line can do and he was making some pretty good plays tonight, he was the biggest reason why we won."
On DeBrusk's goal, Pastrnak took a quick feed from Krejci and waited out the defenseman and goaltender before finding DeBrusk for a wide open net goal.
"He took kind of a quick look as soon as he got it and he's a special player so I knew it was coming," said DeBrusk. "I just tried to think about elevating it and it was pretty much a tap in, I didn't have to do too much. All I had to do was drive the net and he found me - he's a special player. At that point too he had two goals and decides not to shoot to give me a goal there. That's something that we've seen with the [Patrice] Bergeron empty-netter and there's a reason why he's a leader on this team even though he is fairly young."

Pastrnak leads the Bruins in a number of categories this season, including goals (36), power play goals (17), shooting percentage (16.4%) and hat tricks (3).
"I guess I'd say good," said Pastrnak of his new career high in goals. "But I guess to be honest I'm very happy for the two points and just to be back at home ice and we've still got to go and try to get ready for the playoffs so we are at our best hockey when it starts."

CHANGE IT UP

Bruce Cassidy's pension for switching up his lines is well known. Despite the recent success of the lineup, the return of Marcus Johansson sparked some early shuffling
"It's a short window of opportunity here with the full forward group," said Cassidy after the win. "Obviously, [Sean] Kuraly isn't a part of that and won't be in the next little while. But [Marcus] Johansson coming in, so you're almost trying to get a look at him everywhere. That was all. Like I said, I think Krech [David Krejci] and [Jake] DeBrusk lately have been a little bit stagnant, so put Pasta up there gives them a different look. You know, Marchy and Bergy, with [Danton] Heinen, they've played with him.
"We tried to mix Johansson in there later, but he got a few shifts with [Charlie] Coyle, and then the power play starts, which is really tough to get a handle on a true measure of five-on-five with Johansson on any line tonight. So, that part of it we missed out on, but he got himself a game under belt. He hadn't played in a while, so hopefully, like Pasta, each one he gets a little better."

Krejci has seen a number of wingers on either side of him throughout the season. Seeing Pastrnak line up on his right wing was a welcome sight.
"Obviously, he's one of the best in the game now," said Krejci. "So any time I get a chance to be on his line for any shift is obviously nice. He's making so many good places when he's out there, so just trying to help him out."
For his part, Pastrnak has been quite comfortable regardless of where he is slotted.
"I had to bounce around two lines," said Pastrnak. "But nothing that is new for me. I've been playing on both of these lines for a while, so I know what to expect from all four guys."
Once together, Cassidy liked what he saw from Krejci and Pastrnak, although he does not know if they will stick together moving forward.
"I did like what they did together," said Cassidy. "I don't know. I don't know Saturday if we'll stick with it, to be perfectly honest. We'll look at it again. Usually video will tell you a few things on maybe there's some chemistry with certain guys that you don't see during the course of the game, and you go okay well maybe this will work. So, we'll see how it plays out. Somebody ends up on their wrong side, whether it's Johansson or Heinen as a winger with a left stick, so at some point we want to get solidified on that as well."

Power Play Precision

The Bruins entered Wednesday night's tilt with the third ranked power play in the league. However, the unit has experienced it's share of ups and downs in the absence of Torey Krug. In Krug's first game back, the man-advantage was dominant, going 4/6 on the night.
"You're going to get games where it doesn't go your way in PP and stuff," said Pastrnak, who recorded a pair of goals on the power play. "But we've been together for a while so there's obviously some chemistry and nice to get Torey back on the top, so yeah. It's always fun but how I said, we sometimes there's games we're just looking for places that aren't in there, so tonight wasn't one of those nights."
Krug looked sharp in his return from a six-game absence.
"I felt good," said the 27-year-old defenseman. "I know it was a couple weeks, but I was actually able… I was far enough through the protocol that I was able to skate for a while, so as far as rest was concerned it wasn't too bad. More just timing and trying to get the right reads and overall felt pretty good."

The power play quarterback Krug now has 44 assists on the season. Pastrnak is just one of the many weapons at Krug's disposal on the man-advantage.
"Him or Marchy [Brad Marchand] or Bergy [Patrice Bergeron] or Krech [David Krejci]," said Krug when asked if Pastrnak is always the first option. "Go down the list… Obviously we play with a lot of special players and he's one of them. You know, he thinks of the game a different way than a lot of the players do in the league and it's fun to be a part of it."

HISTORY FOR KRUG

With his assist on Pastrnak's goal in the second period, Torey Krug recorded his 284th career point. That is the most by an American-born player in Bruins history.
"It's special for sure," said Krug. "You know, with the rich history of the Boston Bruins to be a guy like that is pretty cool, but I don't want to stop there. Just continue to help the team and, you know, hopefully we can just continue to win and that's something that can be, you know, pushed aside and I can think about later on in my career.

100 POINT WATCH

With three assists in the victory over New York, Brad Marchand improved his season points total to 97 with five games to play. The 30-year-old winger has already set career-high's in assists and points, and is approaching the 100-point plateau for the first time.
"We certainly view him as one of our best offensive players and one of our power-play catalysts," said Cassidy. "I think that has a lot to do with it, for Marchy. He's getting a lot more power-play time. He might be our leading power play point guy. Him and Pasta, so it's a good unit. [Torey] Krug's out there too. And it does speak to their conditioning, to be able to do it against top players every night. They don't usually see many matchups where they're playing against people down in the lineup, so they're doing it with their competitive spirit, as well as their talent and conditioning."

CELLY SZN

Jake DeBrusk is known for a good celly.
When Pastrnak set him up for his 24th goal of the season, the 22-year-old could barely contain his excitement. DeBrusk leapt into Pastrnak's arms, taking them both to the ice.
"I was actually really concerned," said a relieved DeBrusk. "When we were on the ground there I tried to make eye contact with him to make sure he was okay. Obviously just emotions but I've actually done that in the past before but not the same result. So it was nice to see him score after that and nice to be part of a goal as well."
DeBrusk's enthusiasm was warranted, as the young winger had the opportunity to skate alongside one of the NHL's best goal scorer's in Pastrnak.
"Any time you get a chance with different lines," said DeBrusk. "Have Mo Jo [Marcus Johansson] back in the lineup as well and try to kick-start different things and it just seemed to be clicking when Pasta [David Pastrnak] was there tonight. It was nice to just be a part of that and we had some good looks."