Krejci trends up after joining forces with Pastrnak

CALGARY, Alberta — This season hardly has been a breeze for David Krejci. He had to deal with the physical issue of trying to bounce back from offseason hip surgery. He’s also dealt with a revolving door on his wings.

Yet slowly but surely, Krejci is putting together a productive season. His big insurance goal on Monday against the Canucks gave him 19 on the season, and he’s closing in on his first 20goal campaign since 2011-12.

“You can say I’m proud of the way I’m going with my game. It’s going (upward) the whole season,” said Krejci, who picked up an assist on David Backes’ gamewinner last night. “You don’t want to be going up and down. I feel like I’ve been going up, and I’ve been feeling pretty good. You mention 19 goals, one away from 20, and for a playmaker like myself, that’s always the number that you would like to put up in your stat line. At the same time, the team comes first, and it’s been lots of fun winning. I want to keep doing that. It’s been fun going to the rink. Winning is the most important thing.”

He’s also been energized by being paired with explosive young countryman David Pastrnak. In the 15 games since interim coach Bruce Cassidy made them linemates, Krejci has 14 points (six goals). Drew Stafford currently is their left winger, though they’ve also had Peter Cehlarik and Frank Vatrano. The line has been caught in its own end on occasion, but it is a dangerous unit to opposing teams.

“It’s been fun. He makes plays. He doesn’t get rid of the puck. He holds on to it, and I think we’ve got good chemistry,” Krejci said of Pastrnak, who had two goals in the 6-3 victory.”

Khudobin goes fourth

Anton Khudobin earned his fourth straight win under Cassidy, stopping 21-of-23 shots. But he got himself on the blooper reels when he allowed Dougie Hamilton to score on a wrist shot from just inside the red line.

“It didn’t go off Torey ( Krug) but it was going straight for Torey’s leg and then he moved out. It kind of disrupted me a little bit. I wasn’t expecting that, but it was a pretty good shot. I have to stop that anyways, but whatever happens, happens,” said Khudobin. . . .

The Bruins had another solid penalty-killing night, not only successfully extinguishing all the three of the Flames’ powerplays but not allowing a shot on net. . .

Though David Backes was able to return to the game last night, he was limping sightly after the game and Cassidy was crossing his fingers that there would be no residual effects that would keep him out of tonight’s game in Edmotnton.

Cehlarik, Czarnik sit

With the return of Spooner last night after a three-game concussion hiatus, Cehlarik and Austin Czarnik were the scratches up front. Matt Beleskey was the fourth-line left winger next to Dominic Moore and Riley Nash.