By: Chad Jones I Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones
The last two times the Boston Bruins took the ice at TD Garden, the fans in attendance were treated to one of the most exciting plays in sports: a game-winning overtime goal. On both occasions, Pavel Zacha was the hero and lit the lamp to secure the extra point for the Bruins. What those goals also had in common was David Pastrnak winning a battle and delivering a perfect pass to number 18.
Boston’s first of these extra-session victories took place on Tuesday, December 3rd. The Bruins were hosting the pesky Detroit Red Wings, who were leading 2-1 halfway through the third period. After Justin Brazeau tipped home the equalizer on the man advantage, Boston got the game to the three-on-three, five-minute session.
Just under two minutes into overtime, Pastrnak’s dogged defensive effort in Detroit’s zone knocked the puck away from Alex DeBrincat. While the Red Wings and their fans wanted a tripping call, the referees’ arms stayed down. Zacha settled the puck in the right face-off circle and laid a pass to Pastrnak. Number 88 immediately returned the favor and made a slick dish to Zacha’s wheelhouse. The center promptly fired the rubber past Ville Husso to give Boston the win and pick up his sixth score of the season.
After securing two points in a road victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Bruins were back on home ice to take on the Philadelphia Flyers in a Saturday matinee tilt. After a raucous third period comeback, with goals from Trent Frederic and Brad Marchand to knot the contest at three aside, the Bruins needed an extra five minutes to fight for that coveted extra point.
The Czech wingers again found themselves on the ice in Boston’s offensive zone. Pastrnak won a critical board battle against Owen Tippett. After skating behind the net and coming back to the slot, the talented winger got the puck to Zacha, who buried a back-door chance for his seventh tally of the season and sent the Bruins faithful home happy.
With the state of the Bruins forwards and their offense in general, Boston needs to keep Pastrnak on Zacha’s wing. That idea is not just about those two connecting on multiple overtime winners this month. It has more to do with their obvious chemistry, skillsets, offensive minds, and creativity; those two goals highlight these attributes.
As currently constructed, the Bruins do not have enough firepower to have Elias Lindholm skate with Pastrnak and Marchand continually. The rest of the lines would not have enough offensive skill or finishing ability to generate consistent pressure against quality opponents.
It will work for spurts, especially against sub-par teams, like when Marchand and Pastrnak proved too much for the Blackhawks in the matchup in-between Zacha’s game-winners. But Joe Sacco would be better off keeping Pastrnak with Zacha and Lindholm with Marchand. A problem that has plagued the Bruins for years come playoff time has been a lack of secondary scoring. And even with those two forward pairings locked in, Boston’s offensive attack is far from elite.
While this roster is imperfect, the lines balance out much better when 88 skates with 18. Although Zacha was off to a slow start from a production standpoint, he has corralled six points over the past seven games, and his play with Pastrnak has directly contributed to Bruins’ victories. Sacco and Don Sweeney will have to work out the rest of the lines as this season marches on, but the Bruins cannot afford to keep the Czech wingers apart for too long.
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