Ducks have no answer for David Pastrnak and Bruins in 7-1 loss

Ducks have no answer for David Pastrnak and Bruins in blowout loss

Boston's Charlie Coyle, right, controls the puck under pressure from Ducks forward Jayson Megna.

By Greg Beacham

Associated Press

Jan. 8, 2023 9:27 PM PT

David Pastrnak had three goals and an assist, Hampus Lindholm scored a goal in his Anaheim homecoming, and the Boston Bruins completed a perfect three-game road trip with a 7-1 victory over the Ducks on Sunday night.

David Krejci had a goal and two assists before Brad Marchand, Lindholm and Charlie Coyle added third-period goals for the first-place Bruins. Boston has won four straight overall after trouncing California’s three NHL teams by a combined 16-5 over the last four days.

“Our defense is playing well, and all four lines are rolling, and we’ve got two great goaltenders,” Pastrnak said after the Bruins (32-4-4) boosted their overall NHL lead to 11 points over Toronto and Carolina. “We’re doing great and playing for each other.”

Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves to back Pastrnak, who has 32 goals in 40 games this season after securing his 13th career hat trick. He scored a whopping seven goals in the Bruins’ three West Coast games, and this outburst in Anaheim was yet another indication the Czech winger is about to get a monster contract, either before or after he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.

“I had some good looks and I was able to capitalize,” Pastrnak said. “Unbelievable trip for us. Now let’s go home.”

Trevor Zegras scored and John Gibson stopped 35 shots for the Ducks, who failed to secure their first three-game winning streak since November 2021. Last-place Anaheim dropped to 3-4-1 on its franchise-record, 10-game homestand.

“In the first two periods, I was OK with the effort,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “In the third, we just unscrewed our brains.”

After Pastrnak secured the sixth 30-goal season of his career with a first-period score, he wrapped his hat trick with two goals 17 seconds apart in the second period. He put a power-play goal between Gibson’s legs and followed it with a breakaway goal, sending dozens of hats flying onto the Honda Center ice from Bruins fans.

Boston coach Jim Montgomery said Pastrnak is “elite. Creative. He’s like an artist in the different ways he scores. I would have broke my ankle if I was the goalie [on the third goal].”

Pastrnak is no stranger to prolific performances against the Ducks: He scored a career-best four goals on Anaheim in Boston in October 2019.

Ducks fans gave a warm welcome home to Lindholm, the longtime Anaheim defenseman who was traded to Boston last spring when new general manager Pat Verbeek decided not to sign him to a long-term contract. Lindholm, the sixth overall pick by the Ducks in 2012, is third in franchise history among defensemen in points, goals, assists and blocked shots.

Lindholm immediately got an eight-year, $52 million deal from the Bruins, and the Swede has been worth it: He left his homecoming game with an impressive 28 points and a plus-29 rating.

“It was a great moment,” Lindholm said of the tribute video and standing ovation for him in the first period. “This place is special to me, but now I’m on to a new chapter that I’m really excited about.”

Pastrnak put the Bruins ahead less than four minutes in from the top of the left circle with a quick wrist shot past Gibson, who was screened by teammate John Klingberg.

Zegras, who scored 36 points in his one season at Boston University, scored his 12th goal of the season on a nasty one-timer late in the first.