David Pastrnak again a force, sets up David Krejci’s winning OT goal vs. Rangers

Bruins right wing David Pastrnak’s reputation as a finisher precedes his every foray into the opposing zone.

That was certainly the case in the Bruins 3-2 overtime victory over the New York Rangers before a capacity crowd of 17,860 Friday taking in a TD Garden matinee match.

The NHL’s leading goal scorer (24) tends to attract a crowd, even when the opposing camps have been reduced to three-on-three in the extra frame.

Pastrnak took a neutral zone feed from center David Krejci and skated with authority down the middle of the ice toward the Rangers’ goal.

Despite the limited personnel and the wide-open ice sheet, two Rangers — forward Pavel Buchnevich and rookie defenseman Adam Fox — closed ranks on Pastrnak at the inner edge of the right circle.

Pastrnak maintained control in traffic and backhanded a drop pass to Krejci, who fired a wrister that beat Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist at 1:40 of OT for his fifth goal of the season.

“I felt since I had two guys on me the slot was wide open so I just throw it there,” said Pastrnak. “That’s something when you play with one guy for awhile you kind of get that chemistry going and I expected where you should be.”

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has exhausted his supply of superlatives when commenting on Pastrnak’s ability to find the back of the net from any angle.

Pastrnak’s skills as a shooter and goal scorer tend to overshadow his prowess as a rainmaker but the numbers suggest otherwise. Pastrnak’s dish to Krejci was his 17th assist of the season, a remarkable statistic for a guy under orders from the bench to shoot first.

“I think he’s getting more recognition (as a passer),” said Cassidy. “I think he’s more known as a guy with pace, a guy who goes one-on-one and a guy with a big shot.

“But I think it’s out there now if you play him just to shoot, he’ll certainly make plays.”

The “big shot” component of Pastrnak’s game was on display when the Bruins tied the game 2-2 at 4:27 of the third period.

Pastrnak was mugged New York-style, chasing the puck between the circles in the Rangers’ zone, and lost control before he could unleash on Lundqvist.

Left wing Jake DeBrusk, who was skating a shift on the first line in place of Brad Marchand, pursued the puck to the end boards while Pastrnak retreated to his sweet spot in the middle of the left circle.

DeBrusk made a dish to Krejci in the slot, who immediately made a lateral slide to Pastrnak before the Rangers defense could react. Pastrnak one-timed the feed and beat Lundqvist to the far post. Pastrnak is 8-2-10 in his last seven games and has 41 points in 26 games this season.

“I was kind upset and I was yelling at the ref,” said Pastrnak. “But when I saw Jake won the puck and Krejci was wide open in the slot so I stayed there and got a lucky bounce on my stick.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2L7QYPV