Pastrnak Does It All in B's Win Over Ottawa

OTTAWA - David Pastrnak's job description is a simple one.
The 22-year-old's main objectives include racking up highlight-reel goals, displaying his dashing speed, and showing off his all-world skills as the Bruins' top-line right winger - all of which he displayed on Tuesday night in Ottawa.

But he also added something else to resume during the tilt with the Senators: part-time National Hockey League referee.
With the Bruins and Senators knotted at a goal apiece late in the second period, Pastrnak was buzzing through the neutral zone during a Boston power play. But an eager Senator jumped over the boards and interrupted Pastrnak's rush up ice, prompting the Czech native to throw up his hand and call out to the more experienced men in black and white stripes.
Ultimately the too-many-men-on-the-ice call was made, sending the Bruins to a 5-on-3 advantage, during which they scored two goals - across two periods - en route to a 4-1 win over the Senators to snap their three-game skid and end their Canadian road swing with 4 of a possible 8 points.
"I know a couple rules," quipped Pastrnak, who notched two goals and two assists for his fourth career 4-point game. "I was gonna do a quick breakout and I saw their guy jump on the ice. I knew if I went straight at him, he would either let me go and we would have a quick 3-on-2, or he will have to play me.
"He touched me and you can't do that when the other guy was already on the ice. I meant to do it, believe or not. It was a good catch by the ref."

Indeed it was. And it helped propel the Bruins to a crucial victory in the fourth and final game of what had been a grueling trip, which saw Boston lose three games and three players to injury (Charlie McAvoy, Kevan Miller, and David Backes).
"It was big. Even though we had 2 points on this trip, we haven't won and obviously every loss feels tough and [it's] good that we came hard today and get a big win for us," said Pastrnak.
Boston wasted no time after Pastrnak's lobbying to strike on the initial power play. Patrice Bergeron (goal, two assists) won the face-off back to Pastrnak, who found a wide-open David Krejci at the backdoor, where the pivot deposited the puck into a yawning cage to put the Bruins ahead, 2-1, with 50 seconds to play in the second.

It was a lead they would not relinquish. When the Bruins returned for the third - still with over a minute remaining on the second power play - they struck quickly once again. And once again Pastrnak was in the mix.
Pastrnak collected a pass from Matt Grzelcyk at the top of the point and let go a wrister, which Bergeron tipped on its way through the slot for his seventh goal of the year to extend the Boston lead to 3-1.
"I think he's just coming into his own. He's a dominant player," said Marchand. "His abilities are so much better than everyone else's, the way he sees the ice, his confidence level right now, it's a lot of fun to watch. We need him to keep going, but it's a lot of fun playing with him."
It was Marchand and Pastrnak who connected for Boston's final goal of the night just a few moments later. Marchand started things with an obscene dangle through the slot, before dishing it to Pastrnak with a slick backhand feed across the top of the crease. Pastrnak finished it off with a tap-in for his second goal of the night, making it 4-1 at 5:31 of the third.
"I was kind of looking for Pasta the whole way," said Marchand. "I didn't see a good lane. He reached, I teached. Luckily it went in."

Pastrnak's four-point night was the fourth of his career and gave him a league-leading 10 goals (tied with Toronto's Auston Matthews) and 5 assists through the season's first nine games. His 15 points rank second in the NHL, 1 point behind Bergeron and Matthews.
"I just play hockey," said Pastrnak, who also opened the scoring with a wrister from the slot midway through the first. "That's all I'm focusing on, trying to get better. And I'm a way better player than last year so far. I'm continuing to try to be better and work on my game."
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy believes Pastrnak's goal-per-game pace to this point is a result of his willingness to shoot more. Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk led Boston with five shots on goal a piece in the win over Ottawa.
"He's a shooter, he's gonna look to shoot the puck first," said Cassidy. "Be selfish if that's what you gotta do, finish on that line, be the shooter, and he has been."