Physical approach worked for them
TAMPA — Matthew Tkachuk was barreling toward the corner with David Pastrnak in his crosshairs.
The Panthers winger, whose bark is most certainly on par with his bite, was on the hunt to land a ferocious hit when the Bruins’ leading scorer stopped Florida’s big cat in his tracks.
Pastrnak dug his blades in the ice, stiffened his shoulder, and dropped Tkachuk like a bag of rocks with a perfectly executed reverse hit.
The thud set off a chain reaction that led to Boston’s first goal—a Charlie McAvoy howitzer — in its eventual 4-3 win at Amerant Bank Arena Tuesday night that left the Bruins (99 points) 2 points clear of their Atlantic Division rivals.
After the hit, the puck skittered to Pavel Zacha, who shuffled it to Matt Grzelcyk at the blue line. Grzelcyk immediately hit a streaking McAvoy, who slapped it home to snap a 10game pointless streak.
Pastrnak didn’t get an assist on the play — a rarity when the Bruins score and he’s on the ice — but his physicality was critical. As Pastrnak so often does, he made the play.
“He did, absolutely,” said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. “And that’s the kind of effort you need physically. And then also the second and third effort to win races to the net and also make plays.”
Pastrnak was a tour de force against the Panthers.
His 45th goal (a roof job on Sergei Bobrovsky, who might still be icing his ankles) tied it at 2, and his crease dish went off Zacha’s skate for the winner.
The Bruins, who lost, 3-1, to the Lightning at Amalie Arena Wednesday night, were focused on physicality against the Panthers and Tkachuk often took the brunt of it.
Sam Reinhart, Florida’s top goal scorer, was on the receiving end of a McAvoy locomotive blast at the blue line that ranks as the defenseman’s top check of the season.
Whether it was in the corners, at the net front, or in the open ice, the Bruins matched Florida’s muscle. They may not have won every battle, but they sent a couple of pre-postseason messages: They will push back, and they have each others’ backs.
It may not have been the prettiest win of the year, but it was pretty good to Montgomery’s eyes.
“You’ve got to win in the trenches if you’re going to win in the playoffs,” the coach said. “You’ve got to win at the net front. You’ve got to win wall battles. You’ve got to win at the blue line. And you’ve got to win at the goal lines.”
Van Riemsdyk back
James van Riemsdyk returned to the Bruins lineup, slotting in as the left wing on the third line with Morgan Geekie at center and Trent Frederic on the right side.
Van Riemsdyk, who recently recovered from a prolonged illness, hasn’t scored a goal since potting a pair against the Kings Feb. 17, and has just 1 point in his last 14 games.
Jakub Lauko, scoreless in 11 straight, sat for van Riemsdyk.
The blue-line corps remained the same, but Montgomery did some juggling, coupling Andrew Peeke with Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo with Parker Wotherspoon. The McAvoy-Grzelcyk pairing remained.
Kevin Shattenkirk and Mason Lohrei sat for the second straight game.
Elite company
Pastrnak’s 2 points against the Panthers gave him 101 for the season and came on the oneyear anniversary of his 50th goal. With back-to-back 100plus-point seasons, he joined Bruins royalty: Bobby Orr (6), Phil Esposito (5), Adam Oates and Barry Pederson (2)... Roman Josi scored the winner in Nashville’s OT decision over Golden Knights Tuesday. It was his 34th career winner, most among active defensmen with a single franchise. Did you know the all-time leader in that category is Ray Bourque? He had 60 during his epic 21-year run with the Black and Gold . . . After working the Bruins-Panthers game, referees Kendrick Nicholson and T.J. Luxmore made the trip up Alligator Alley to work Wednesday’s game (OK, they probably flew) . . . The Bruins are off ice Thursday and will practice Friday in Arlington, Va., ahead of Saturday’s game against the Capitals, who head into Thursday’s action holding the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot . . . Appropriately, the large contingent of Bruins fans on hand were greeted with some spectacular late-afternoon thunder and lightning storms. Got to hand it to the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. They go all out to make an impression
. . . Sign of the night: “Born in Weymouth, we’re loyal to Coyle. Puck for your hometown buddies?” . . . Song of the night: “Training Season,” by Dua Lipa.