Bruins Reconnect History With Go-Ahead Goal To Begin Centennial

BOSTON — In the first game of season No. 100 for the Bruins, history was in the air all around TD Garden. The B’s capped off the night with a season-opening 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

From former captains to Stanley Cup champions, a number of legendary figures made their way back to Boston to celebrate the history of the Original Six franchise.

On the ice, two players in particular linked back together to join parts of history on one of the game’s most important plays.

With the game tied at one in the second period, the Bruins picked up a two-on-one chance in transition as they entered the offensive zone. Milan Lucic brought the puck in before passing left to David Pastrnak, who fired a laser past the glove of Chicago goaltender Arvid Soderblom for a go-ahead goal that put Boston in front 2-1.

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The previous chemistry between the two paid off for a timely score.

“We had a couple shifts there together,” Lucic told reporters after the win. “We were able to connect on the goal there.”

While they did share a year in Boston together previously during the 2014-15 season, Lucic and Pastrnak teamed up for a goal as players who impacted different Bruins cores on a night where the legacy of the organization lived on full display.

Lucic entered the league as a bruiser and a fan-favorite for Boston who helped lead the Bruins to another Stanley Cup championship in 2011. After spending a year with his now-once-again teammate, Pastrnak developed into one of the sport’s elite scorers and became a superstar on a Stanley Cup finalist of his own in 2019.

Now, they share the ice as teammates for a second stint with varying impacts in Bruins history. In their first game back together after Lucic returned to Boston on a free-agent deal, the two players made their impact felt early to get the new season off and running.

In a season without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, who both retired over the summer, veteran leadership for this Bruins team becomes that much more valuable. The contributions and connections from experienced players in Lucic and Pastrnak set the tone for the year ahead.