McDavid, the Oilers center, is first with an NHL career-high 54 goals, 10 more than Bruins forward David Pastrnak, who is four goals from his own NHL high of 48, set in 2019-20 when he shared the Maurice Richard Trophy, awarded to the top goal-scorer in the NHL, with Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.
McDavid has a League-leading 124 points (70 assists) in 65 games; Pastrnak is fourth with 84 points (40 assists) in 62 games.
"Two of the best players in the game," Boston forward Jake DeBrusk said. "Connor is doing things that no one else can do. It's one of those things where it'll be fun to play against him.
"I think that's probably going to be our [line's] matchup, if I had to guess, so I'll be seeing him every shift praying to God he doesn't have one of those nights."
Because some nights that feels like the only way to handle McDavid.
When the teams faced each other last Monday, McDavid scored two goals -- two of the 12 he's scored in the past eight games -- but the Bruins won 3-2. Pastrnak was held without a goal, but he provided the primary assist on the game-winner by Pavel Zacha.
"Don't let him touch the puck, that's what we learned," Boston coach Jim Montgomery said of McDavid. "What can you say? I thought we played a really good game last time, he still had two goals and he still made three passes for one-timers. [He's like] Michael Jordan -- you don't stop him, you hope to contain him.
"[Tonight] we can hopefully hold him to one goal or one assist."
He added of the legendary North Carolina basketball coach, "I wish Dean Smith would coach him, put four corners out there."