Captain Pastrnak Catches Marchand on Franchise Goals List
Some milestones just hit different, and this is one of them, Bruins fans.
David Pastrnak's first goal as captain of the Boston Bruins took four games to arrive. When it finally came, it came in a hurry, and it came with a little history attached. Pastrnak scored twice on the power play in the Oct. 8 win over Utah, a 6-1 rout, and those two goals tied Brad Marchand for fourth on the franchise's all-time goals list with 422.
Pasta and Marchy, side by side in the Bruins record book. How about that?
Four points, more history
Pastrnak wasn't just scoring that night. He added two assists for a four-point game, the 19th four-point game of his career. That moved him past Adam Oates for eighth-most four-point games in Bruins history. Think about all the legends who have worn the spoked B, and Pastrnak keeps climbing past them.
The weight of the C
This one meant a little extra because of the timing. Pastrnak is wearing the captain's C this season, and Boston's power play had gone 0-for-10 through the first four games. Fair or not, when the power play struggles, the spotlight lands on your best player. And when your best player is also your new captain, that spotlight gets even brighter.
So when he broke through with that first power-play goal against Utah, it felt like the whole team let out a breath. Starting with that night, the Bruins have won three straight.
Doing it all
Pastrnak's impact goes way beyond the goal column, too. In the overtime win in Winnipeg, he set up both of the late goals, including the breakaway pass that sent JJ Peterka in alone for the winner. A captain who makes everyone around him better? That's exactly what you want.
Why the C fits
When Pastrnak was named captain, some people wondered how he'd handle the extra pressure. So far, the answer is: just fine, thanks. He's the same fun-loving guy he's always been, and he's leading by example on the ice. When the power play was struggling, he didn't make excuses. He just went out and scored.
That's what we love about him. He plays with joy, and that joy is contagious. You can see it in the way his teammates celebrate with him, and you can feel it in the building every time he touches the puck.
What's next
The next step is pretty clear: passing Marchand for sole possession of fourth place on the franchise list. Given the way Pastrnak is playing, we don't think it's going to take very long. And when it happens, we'll be right here celebrating it with you.
Our take
We've been lucky enough to watch Pastrnak grow from a young kid with a big smile into one of the best goal scorers in the world. Now he's our captain, and he's climbing the record books. Enjoy every minute of this, Bruins fans. Players like this don't come around often. 🐻