PITTSBURGH — David Pastrnak showcased his talent once again, contributing a goal and an assist as the Boston Bruins edged out the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 3-2 victory on Saturday. This performance extended Pastrnak’s impressive point streak to 17 consecutive games.
The Bruins took an early lead, with Pastrnak finding the net for his 32nd goal of the year just 1:32 into the matchup, capitalizing on a breakaway. Boston continued their onslaught as Mason Lohrei netted a crucial power-play goal, while Charlie Coyle solidified their advantage by scoring an empty-net shorthanded goal, giving Boston a 3-1 cushion in the closing minute.
Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo was instrumental in securing the victory, making 29 saves. This marked his first win since January 23, when he recorded a shutout against Ottawa.
Pittsburgh’s efforts saw Anthony Beauvillier score a short-handed goal, while Rickard Rakell added a power-play tally in the final moments of the game. Penguins’ goalie Alex Nedeljkovic managed 23 saves but could not fend off the persistent Boston offense.
Boston experienced a setback as captain Brad Marchand exited in the opening period with an upper-body injury after an awkward collision with Penguin’s P.O Joseph, who also later left the game injured after a hit from Mark Kastelic.
This victory was crucial for the Bruins, snapping a five-game losing streak, with each of those losses being by a single goal, including two that extended into overtime. They’ve managed to secure points in five of their last eight games.
Conversely, the Penguins are encountering struggles of their own, having lost five of their last six games. They recently managed to overturn a 3-0 disadvantage against the Philadelphia Flyers, winning after regulation play.
The game reached its pivotal moment early on when Boston scored twice within their first seven shots. Pastrnak’s opener marked the 13th instance this season that Pittsburgh conceded a goal from the opposing team’s first shot. Lohrei’s follow-up goal came just over six minutes into the game.
Pastrnak’s individual performance was remarkable, amassing 15 goals and 33 points throughout his ongoing point streak, which ties him with Ray Bourque for the eighth-longest streak in the franchise’s history.
Looking ahead, both teams are back in action on Sunday. The Penguins will be hosting Toronto, while the Bruins are set to face off against Minnesota.
