Pastrňák Nets Hat-Trick as Bruins Beat Up on Sens

The Boston Bruins have been the model of consistency for the better part of the last twenty years. The Ottawa Senators...have not. Tonight's match-up between the two squads only served to illustrate just how far the Sens have to go before they're ready to contend.

One of the things that the Bruins have that the Sens currently do not is a true superstar. David Pastrňák has a legitimate claim as the best winger in the world; his status as a game-breaker is well-established at this point. In the early going, it was the Pastrňák show. The Czech winger tallied two in the opening frame less than three minutes apart. The first came on a sneaky little tip of a Matt Grezlyck shot after a sustained cycle, and the second was on a breakaway after Pastrňák intercepted a Tim Stützle pass. The Sens mustered a meagre five shots in the opening frame and trailed 2-0.

The second period, long this team's bête noire, actually produced some inspired hockey. Granted they spent most of the stanza on the power play, but those opportunities were earned through hard work and driving to the net.

First Ottawa got an extended 5-on-3 after Charlie Coyle took a tripping penalty on Stützle after the Sens were already on the man advantage. Ottawa generated a whole tonne of chances, hit two posts, but could not get one past the Bruins' goalie. Ultimately the name of the game is scoring on the power play, but it was difficult to find much fault in how well the team moved the puck and generated opportunities.

At that point, it seemed like perhaps the opportunity had passed, and that maybe the Sens would never be able to get back into this game. But they hung in there, and after Joonas Korpisalo made a couple of key saves, Shane Pinto netted one on the PP to bring Ottawa back within one.

Unfortunately for the Sens, Boston were the beneficiaries of a late power play opportunity of their own and converted for a 3-1 lead with just over a minute to go. Giving up a back-breaking goal late in the second frame to undo all their hard work? Those are our boys!

But!

In an unexpected twist, Brady Tkachuk scored with less than three seconds remaining to bring the lead back to just one heading to the third. I didn't know that was allowed.

All in, the Sens managed 23 shots and generally controlled play. To still be down after all that effort was a bit of a bad luck but an encouraging stretch nonetheless.

Unfortunately, as alluded to above, the good vibes from Tkachuk's tally were only forestalling the inevitable: despite having earned their way back into the game and setting up a potentially thrilling third period, the Sens instead totally came undone.

First Pastrňák netted his hat-trick less than five minutes in, and then just 25 second later Jesper Boqvist took Jakob Chychrun to the cleaners before depositing the puck behind Korpisalo to make the score 5-2. At this point, the rout was on. Ottawa offered very little by way of resistance before the final horn and Justin Brazeau potted his second of the game to finish up the scoring at 6-2.

It was a tough one.

Game Notes:

-It seems crazy to say about a guy as good as Pastrňák, but it doesn't always feel like he gets his due as one of the best players in the league. It was generally assumed that the B's would fall off this season, but he's been a big part of the reason they've hardly missed a step.

-Whatever good vibes the team had going after the three straight wins are officially gone. Twice trounced by the league's elite has left no doubt as to where the Sens stand today.

-The second period was legitimately one of the best frames the team has turned in all year, but 20 minutes of good hockey alone is never going to be enough to beat a quality opponent like the Bruins. Call it consistency, call it discipline, call it commitment, call it whatever you like, but while the Sens have shown they have the top gear to hang with the best of 'em, they have never demonstrated the ability to sustain that level for anything more than short bursts.

-I have to admit that I was kind of struggling for things to write here. On the one hand, the Sens turned in a great second period, and probably deserved a better fate than to be down after 40. On the other hand, the total collapse in the third leaves such a sour taste in your mouth that it's hard not to be pessimistic. Losing by 7-2 and 6-2 scores in consecutive games will do that to you.

Game Flow:

Heat Map:

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