Pastrnak has 4 points in Bruins win against Canucks

VANCOUVER -- David Pastrnak had a goal and three assists, including his 400th in the NHL, for the Boston Bruins in a 5-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Saturday.

Pavel Zacha had a goal and two assists, Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist, and Jeremy Swayman made 19 saves for the Bruins (16-13-3), who lost their first two games of this five-game road trip by a combined score of 13-2.

Boston improved to 8-4-0 since interim coach Joe Sacco replaced Jim Montgomery on Nov. 19.

“We needed to respond in here tonight, and we did it in a big way tonight,” Sacco said. “It was just a solid team effort. Everybody contributed in their own way, and it started with our leaders and our top players. They certainly set the example how we want to play and that's where I like most about it, and the fact that we kept the puck out of our net. We did a good job defending.”

Max Sasson scored his first NHL goal, and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves for the Canucks (15-9-5), who have one win in their past four games (1-2-1).

Vancouver fell to 5-7-4 at home. The Canucks are 10-2-1 on the road.

“I don't know why but guys are tense at home for whatever reason,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “We seem a little bit more relaxed on the road. To make a play here, for some reason, we're getting it and we just want to punt it as soon as we get it.”

Brad Marchand put the Bruins ahead 1-0 on the power play at 5:12 of the first period, lifting the puck high over the outstretched glove of Demko from the left edge of the crease after a nice cross-crease pass from Elias Lindholm.

It was Marchand’s seventh point (five goals, two assists) during a six-game point streak and Lindholm’s first point in eight games.

“Definitely needed a response,” Marchand said. “That's what good teams do.”

Pastrnak spotted Geekie in the same spot with a cross-crease pass from behind the net, leaving the unchecked forward with an open net to make it 2-0 at 8:08.

“He's in the right spot and I knew,” Pastrnak said. “It was obviously a big bounce back game for us, coming after two tough losses. We were making sure that we do whatever it takes to get a W and don't lose three in a row. We sacrificed today, we blocked a lot of shots, and we were able to score some goals.”

Vancouver was coming off a 4-0 win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Thursday but was outshot 16-4 in the first period.

“Let's face facts here, four or five guys, they're struggling,” Tocchet said. “They're struggling to get emotionally invested in the game, and that's my job, to get these guys (invested). There’s still certain guys, we’ve got to find another gear from them. You got to understand that it's the NHL, and you can't play one good game and two bad or whatever. This is a game, a sport, the NHL, where you have to be jacked up to play the game. You have to be emotionally in the game. Sometimes guys are taking like 30 minutes to get into the game for whatever reason.”

Zacha scored on a breakaway 1:12 into the second period to make it 3-0. He took a pass from Pastrnak just inside the blue line and made a backhand-to-forehand move before scoring with a quick shot under Demko's right pad.

The assist was Pastrnak’s 400th in the NHL in his 706th game. He is the second fastest Czechia-born player to reach the milestone, behind Jaromir Jagr (546 games).

“Yeah, I'm a goal-scorer, but I feel so far I haven't been this year,” Pastrnak said. “I haven't got the looks. … I always look to make plays and I don't mind assists.”

Marc McLaughlin made it 4-0 at 11:49 with a shot from above the right face-off circle that deflected off the backside of defenseman Erik Brannstrom and through Demko’s legs as he reached out for the shot.

Pastrnak scored 26 seconds into the third period to make it 5-0. During a 4-on-4, he cut in alone down the right wing and got Demko down outside his post, allowing him to bank a wraparound in off the goalie’s right skate.

“I did see that he was a little out of position and was taking the shot away so I felt I had some speed so usually need to have a lot of speed to do those wraparounds and it worked out,” Pastrnak said. “It's nice, don't score many of those, honestly."

Sasson, a rookie playing his 10th NHL game, made it 5-1 at 10:13. Following a Lindholm turnover, he took a pass from J.T. Miller and shot quickly between Swayman’s pads from just inside the right face-off dot.

“Obviously, this goal means a lot, my first ever in the NHL,” Sasson said. “I'll try to appreciate it but obviously the goal is to win. That was a tough game and tough performance but nonetheless, obviously it's good to see a puck go in.”

NOTES: Marchand’s goal was his 81st on the power play, passing Ken Hodge (80) for eighth on the Bruins’ all-time list. … Pastrnak is the 11th player in Boston history to reach 400 assists. … Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort missed the game with illness one game after returning from a 17-game absence from a lower-body injury. … Miller has three assists in two games since returning from a personal leave of absence on Nov. 19 that kept him out of 10 games.