Zacha, Khusnutdinov Post Hat Tricks in 10-2 Bruins Win Over Rangers 

BOSTON –– Hats flew down onto the ice not once, but twice at a rocking TD Garden on Saturday afternoon.

Fans tossed their caps for Pavel Zacha in the second period and Marat Khusnutdinov in the third. Both Boston Bruins forwards earned their first career hat tricks in the team’s 10-2 win over the New York Rangers; Khusnutdinov finished the game with four goals.

​It was the highest-scoring Bruins game of the season, and the first time they posted 10 goals since 1988.

“It was a good feeling. I am happy that it was during a game that we had a great game as a team. That’s why it feels so much better,” Zacha said. “I think it makes everyone feel good to have a game like this. Win at home, especially.”

Zacha and Khusnutdinov became the first set of B’s teammates in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to each score a hat trick in the same game, and the sixth pair overall. Andy Hebenton and Dean Prentice were the last to do it for the Bruins on Jan. 18, 1964.

“It is awesome. Lucky day for me. Thank you, partners. Just keep going,” Khusnutdinov said. “It is a really fun game. Great fights, big saves, two hat tricks. It’s a fun game for the fans.”

​The Rangers went up 1-0 early with a slapshot from Mika Zibanejad at 1:24 of the first period, but the Bruins pushed back with three unanswered goals for the 3-1 advantage ahead of the second.

Khusnutdinov scored his first with a strong move off the rush. The 23-year-old forward sped by the Rangers’ defense and ripped it past netminder Jonathan Quick for the 1-1 equalizer at 2:31.

Zacha potted the next two for the B’s. The second-line center swung the puck over to the left side and released a laser for the 2-1 lift at 7:16 before knocking in a net-front rebound on the power-play to make it 3-1 with 33 seconds remaining in the period.

The Bruins carried the momentum into the second period, immediately widening the gap with a one-timer from Fraser Minten at 2:12.​

“It’s pretty fun to watch and be part of. Just to see how everybody played together for the full 60 minutes, pretty much,” Mark Kastelic said.

Khusnutdinov logged his second of the afternoon at 6:41 for the 5-1 scoreline; Saturday was the first multi-goal game of his NHL career.

And then came the hats. Casey Mittelstadt kept the puck in the zone at the blue line and dropped it to Zacha, who snapped it home for the accolade and 6-1 lead at 11:26.

J.T. Miller scored at 14:04, but Charlie McAvoy quickly followed it up just under two minutes later to make it 7-2 with his second goal of the season – and second point of the game. It extended McAvoy’s point streak to five games.

And then came the hats, again. Khusnutdinov tipped in David Pastrnak’s shot for his third goal of the contest, pushing it to 8-2 at 3:51.

“Those two guys having that experience, first-timers,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “It’s just great. Couldn’t make a better day like today.​

Minten then got his second of the game with a snapshot at 11:26, which Pastrnak also assisted on, for the 9-2 standing. Khusnutdinov’s fourth of the night at 18:31 – another tipped tally – brought the matchup to its final 10-2 score.

Pastrnak finished with six assists against the Rangers – the first six-point game of his career. It also tied Bobby Orr and Ken Hodge for the most assists in one game in franchise history.

“I like to make plays. Growing up, I was more of a playmaker, and then obviously in the NHL it flipped a little bit,” Pastrnak said. “I like to score goals, don’t get me wrong, but most of the time if I see somebody in a better position than me to score, then I always try to pass.”

​The Bruins are right back at it on Sunday as they host the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second game of their back-to-back.

“I think the guys should enjoy the day. They played a hell of a good hockey game,” Sturm said. “Forget about how high we scored, but we played really, really good. They should feel really good about it.”