By: Chad Jones | Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones
After a sleepy two periods in a Saturday matinee tilt at TD Garden, the Boston Bruins mounted a third period comeback to best the Colorado Avalanche 3-1. Through 40 minutes, Boston only mustered eight shots on goal. But in the final frame, David Pastrnak took the game over.
The Bruins star winger helped jump-start Boston’s offense. Right after the Bruins snuffed out a Colorado power play, Pastrnak corralled the free puck in the defensive zone. He then fired up the after-burners and helped lead a rush up the ice. With Pavel Zacha and Morgan Geekie correctly filling the lanes, Pastrnak had enough space to get the puck to Geekie in stride. The forward quickly fired the puck past Scott Wedgewood to get Boston on the scoreboard. Not even 30 seconds into the period, Boston knotted the score at one aside.
Pastrnak was not through setting up Geekie for prime scoring chances. Later in the period, Pastrnak found himself with the puck on his stick in “Gretzky’s Office.” He then drifted above the goal line and drew the attention of Martin Necas and Devon Toews. With both Colorado skaters locked in on Pastnak, he delivered a perfect back-door feed to Geekie, who drilled the puck into a wide-open cage. Geekie potted his 14th and 15th goals of the season off slick feeds from his linemate.
For good measure, Pastrnak put the game on ice by burying an empty netter with three seconds left. It was his 24th goal of this campaign and his 11th tally in his past 11 games. Since January 4th, Pastrnak has corralled 21 points and has carried Boston’s offensive.
“It’s always fun to play with guys with lots of skill,” Geekie told the media postgame. “I think for me, personally, you’re kind of in awe with the things he does with the puck. So, I just try and get open. It’s lots of fun right now, so just keep having fun.”
It is no secret that Boston has struggled this year to find consistent offense. The Bruins are averaging 2.73 goals per game and only converting on their power play opportunities at a rate of 13.4%. Despite Boston struggling to find the back of the net, Pastrnak has been a bright spot.
The Czech winger has been excellent this season at winning puck battles or hopping on loose pucks and then making plays for his teammates. A good percentage of assists have come from under or near the goal line. With his prominent skillset, it is only natural for defenders to over-commit to him. And just like Saturday against Colorado, Pastrnak has had a knack for getting the puck to Boston skaters in high-danger areas when the opponents focus on him.
Not to mention, he has rekindled his scoring touch from earlier in the campaign. While Pastrnak has had a few more scoring droughts than we are accustomed to seeing, he has piled up 24 goals and leads the NHL with 211 shots on goal.
Pastrnak has had to dig deep into his offensive repertoire to help keep the Bruins season afloat. While many players are having incredible seasons around the league, Pastrnak should get some consideration for the Hart Trophy. His value cannot be overstated, considering where the Bruins find themselves in the standings. Returning to the playoffs this spring will be challenging for the Bruins. But without Pastrnak’s dynamic season, it would be impossible for Boston to make the postseason.
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