There’s upside before downside for Pastrnak
Bruins explosive right winger David Pastrnak was muted by the Ottawa Senators neutral-zone trap in last night’s 2-1 shootout loss at the Garden.
Pastrnak’s night began on a high note when he was handed the Seventh Player Award and the keys to a new gold Jeep.
His night ended on the downside, however, as the team’s first line struggled against the Senators’ ambush tactics between the blue lines.
The Bruins deficiencies in the neutral zone were more pronounced in the second and third periods, a problem further exacerbated by the two-game suspension the NHL handed leading goal scorer Brad Marchand yesterday.
“I think we came real hard in the first and it’s too bad we couldn’t get more (going) in the second,” Pastrnak said. “That stuff happens and it’s 50-50 in the shootout.
“Everyone talks about them, but it is about us. We came pretty good in the first and we kind of got away from it in the second and third.
Pastrnak had two instances where he had all the open ice he needed to put the puck behind Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson. He misfired trying to go between Anderson’s pads on a clean break in with 8:38 to play in the second.
“The breakaway I tried to go 5-hole and it didn’t work,” Pastrnak said. “That’s not going to work every game.”
He had a chance to net the equalizer in the shootout, but his circular approach on Anderson yielded a weak shot into the side of the net.
“Usually, you know the goalie,” Pastrnak said. “You know what he is good at and where his weaknesses are and try to use the move you are best at which could work the best way against him.
“It didn’t work today and you win one and you lose one and too bad we couldn’t get one goal.”
Marchand’s suspension for spearing an opponent in the groin area reverberated throughout the Bruins’ lineup.
Interim coach Bruce Cassidy elected to keep the line of Pastrnak, David Krejci and Drew Stafford intact on the assumption that trio could handle the trap.
“Krejci’s line stayed together and I think they were getting a little frustrated at times,” Cassidy said. “They had good puck possession for stretches but they just couldn’t penetrate and get inside. I think that was the biggest issue as well.”
Stafford scored the Bruins lone goal in regulation on a slick piece of stick work on the power play at 10:37 of the first. Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara intercepted a clearing dump at the blue line.
Chara spied Stafford at the bottom of the circle and delivered a wobbly pass. Stafford circled the net and backhanded a wraparound shot before Anderson could protect the post for his eighth of the season.
“I was able to swing it around and create a little bit of a lucky break,” Stafford said. “In the second period there we got a little bit away from our game as far as getting through the neutral zone.”