The Boston Bruins hosted the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday in a night that will go down in history for many team members. The evening commenced with the Bruins paying tribute to the 1987-88 Bruins’ team, breaking a 45-year playoff jinx against the Canadiens. This set the stage for what would prove to be an exciting night for the Bruins, their fans and everybody in between.
In a 9-4 victory over the longstanding rivals, the Bruins not only secured a win but also closed in on the NHL lead, trailing only the Vancouver Canucks in the standings by one single point. Alongside the team’s success, several players marked significant milestones, including David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha, Brad Marchand, and Danton Heinen.
Pastrnak, Marchand, Zacha and Heinen Celebrate Milestones
David Pastrnak, known for his consistent goal-scoring prowess, achieved a remarkable milestone Saturday. The 27-year-old winger netted his 30th goal of the season, marking the seventh time in his career he’d reach this milestone. This accomplishment places him in elite company, tying him with Johnny Bucyk and trailing only Phil Esposito and Rick Middleton, who each achieved the feat eight times during their time with the Bruins.
Pastrnak would score a hat trick just two nights earlier against the Colorado Avalanche, setting the stage for his 30th goal to come against the Canadiens. It was a night to remember for Pastrnak, who would record eight shots on goal and also tally an assist in the win.
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For Brad Marchand, a two-point night was accentuated by his 20th goal of the 2023-24 season. This goal meant that Marchand broke a tie with Bucyk and long-time linemate Patrice Bergeron, who both had 10 consecutive seasons of 20 or more goals scored during their time with the Bruins. Marchand’s goal Saturday marked his 11th consecutive instance of this and his 13th overall. Even more impressive is the fact that he’d be on a 14-consecutive season streak if he could have scored just two more goals in a lockout-shortened 2012-13 season that saw him record 18 goals in 45 games.
Pavel Zacha, in his second season with the Bruins, played his 509th NHL game on Saturday, scoring his 10th goal of the season for the Bruins. This goal held special significance as it marked Zacha’s 100th goal in the NHL. As he continues to play a pivotal role in the Bruins’ top six, Zacha should take pride in this impressive accomplishment.
Finally, the Bruins were able to celebrate as a unit as Danton Heinen played in his 450th NHL game. This alone is fairly impressive given that he was a fourth-round pick of the Bruins back in 2014; the likelihood of fourth-round picks even playing in a single NHL game is slim to none, but Heinen has proven to be an excellent NHL player despite his draft status. The real milestone came roughly halfway through the third period Saturday, though, when Heinen scored his first career NHL hat trick.
Heinen has scored eight goals and 17 points in 37 games this season for the Bruins in his second stint with the team. The 28-year-old has been crucial to the Bruins’ success all season long and he was even more crucial to their success against the Canadiens in a night he and many others won’t soon forget.
The Bruins’ next game will come at home against the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 22 in a tilt between two of the NHL’s best squads.