BOSTON — The Boston Bruins were disappointed after blowing a two-goal third-period lead against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Two nights later, they answered with a thorough 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Jeremy Swayman (4-0-0) stayed perfect.
“Goalies have been playing out of their mind,” David Pastrnak said of Swayman and Linus Ullmark.
Observations
Pastrnak has so many tools
The thing that makes Pastrnak one of the most lethal scorers in the league is how he can put pucks in nets in so many ways. In Game 2, when he had a penalty shot against the Nashville Predators, Pastrnak practically pulled the puck behind his back before snapping it past Juuse Saros.
On Saturday, after he was slashed by Jake Walman on a partial breakaway, Pastrnak had one idea as he approached the puck. As soon as he made his first touch, Pastrnak changed his mind. After a slow roll toward the net, Pastrnak made a hard pump fake to his forehand. Ville Husso bit hard. The goalie went down. Pastrnak lifted the puck over Husso to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead.
“He’s got a mixed bag,” Swayman said. “That’s hard to do in this league — be unreadable and have so many different go-to moves. I think he’s really good at reading the goalie. That’s a hard thing to do when a player can read a goalie and keep his head up, knowing he’s going to have the puck on his stick. That’s why he’s a world-class player. I’m glad he’s on my team.”
Pastrnak scored his second goal without even trying. With Husso off for a sixth attacker, Pastrnak recovered the puck in the defensive zone. The Bruins struggled to clear pucks against the Ducks in six-on-five play. So this time, Pastrnak played it safe by banking the puck off the left-side boards. He put enough muscle behind it that the puck eventually slid into the empty net.
“No, I’m not good,” Pastrnak said if he has similar skill at the pool table.
CLOSING WITH THE BOLOGNESE BANK 🍝 pic.twitter.com/ht5tbgXlDW
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 29, 2023
Poitras still rolling
Saturday marked Matt Poitras’ eighth NHL game. According to president Cam Neely, management and the coaching staff will now discuss whether Poitras will stay for 10 games and burn the first season of his entry-level contract.
It should be a prompt discussion.
Poitras’ confidence continues to grow by the game. The No. 2 center did not score against the Wings. But he controlled the puck, made plays defensively and bought himself and his teammates time in the offensive zone.
He took a hit from behind by Michael Rasmussen in the first period that put the Bruins on the power play. But Poitras bounced up after the boarding. He took some more pounding in the third when he got caught on a long shift. By the end of his defensive-zone visit, Poitras was so tired he could barely hold his stick with his right hand. But the center helped the Bruins clear the puck.
“I thought, ‘Oh boy,’” said coach Jim Montgomery of Poitras’ extended shift, anticipating trouble. “He’s bent over. You could tell he was exhausted. Legs were straight-legged. Then somehow he finds juice to actually create the turnover and get the puck out of the zone. We see the skill. We see the smarts. But I think his will is very underrated. We’ve got a hockey player on our hands.”
McAvoy is at another level
Charlie McAvoy went hard to the net in the first period. No goalie wants to see that coming. McAvoy is a load when he’s going full speed into dangerous ice.
With that kind of momentum, McAvoy put himself in a good spot to backhand a shot that somehow dribbled through Husso for the Bruins’ second goal.
“That’s a man’s goal to take it there,” Montgomery said. “There’s traffic. There’s (Patrick) Brown. There’s two Red Wing defenders there as well. He just bull-rushes in there. That’s a hard play on the goalie, because he’s got to be flat on the goal line. I think that’s why the puck sneaks through and goes in the net.”
McAvoy has four points in his last two games. He is averaging a team-high 24:12 of ice time per game.
“Now I think he’s just dominating,” said Montgomery.
Steen up, Lucic to LTIR
Oskar Steen made his season debut. The feisty right wing was a far better fit on the fourth line than Jesper Boqvist, who was quiet on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks. Boqvist was returned to Providence on Saturday. Steen had two shots and two hits in 9:31 of ice time.
Patrick Brown, formerly the No. 4 right wing, moved to center. Johnny Beecher shifted from the middle to left wing.
Milan Lucic (lower body) was placed on long-term injured reserve on Saturday. The left wing was hurt on Oct. 21 after taking a Derek Forbort slap shot. Lucic will not be eligible to play until Nov. 18 against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Bruins recalled Jakub Zboril and Mason Lohrei on paper transactions prior to placing Lucic on LTIR. By doing so, the Bruins can maximize the capture of cap relief while Lucic is unavailable. The Bruins then returned Zboril and Lohrei to Providence
(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)