Bruins Roll Past Predators, Extend Point Streak to Seven Games

BOSTON – The Boston Bruins now have points in their last seven games, and their new goaltender recorded his first NHL shutout. 

The Bruins (8-2-1) beat the Nashville Predators (3-3-3) 6-0 during Hockey Fights Cancer night at TD Garden on Thursday. David Pastrnak (6) scored twice, while Casey Mittelstadt (3), Elias Lindholm (4), JJ Peterka (4), and Mark Kastelic (2) each added one.

Michael DiPietro stopped all 28 shots he faced in his second career NHL win and first NHL shutout.

The Bruins opened the scoring just 3:49 into the game. Casey Mittelstadt received a feed from David Pastrnak at the blue line and from just outside of the right circle, uncorked a shot that got past Justus Annunen to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. 

David Pastrnak drew a holding minor on Nicolas Hague, sending the Bruins to the game’s first power play. Just 15 seconds into the power play, Charlie McAvoy steered a bouncing shot toward Annunen. Elias Lindholm connected and redirected it past the Predators goalie to double the Bruins’ lead. 

Morgan Geekie took an awkward fall late in the first period. He was near the end boards and got tangled up with Jayden Struble and Ryan O’Reilly before getting off the ice and heading down the tunnel.

Geekie returned for the second period. 

Just before the halfway mark of the game, Charlie McAvoy directed a shot on goal, and both David Pastrnak and JJ Peterka got their sticks in the shooting lane. The puck redirected off Pastrnak’s stick and beat Annunen blocker-side. 

The first line kept going. Seven minutes after Pastrnak’s goal, he entered the offensive zone and wound up for a slap shot. Instead, he opted for the pass and connected with JJ Peterka on a slap pass. Peterka’s initial redirection went off the post, but the 24-year-old followed up and buried his rebound to make it a four-goal game. 

Mark Kastelic got the fourth line involved early in the third period. Matt Poitras played the puck around the boards, and it hit the side of the net and fell right in front of Justus Annunen. Kastelic crashed the net and beat Annunen with a backhand for his second of the season.

With the assist, Poitras extends his point streak to five games.

The Bruins were not done there, and neither was the captain. David Pastrnak added his second of the night, assisted by Frederic Brunet and Charlie McAvoy, with exactly five minutes remaining in regulation.

McAvoy’s assist was his fourth of the night, which ties a single-game career high. 

The Bruins have a scheduled day off on Friday. They will be back at TD Garden to close their season series against the San Jose Sharks that night. 

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