Bruins Studs Of Game: Nikita Zadorov Leads Way With Milestone Game

BOSTON — The Bruins knew they needed to play better after dropping their season opener to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

Goal accomplished.

Boston’s offseason acquisitions had an impact on Thursday night’s home opener against the Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden — led by powerhouse defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Zadorov was a spectacle on the ice in both the defensive and offensive zones throughout the Bruins’ 6-4 victory over the Canadiens. Ironically, he had just one registered hit in the game, but paired with Charlie McAvoy, who scored the Bruins first goal on the power play, as Boston’s top defensive pair, Zadorov’s mere presence kept Montreal on the perimeter when he and McAvoy were on the ice.

What was most impressive about his game was his ability to fire pucks through traffic and find sticks in front of the net. Zadorov scored two points, earning the primary assists on fellow Bruins newcomers Mark Kastelic and Elias Lindholm’s goals in the first period. The helper on Kastelic’s tally was his 100th career assist.

Along with Zadorov, fellow newcomers Lindholm, Kastelic and Cole Koepke had multipoint nights. Lindholm had a three-point night with a goal and two assists, Kastelic lit the lamp twice and Koepke tallied a goal and two assists for a three-point game.

Bruins star David Pastrnak recorded his first multipoint game of the season. The winger had the secondary assist on Lindholm’s goal and lit the lamp for his second goal of the season in the middle frame to give Boston a 4-2 lead at the time.

In his season debut, Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves for his first win of the season. The Bruins netminder was not only calm between the pipes for Boston, but Swayman also made sure his opponents knew he would not back down when challenged in the crease. After a loose puck went through the crease, Swayman shoved Nick Suzuki who was crashing the net. Swayman then welcomed the Canadiens forward with a wave to come at him.