The Bruins continued to prove their dominance in the NHL with a 3-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday afternoon at TD Garden.
The energy was high even before Boston took the ice with a pregame ceremony honoring David Krejci for reaching the 1,000-game milestone with the Bruins on Jan. 16, and it carried into the game that included two goals from David Pastrnak and one from Jake DeBrusk.
Here are five takeaways from the win:
Jake DeBrusk picking up right where he left off
DeBrusk spent six weeks on long-term injured reserve recovering from a hand and leg injury, so it would make sense if he was a little slow in his first few games back. But that hasn’t been the case for DeBrusk, who’s scored goals in back-to-back games since being activated off LTIR and remains on a 30-goal pace for the season.
“It’s obviously always a good time when you see the puck go in the net and score the first goal of the game, getting the crowd involved,” DeBrusk told reporters after the game. “It’s what I wanted to do. It was kind of a funny play. It always feels good to get it in the net. This was a good game to keep it going after the last one.”
David Pastrnak is on his way to 50 goals
Pastrnak probably would have notched 50 goals in 2020 had COVID-19 not shortened the season, but he’s well on his way to the milestone this year. The forward scored his 40th and 41st goals Monday, one being the game-winning goal and the other adding a little insurance over the Senators.
Pastrnak also became just the fifth Bruins player to have at least three 40-plus goal seasons, joining Phil Esposito, Cam Neely, Ken Hodge and Rick Middleton.
“He naturally finds holes,” head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters. “He finds soft areas, we call it, in the other team’s defensive zone system. That play, it’s hard for the opposing team to stay with anybody because of the play that Charlie McAvoy made. I’ve never seen that special of a play in that situation.”
Charlie McAvoy contributes on offense
McAvoy had himself a game Monday by notching three assists in the win. The defenseman now has a four-game point streak as he continues to build upon his offensive output. McAvoy’s assists on Pastrnak’s goals were incredibly impressive, to say the least.
“I thought (Pastrnak) and Charlie McAvoy were special (Monday),” Montgomery told reporters.
McAvoy even earned high praise from Pastrnak after showing off his offensive skill.
“I told him right away that’s an unbelievable play,” Pastrnak told reporters. “Great pass, beat three guys with one pass. That’s a superstar play.”
Pastrnak gave up a hat trick to try to get Krejci a goal
Pastrnak had a hat trick on his stick when he could have scored an empty-net goal in the third period. But he got the puck to Krejci in order for him to try to score on his special day. While Krejci’s shot went wide and he went without a point in the game, Montgomery still took notice of it.
“It speaks volumes about their friendship and also about the unselfishness on our team,” he told reporters. “It’s been like that all year, where someone’s always trying to help someone else out, not worrying about themselves.”
Krejci honored for milestone
Krejci had his wife Naomi and two children on the ice with him as he was met with a video message that included current and former teammates congratulating him on reaching 1,000 games.
“I appreciate all of those guys,” Krejci told reporters. “They’re really close to me, and hearing them talk, it was pretty special.”
General manager Don Sweeney presented Krejci with a silver stick and his wife received a gold necklace from the players’ wives and girlfriends. Krejci is naturally a reserved person, and admitted he had a speech prepared for Jan. 16 after playing in his 1,000th game, but he was left speechless after his teammates doused him with water at his locker to celebrate.
Krejci praised his wife, family and friends after the game because he knows he wouldn’t be able to get to where he is without them.
“They’re the reason why I am in this position today,” Krejci told reporters. “Without them, I definitely wouldn’t be here. They sacrifice a lot, and being a professional hockey player, it’s not easy, always on the road, even at home on game days.
“So, they sacrifice a lot. And this is not about me, it’s about them, about my teammates, about this team, and without everyone, like I said, I wouldn’t be here.”
