BOSTON — The Boston Bruins extended their win streak to four Thursday night as they downed the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2.
Tuukka Rask returned to the ice for the first time since June 9, David Pastrnak netted a hat trick and all was right at TD Garden.
With the win the Bruins improved to 21-11-2, while the Flyers dropped to 13-16-7 with the loss.
You can check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
It was the Rask show at TD Garden on Thursday night. He returned to the Bruins and it certainly gave the squad a lift as they improved their record to 7-1 over the last eight games since returning from the holiday/COVID-19 break.
There was a spring in the Bruins’ step from puck drop and it resulted in a two-goal lead before the first period even was halfway over. Things started to die down a little in the second period, but the Bruins were able to do just enough to secure the win.
The game had a little bit of everything from goals aplenty, to fights and massive saves between the pipe. The Bruins were locked in in this one.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Rask may not have been perfect, but he looked sharp in his return to the ice. The longtime Boston goaltender stopped 25 shots on the night in his first win of the season. Rask put up two wild saves on the night on breakaways: the first was with 8:16 left in the second period when he stopped Joel Farabee, and he then stopped another with just over two minutes left in the same period.
— Pastrnak looked like a man on a mission Thursday against the Flyers. He already had two goals through just the first six minutes of action and then sealed the deal with the eventual game-winner late in the second period to complete the hat trick.
— Charlie McAvoy was impressive as always on the Boston blue line. The big defenseman led the way with 25:08 on ice while holding down the Bruins’ defense, and also chipped in two assists in the win.
WAGER WATCH
The Bruins could have made you some cash Thursday if you expected them to continue their winning streak. Boston entered as the favorites with the moneyline reading -260, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, It may not have seemed like the smartest bet, but if you had selected this and placed a $260 wager, you would’ve made a $100 profit.
ON DECK AT NESN
After taking Friday off, the Bruins return to action with a Saturday matinee clash with the Nashville Predators with puck drop scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at TD Garden. All coverage can be found right here on NESN, including an hour of pre- and postgame action.
