David Pastrnak amazed Boston Bruins fans with his nifty penalty shot, which drew an unconventional comparison.
Head coach Jim Montgomery compared the shot to the delivery of Red Sox Hall of Famer Luis Tiant, known for his unorthodox pitching windup. The former Boston pitcher was a two-time All-Star and won the American League ERA title when he played for the Red Sox from 1971-78, and he caught wind of the comparison on social media.
"I like this!" Tiant posted on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. "Many pitchers been compared to me thru the years but never hockey that was beautiful."
Pastrnak revealed after the Bruins' win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday he drew inspiration from playing floorball in Europe. He also admitted it was something he had tested before the season but didn't have much success with it. Luckily for the Bruins, it worked out for Pasntrka on his third goal of the season. It adds a new dimension to his game that could help Boston's offense as it adjusts to a new era in its centennial season.
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Tiant failed to reach the threshold for the Baseball Hall of Fame multiple times, but perhaps becoming an inspiration for players outside of the sport could help his case and finally get him into Cooperstown.
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images