BOSTON -- Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk seemed on his way out of Boston last season.
DeBrusk has gone through his ups and downs with the organization, but with the turmoil of a rescinded trade request behind him now, the sixth-year pro is reaching new heights in his career, and it seemed to hit a high point Monday.
DeBrusk delivered a sensational and clutch performance against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2023 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park, as he scored twice in the third period to lift the Bruins to a thrilling 2-1 win.
"It's been a whirlwind to say the least," DeBrusk said after the victory. "It's obviously something that's special for this entire group and myself. This is Fenway Park, Winter Classic and something that you dream of doing, obviously. You dream of scoring in the Winter Classic. ... Just lucky enough to get some good bounces. Linus (Ullmark) kept us in it and we had some big kills at the right times. Really feel blessed honestly to be in this position."
DeBrusk showed plenty of grit to wake up a lifeless Bruins offense in the final frame. After taking a shot from a teammate off his body, which sent DeBrusk down to the ice, he gathered himself, received a pass from Brad Marchand and jammed an attempt on the doorstep past Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith to get the crowd at the ballpark rocking.
DeBrusk, who had a walking boot on his left foot following the win, then potted the game-winning goal with 2:24 remaining when he put home a rebound off a shot from Taylor Hall. The two-goal showing gives the 26-year-old 16 goals through 37 games this season.
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery believes DeBrusk has revealed his true self.
"He's a lot tougher than people think and he's more committed than people are aware," Montgomery said. "Because of those things, his game is growing. He's matured and you can see it. He's on pace to get over 30 goals and it doesn't matter where I use him, he seems to spark the people he plays with."
Here are more notes on Monday's Bruins-Penguins game:
-- Ullmark had another strong showing between the pipes by coming through with 26 saves to improve his record to a pristine 21-1-1.
"His elite consistency has been unreal," Montgomery said. "If it wasn't for him we'd probably be down 3-0 after two. You're not going to come back in those situations very often. He gives us the ability to win every night."
-- Even after laboring through the first two periods in which a usually potent offense generated just 19 shots, the Bruins still felt they were in a good position to put together a comeback. Boston's resiliency has been a trademark all season and it showed up yet again, even at a baseball stadium.
Montgomery also felt the victory had more importance than just an average regular-season win.
"It's harder (for the home team) because there is a lot of distractions and you want to win," Montgomery said. "It's filled with Bruins fans. It's an incredible atmosphere, we're at Fenway Park. For that reason, it's great to come out with the W. Again, in the third period this team finds ways to raise their level and take over a game."
-- This was the fourth appearance for the Bruins in the Winter Classic, and they now hold a 3-1 record in the annual event.
-- Following the Winter Classic, the Bruins are headed out west as part of a quick three-game road trip. It starts up Thursday when Boston faces the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET, and you can catch the game, plus 30 minutes of pregame coverage on NESN.
