Bruins clinch Presidents' Trophy with OT victory against Blue Jackets

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy, awarded to the NHL team with the best record in the regular season, when David Pastrnak scored 41 seconds into overtime in a 2-1 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden on Thursday.

Pastrnak took a pass from Hampus Lindholm, drove toward the net and scored on a backhand for his 53rd goal of the season.
"Of course, you're proud," Boston captain Patrice Bergeron said. "It's a lot of games, a lot of hard work, and I'm proud of the way we've done it by sticking to our process and growing as a team and learning and really playing for each other.
"That being said, it's nice, but obviously you have your eyes set on [something] bigger."
Tyler Bertuzzi scored, and Linus Ullmark made 25 saves for the Bruins (58-12-5), who set a franchise record for wins in a season. They went 57-14-7 in 1970-71.
"I thought they played a real good game being on top of us, but we kept finding ways," Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. "Even though tonight's game was not the standard we've seen all year, it does exemplify how good of a team we are because of people executing and relishing their roles."

Jack Roslovic scored, and Michael Hutchinson made 29 saves for the Blue Jackets (23-44-7).
"That's an impressive game for our group," Columbus coach Brad Larsen said. "I really wanted that win for them. They deserved the win tonight. They didn't get it, but that's a hard-fought point."
Roslovic gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 8:08 of the first period, tipping in Liam Foudy's backhand cross-ice pass on the doorstep.
"It was an emotional game, physical game; tight checking each way," Columbus captain Boone Jenner said. "That was a good hockey game. Obviously you want to come out and get the two points for that, but like I said, we've got a lot to take from that game."
Bertuzzi tied it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 10:07 of the second period. Pavel Zacha deked around Blue Jackets forward Sean Kuraly and defenseman Marcus Bjork before centering to Bertuzzi at the net front.
Bertuzzi appeared to score again at 13:36, poking the puck between Hutchinson's legs, but the goal was waved off and a video review confirmed the call on the ice that the puck had been frozen prior to it becoming loose.
"We play hard [and] with a lot of effort," Hutchinson said. "Coming down the stretch, we're not going to lay down for anyone and give them space out there just because of where they are in the standings and where we are. So, I don't know if they were expecting us to come out that hard, but it turned into a really good hockey game."

Johnny Gaudreau had a breakaway chance 33 seconds into the third period, trying to go five-hole with a backhand, but Ullmark made the save.
Ullmark made another point-blank save at 3:22, absorbing Kirill Marchenko's attempted tip-in from Gaudreau to keep the game tied.
By winning the Presidents' Trophy, the Bruins have assured themselves of home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"It's an honor to win that, and it just proves how good [the Bruins] have been all year," Bertuzzi said. "We've just got to keep going forward. We have [seven] games left, and then the real thing starts."
NOTES:Boston won the Presidents' Trophy for the fourth time since its introduction in 1985-86, having won it in 2019-20, 2013-14 and 1989-90. The Detroit Red Wings (six) are the only other team to win it at least four times. The Bruins have finished atop the NHL regular-season standings 14 times since entering the NHL in 1924-25. … Pastrnak's overtime goal was his 99th point. The forward is one point shy of becoming the third Bruins player in the past 20 years to have 100 points in a season (Brad Marchand, 100 in 2018-19; Joe Thornton, 101 in 2002-03). … The Blue Jackets did not win a game in regulation in March (3-8-2); their three wins came in overtime. Columbus' most recent regulation win was a 5-3 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 28.