GOLD STAR: David Pastrnak scored the first two goals for the Bruins, and gave them offensive life in the first 40 minutes while the rest of the team found their bearings. Pastrnak used his speed to stretch the defense on the play that led to the penalty shot, and then made a great instinctive play to pick off an Olli Maatta pass before moving in to score the team’s second goal of the game. Pastrnak was good throughout, and led the Bruins with seven shots on net while jumping into the fray at both ends of the ice. Pastrnak also had two hits, three takeaways and two blocked shots in 14:33 of ice time, and now has three goals and six points in his last eight games. Pastrnak could be a game-changer for the Black and Gold if he can really elevate his game over the final two months.
BLACK EYE: Olli Maatta had a rough night with the turnover that led to David Pastrnak’s crucial second goal in the second period, and finished a minus-2 in 18:59 minutes of ice time while leading the Penguins with three giveaways. It was Maatta again that was asleep at the wheel a bit in the third period when Landon Ferraro managed to jump in on the breakaway, and scored an insurance goal that really allowed the Black and Gold to pull away from the Penguins. While the Bruins have had some nights where employing young D-men have stung them this season, it was Maatta that did it for the Penguins this time around.
TURNING POINT: The Penguins had a power play more than halfway into the second period with the Bruins clinging to a 2-1 lead, and Tuukka Rask really as the only thing keeping Pittsburgh from taking over the game. But the Bruins penalty kill unit managed to take advantage of a sloppy Kris Letang, who couldn’t settle things down for the Penguins PP group. The B’s PK unit didn’t allow a single shot on net to the Penguins during their two minute power play, and that was Pittsburgh’s last, best chance to try to get back into the game. The Bruins took things over with the three goals in the final 20 minutes.
HONORABLE MENTION: Tuukka Rask was a monster with 41 saves, and kept the Bruins in the game over the first 40 minutes when the team looked a little tight, and perhaps a little nervous in a hugely important game against the Penguins. Pittsburgh was getting bodies to the front of the Boston net, and Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang among others were getting their chances, but Rask never bent at all in stopping 27-of-28 shots in the first 40 minutes before the Bruins could start unloading offensively with three goals in the third period. Rask is now 8-5-1 in his career against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and has had some marvelous games against them.
BY THE NUMBERS: 19 – the age of David Pastrnak, who became the youngest Bruins player in franchise history to ever score on a penalty shot.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We kept getting better, and that’s what we have to learn how to do here at home. It’s definitely a big game for us." – Brad Marchand, talking about a big, playoff-style win against the Penguins on home ice.