The Boston Bruins gamers and workers have been saying for months that they weren’t making an attempt to interrupt the report for many wins in a season come April. Their focus was on profitable the Stanley Cup in June. However strive or not, they did it anyway.
Heading into the ultimate week of some of the outstanding common seasons ever, the Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-3, on Sunday for his or her 63rd win, surpassing the 1995-96 Detroit Pink Wings and the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning for many wins in a season.
They did it with their ordinary aptitude, too, as David Pastrnak recorded a hat trick to succeed in 60 objectives within the season and 300 in his profession. Pastrnak, delighted to succeed in the mark for the primary time, famous that it got here in assist of a report the Bruins see as merely a prelude to their true ambition.
That’s, to turn into the primary staff with the very best common season report to win the Stanley Cup since Chicago did it within the 2012-13 season (shortened to 48 video games by the lockout), and to keep away from the destiny of the record-setting Pink Wings and Lightning, each of whom misplaced within the playoffs.
“Clearly, the report is superb,” Pastrnak advised reporters in Philadelphia, “however we’re constructing towards one thing greater than the N.H.L. report. That’s our focus.”
The Bruins nonetheless have two video games remaining within the common season, so the tally might develop, and it doesn’t appear to matter that they most likely will maintain some gamers out of motion, to relaxation them for the approaching postseason.
They’d completed that in a number of current video games, permitting drained, older or injured gamers to recuperate, and so they stored profitable, regardless of 5 straight weeks with back-to-back video games every Saturday and Sunday. They received 9 of these 10 video games.
Since a pair of perplexing losses to the Detroit Pink Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks in March, the Bruins have captured 13 of their final 14 video games, many whereas resting key gamers. Patrice Bergeron, Boston’s high middle, performed solely three of the final six video games. David Krejci, the second-line middle, performed in simply two of the final six and Charlie McAvoy, their high defenseman, missed two of the final 4.
All three missed Sunday’s recreation in Philadelphia, as did the defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who has been a revelation since he was traded to Boston from Washington in February. Taylor Corridor, the previous Hart Trophy winner, who was eased again into motion Saturday towards the Devils after lacking 20 video games with a knee harm, additionally sat out Sunday’s victory.
“They’d some folks out,” stated John Tortorella, the Flyers coach, “however that’s nonetheless a extremely good hockey staff.”
The Flyers are a horrible staff, with solely 29 wins. However since clinching the highest seed for the playoffs, the Bruins have continued to beat good groups, too, groups which have both already certified for the playoffs or are combating to make it in. On Thursday they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, the second-best staff of their division, and on Saturday they beat the Devils, the second-best staff within the Metropolitan Division.
Regardless of whom they placed on the ice, or their opponent, the Bruins normally come out on high, thanks partially to their notable roster depth.
“You deal with every evening and every day and that slowly provides up,” stated Charlie Coyle, the Bruins middle.
Coyle defined the Bruins’ late-season consistency by noting that all year long staff leaders set benchmarks, carving out slices of the season, like an extended street journey, or a very troublesome stretch of powerful opponents, and difficult the group to achieve a sure degree of success.
He stated as soon as they have been assured of the highest seed and had solely a handful of video games remaining, they turned to setting the wins report as one other worthwhile pursuit and a way of motivation.
“We hope it’s only the start,” Coyle stated, “however it’s undoubtedly one thing you may take delight in and it exhibits what we’ve completed this 12 months.”
Whereas this Bruins staff has a deep roster — 4 strong strains and three defensive pairings, every with a formidable level presence in McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Orlov — Pastrnak has been the offensive star.
He’s 4 objectives behind Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for the league lead, and have become solely the second Bruin to attain at the very least 60 objectives. Phil Esposito did it 4 occasions, together with 76 objectives in 1970-71. It marks the primary time since 1995-96 that two gamers have reached 60 objectives in the identical season. That 12 months it was the teammates, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, who had 69 and 62 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On Sunday, after Boston followers in Philadelphia tossed hats on the ice to commemorate Pastrnak’s hat trick, the Czech winger recounted how Boston’s Brad Marchand, Pastrnak’s former linemate, advised him years in the past that he ought to at all times goal to attain 10 extra objectives than he thinks he’s able to. Pastrnak indicated that he had seen 50 as attainable.
“So, yeah, I used to be aiming at 60, however I wasn’t actually considering that I can get there,” he stated.
As for the playoffs, which start April 17, the Bruins nonetheless have no idea their opponent within the first spherical. That will probably be decided this week as 4 groups — the Panthers, Islanders, Penguins and Sabres — battle for the ultimate two spots. And the Bruins might nonetheless set one other report of their subsequent two video games.
They’ve 131 factors, only one behind the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens for many factors in a season. Again then, groups performed 80 video games and have been awarded one level for a tie (the Canadiens went 60-8-12). Now groups play 82 video games and get two factors for a win in time beyond regulation or a shootout win, and one level in the event that they lose in time beyond regulation or a shootout.
However profitable probably the most video games and incomes probably the most factors would appear unfulfilling if the Bruins don’t win the Stanley Cup.
“Trying too far forward, that creates anxiousness,” stated Jim Montgomery, Boston’s first-year coach. “We consider in staying current. We’re not June. We’re April seventeenth.”