(Photo credit: Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)

By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18

Last night at Prudential Center, the Boston Bruins suffered one of their worst losses of the 2025-26 season. In a game where the Bruins led 2-0 after the first period against the New Jersey Devils, the team was dominated for the rest of the game, eventually falling 4-3 in overtime on Paul Cotter’s game-winning goal.

The overtime loss dropped the Bruins right back into the second Wild Card seed in the Eastern Conference with 81 points after the Detroit Red Wings won in regulation to jump back into the first Wild Card seed. Despite the brutal loss, Bruins forward David Pastrnak reached two incredible milestones.

Just 4:02 into the game, Pastrnak scored the opening goal of the game against Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Pastrnak scored his 37th goal within the opening five minutes of a game to pass Bruins legend Phil Esposito for the most in franchise history. On the opening goal, which was his 80th point of the season, Pastrnak reached another milestone.

Pastrnak recorded his seventh 80-point season in his National Hockey League career. Pastrnak joined NHL legend Jaromir Jagr as the second Czech-born player to reach the accomplishment. Jagr recorded ten 80-point seasons in his legendary NHL career, but Pastrnak has a realistic chance to pass him with how his career has gone at 29 years old.

Although he made history with his opening goal, it was in the third period that Pastrnak caught the eyes of fans. With the Bruins trailing 3-2 early in the third period, Pastrnak began a rush by himself into the Devils’ zone. Pastrnak would toe drag around Devils captain Nico Hischier, then would put a backhand shot on net that went through the skates of Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton and beat Markstrom to tie the game at three. Pastrnak scored one of the best goals of the NHL season.

Unfortunately for Pastrnak, his two-goal game would be wasted with the Bruins losing in overtime. In overtime, Pastrnak created a chance for the Bruins to win, but may have lacked effort in the end. Pastrnak passed the puck over to Charlie McAvoy, who had a golden chance to win the game in overtime. However, McAvoy hit the post.

After McAvoy hit the post, the puck got loose, and the Devils created an odd-man rush. Pastrnak didn’t hustle to the puck in time, which led to Cotter and Hamilton on a 2-on-0 rush against Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Cotter beat Korpisalo for his second goal of the game in overtime with 6.2 seconds remaining.

The Bruins will rely heavily on Pastrnak in their next game, which is one of the most important of the season. The Bruins play the Montreal Canadiens tonight at 7 p.m. ET at Bell Centre. The Bruins trail the Canadiens by one point in the Eastern Conference standings, and the Red Wings don’t play tonight. The Bruins have a chance to jump the Canadiens to move into third place in the Atlantic Division with a regulation win.