Marchand, Pastrnak Lead Bruins Past Sabres, 3-2
BY GETHIN COOLBAUGH
BOSTON (AP) — Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak again showed they are one of the NHL’s most dangerous duos.
Marchand scored his 14th and 15th goals of the season, Pastrnak got his league-leading 20th and the Boston Bruins beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 on Thursday night.
Marchand and Pastrnak became the first teammates with 15 goals apiece in their team’s first 22 games since Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos and Ryan Malone in 2009-10, according to Sportsnet Stats.
Even with 73 points between them, Pastrnak isn’t ready to declare themselves the sport’s best offensive tandem.
“Definitely not. I’m not thinking about that,” Pastrnak said. “We’re just having great chemistry. We’ve been playing together for a while.”
Tuukka Rask stopped 36 shots to help the Bruins win for the third time in four games (3-0-1) following a season-high four-game skid.
Rask’s night included a candidate for save of the year. The 2013-14 Vezina Trophy winner wowed the crowd with a diving blocker save across a vacant net on Evan Rodrigues’ shot with Buffalo trailing 3-1 in the third period.
“I don’t think I’ve ever made a save like that,” Rask said. “It could be (the save of the year). I don’t often make highlights like that too often like that because I try to be in position to make saves. It’s fun to make a save like that.”
Rasmus Ristolainen and Brandon Montour each scored and Linus Ullmark had 24 saves for the Sabres. Buffalo has dropped nine of 10 (1-7-2) after winning nine of its first 12 games.
“We played a little better but it’s another loss,” Montour said. “We’ve got to start winning some hockey games.”
Bruins star center Patrice Bergeron had an assist in his return after missing two games with a lower body injury.
