Pastrnak 'not there yet,' has more to give to help Bruins oust Maple Leafs in Game 5

BOSTON -- David Pastrnak is mostly content.

He's happy with what he's producing on the ice, four points (two goals, two assists) in four games of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Toronto Maple Leafs, tied with Charlie McAvoy for third on the Boston Bruins. He's happy with his defense, with the ways he's committed to it for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"I'm happy with my game," Pastrnak said Monday after practice at Warrior Ice Arena. "I've limited my turnovers, big time, in the playoffs. That was the focus, which also brings [that] you're going to make less plays. When you take a lot of risk out of your game, you're going to make less plays. But I limited those giveaways, which is a huge part of why maybe I'm not getting enough looks offensively. But I'm totally fine with it.

"So I'm really close. I'm happy with my game and I like to rise throughout the series."

He's also happy with the Bruins ahead 3-1 in the best-of-7 series and the chance to advance at TD Garden on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS, CBC), though he acknowledges the Maple Leafs will be "fighting for their lives."

"It's going to be the hardest game tomorrow, so have to make sure we are prepared for it," Pastrnak said.

Part of the way Pastrnak prepared for the playoffs was addressing one of his few weaknesses in the regular season. The forward led the Bruins with 110 points (47 goals, 63 assists) and the NHL in a more ignominious category, giveaways. He had 98, two more than Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (96). He also led the NHL in giveaways last season with 109, four more than Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (105).

So far in the 2024 playoffs? He has one, so were the giveaways a specific focus entering the postseason?

"Not specifically, no," Pastrnak said. "It's definitely more on, like, details overall. I wanted to be very physical early on in the series because a lot of times you play against the same defensemen throughout the whole series, so that was my plan to try to be physical. Focus on the details and, honestly, defense first and limit the risk in the play, which I did.

"I'm not getting many looks, but I'm fine with it because I'm still getting enough looks and hopefully throughout the series as the games go more and more, I'll get more and more looks."

The Bruins have taken a defense-first approach to the Maple Leafs, starting with the exceptional play of their goalies, and have held Toronto to seven goals in the four games, including 1-for-14 on the power play. The goals have been scattered -- Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk have three each -- but eight players have at least one, including Pastrnak.

The second came in Game 4 on Saturday with 41.6 seconds remaining in the second period, a dagger for the Bruins in their 3-1 win, coming on a puck that Marchand knocked away from TJ Brodie then passed to Pastrnak for the one-timer. 

"I thought 'Pasta' was good in Game 3, but he raised it to another level," Boston coach Jim Montgomery said after the game. "He blocked shots. … The plays he was making and the poise he had. In the playoffs you need your big-time players to make big-time plays and [Pastrnak and Marchand are] doing it for us."

But there is still more to give.

"I'm not there yet," Pastrnak said after the game.

He is keying in on how he's put into place the plan he wants, defensive-minded, hold-onto-the-puck and not getting frustrated at any lack of goals, any lack of scoring. That wouldn't help anyone.

"Other guys are stepping up," Pastrnak said. "We're getting the production from other players, which makes it way easier. I'm just finding ways to help the team, other ways to help the team to win and so far, I'm proud of our group, the way we played in Toronto, but it's done now."

With the Bruins ahead 3-1 in the first round, the same position they were in last season against the Florida Panthers before losing three in a row, they have a singular mindset this year.

"You stay in the moment," Pastrnak said. "We are up in the series, but we definitely don't look at the big picture. We're staying in the moment, taking it day by day, just like we did after every single game so far this series. … Obviously learn from the past, but also don't get married to it. We have a different game. 

"It's a big game coming home Tuesday. We battled hard to put ourselves to the position, so we have to remember. But stay in the moment and focus on the next game."