BOSTON -- Bruins forward Pavel Zacha sure made his mark during his first season with Boston.
And the 26-year-old, who signed a four-year contract extension with the Bruins in mid-January, got rewarded for his splendid contributions prior to Boston's matchup with the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Zacha was named the recipient of NESN's 7th Player Award, which is voted on by the fans for a player who is considered an unsung hero of the Bruins and plays above expectations.
That's a description Zacha certainly fits as he put together a career-best season, which included career-highs with 21 goals, 36 assists and 57 points. He has been a catalyst on Boston's second line and is second on the team in even-strength points with 48 while placing seventh on the Bruins in plus-minus rating by registering a plus-28.
Zacha now joins a strong list of past Bruins to earn the coveted award, including Jeremy Swayman -- last year's winner -- Charlie Coyle, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.
