NHL match Boston – Ottawa. Pictured from left are Czech striker David Pastrňák and Kevin Mandolese in Boston on February 20, 2023.
New York – Striker David Pastrňák scored two goals to give the Boston hockey players a 3:1 victory over Ottawa. In this NHL season, he has already scored 41 goals and is one shot behind the competition's top scorer, Connor McDavid from Edmonton.
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David Krejčí assisted on Pastrňák's first goal, whom Boston honored for 1,000 games in the NHL during the ceremony before today's game. The 36-year-old center reached that milestone a month ago. In addition to the many congratulations he received alongside his wife and children, he also received a silver hockey stick as a traditional trophy for the 1,000th game, which he accomplished as the thirteenth Czech hockey player in the history of the overseas competition.
The Bruins transformed the celebratory mood into another great match and confirmed their position as the undisputed best team in the NHL with their fourth win in a row. The visitors responded to Jake DeBrusk's goal at the end of the first period, but the rest of the game belonged to Pastrňák. In the 38th minute, after assists from Krejčí and Charlie McAvoy, the Czech gunner equaled his goalscoring record from last year with his 40th goal of the season. He scored more goals only in the 2019/20 season, when he scored 48.
He scored at least 40 goals in two consecutive seasons, becoming the fifth Boston player in history and the first since Cam Neely, who did it in 1990 and 1991, when he scored 55 and 51 goals, respectively. In the 53rd minute, McAvoy found him on the attacking blue line with a great pass while kneeling after falling. The native of Havířovsk after a solo with a backhand bluff sent the puck between the concrete of goalkeeper Kevin Mandolese, who was catching only his second game in the NHL.
NHL:
Boston – Ottawa 3:1 (1: 1, 1:0, 1:0)
Goals: 38th and 53rd Pastrňák (for the first Krejčí), 16 .DeBrusk – 20. Giroux. Shots on goal: 32:31. Spectators: 17,850. Stars of the match: 1. Pastrnák, 2. McAvoy, 3. Ullmark (all Boston).
Florida – Anaheim 4:3 in overtime. (0:2, 2:0, 1:1 – 1:0)
Goals: 23. E. Staal (Gudas), 38. M. Staal, 55. Lomberg, 62. Verhaeghe – 12. McTavish, 16. Vatrano, 53. Kulikov. Shots on goal: 54:23. Spectators: 16,525. Stars of the match: 1. Verhaeghe, 2. E. Staal (both Florida), 3. Kulikov (Anaheim.).
