Pastrnak's power-play goal lifts Bruins over Jets, 3-2
David Pastrnak scored a tiebreaking power-play goal early in the third period to give the surging Boston Bruins a 3-2 win over the travel-weary Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
Charlie Coyle and Oskar Steen also scored for Boston, which is 10-2 since New Year's Day. Tuukka Rask made 21 saves for the Bruins in his third start after re-signing this month following offseason hip surgery.
Andrew Copp and Jansen Harkins each had a goal for the Jets, who played their seventh of eight games on the road to open 2022 because of COVID-19-related postponements. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 29 shots.
Winnipeg plays the final game of its lengthy trip Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
"It's a frustrating loss for sure. The schedule is going to get harder and harder," Jets center Pierre-Luc Dubois said. "We have a back-to-back in 22 hours, which I've never had in my life, except maybe in juniors."
Boston's leading scorer, Brad Marchand, surprisingly returned to the lineup Saturday after leaving Thursday's game with an apparent right shoulder injury when he was hit from behind into boards by Washington's Garnet Hathaway, a check that Boston coach Bruce Cassidy felt was a "cheap" play. Cassidy said on Friday that Marchand would be out at least one game.
The winger got a huge ovation when he was announced in the starting lineup.
"It's been a little bit of whirlwind," Marchand said. "I didn't expect to play today either. I have to give our training staff a ton of credit. They threw everything at it. This morning it felt a little better and I jumped on the ice and it felt OK."
In the third period, and with Adam Lowry off for interference, Pastrnak one-timed Matt Grzelcyk's pass into the net from the left circle for his 10th goal in the last 10 games.
"We rely on him for that shot and he came through for us," Cassidy said.
The Jets had a 6-on-4 advantage for the final 1:27 of the game with their goalie pulled and Boston's Tomas Nosek off for high-sticking.
"We know how to play winning hockey over the years," Cassidy said of the third period. "We have guys that have been here and done it."
The Jets are 3-3-1 in their current road trip to start 2022. They hope to finish the stretch above .500 on Sunday.
"It would be a nice way to close out the trip and go home to Winnipeg and play in an empty building," Jets forward Blake Wheeler said.
In the first period, Harkins' wrister from the left circle ticked off Rask's glove into the net, making it 1-0 at 2:46. Steen collected a loose puck in front and tied it with about 8 minutes left in the first, but Mark Scheifele's cross-ice pass hit off Copps' skate and then caromed into the net off the skate of Bruins defenseman Urho Vaakanainen with only 26 seconds left in the first.
Coyle tipped in Derek Forbort's shot from the point, tying it at 2 just 2:31 into the second.
MAYBE ANOTHER DAY
Winger Steven Fogarty was set to make his Bruins debut before Marchand felt he was good to play. The 28-year-old Fogarty has played 27 games in his NHL career, scoring one goal in his time with the Rangers and Sabres. He was recalled from club's AHL affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island, where he scored eight goals in 26 games this season.
The team's pregame TV broadcast even highlighted Fogarty's upcoming debut during warmups.
NOTES: Grzelcyk left after getting checked into the board by Dubois in the first period but returned at the beginning of the second. Grzelcyk went to ice in pain as play continued and was slumped over when he skated to the bench. Bruins defenseman Mike Reilly remains in COVID-19 protocol. It was Boston's sixth of a seven-game homestand. "It's nice to be able to have your routine at home, but you have to take advantage of it," Coyle said.
The Jets activated Wheeler from long-term injured reserve before the game and placed forward Nikolaj Ehlers on long-term reserve.
Winnipeg outshot Boston 11-4 in the first but Boston got the initial nine on goal in the second.
UP NEXT
Jets: At Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Bruins: Host Anaheim on Monday night.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.