The Boston Bruins have lost five straight games and their lead over the Florida Panthers for the second wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference has shrunk to just three points.
One of the few bright spots during this losing skid has been the performance of rookie right winger David Pastrnak.
The 18-year-old forward scored his sixth goal of the season in Wednesday night’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers. He went to the front of the net, carved out good position on Oilers defenseman Justin Schultz and perfectly deflected a Zdeno Chara shot from the point to tie the score 3-3 in the second period.
The goal was Pastrnak’s fourth point in the past five games (two goals, two assists), the most among all B’s forwards during the losing skid. In fact, Pastrnak has been one of Boston’s best scorers over the last 15 games. Here’s where he ranks in a few notable offensive and puck-possession statistics since Jan. 9.
Pastrnak’s six goals are one more than David Krejci, Reilly Smith and Carl Soderberg’s combined total since Jan. 15. Even when Pastrnak isn’t scoring goals, he’s creating chances for teammates. His incredible offensive awareness allows him to know where his teammates are on the ice and helps him make split-second decisions once the puck hits the blade of his stick.
His assist on Krejci’s goal against the Dallas Stars on Feb. 10 is one example.
Pastrnak’s scoring production couldn’t come at a better time for the Bruins because several top-nine players are struggling to find the back of the net. Soderberg has zero goals in his last 11 games, Smith has two goals in his last 20 games, Chris Kelly has three goals in his last 20 games and Loui Eriksson has two goals in his last 10 games.
That said, Pastrnak’s offense isn’t the only encouraging part of his game since the team announced he would remain with the NHL club beyond the nine-game threshold for rookies. He consistently back checks, fights for pucks along the boards, rarely puts the team in vulnerable positions with poor positioning or turnovers and shows a commitment to defense that a lot of 18-year-old skilled players don’t display. You can tell that Pastrnak improved his play without the puck during his time in Providence (AHL) this season.
Pastrnak has a bright future and could be one of the Bruins’ leading scorers in the near future, but he will also play an important role in the team’s success during the 2014-15 campaign. The Bruins need his offense to help offset the defensive breakdowns that are costing the team valuable points in the standings.
Thumbnail photo via Perry Nelson/USA TODAY Sports Images
