David Pastrnak is ready to return, but is unsure what it will be like to play without fans. “To be honest, I even don’t know what to expect and I’m expecting the unexpected.” Charles Krupa/Associated Press
David Pastrnak rode the Bruins power play to a share of the Maurice Richard Trophy.
Pastrnak and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin – who won seven of the last eight Richard awards as the top goal scorer in the regular season – were tied with a league-leading 48 goals when the NHL closed shop on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What separated Pastrnak (48 goals, 47 assists, 95 points) from Ovechkin (48-19-76) was the power play, even though they play similar roles in man up situations. Pastrnak finished with a league best 20 power-play goals to 13 for Ovechkin.
“To be honest, I was actually madder about the 100 points than getting 50 (goals),” said Pastrnak during a Zoom press conference from his Prague home in the Czech Republic. “It was a huge honor obviously sharing it with Alex. He’s been winning it every single year almost and for me to share it with him is even more special.”
The NHL plans to reopen its abbreviated campaign by going directly to the Stanley Cup playoffs, albeit with an expanded format of 24 teams. The Bruins were declared winners of the President’s Trophy after compiling a league best 44-14-12 (100 points) record prior to the shutdown.
The reigning Eastern Conference champs finished at the top of the heap because of its exceptional special teams and the remarkable play of goaltenders Tuukka Rask (26-8-6) and Jaroslav Halak (18-6-6). The Bruins finished second behind Edmonton with 57 power-play goals and a 25.2% success rate. They were third in the penalty kill with an 84.2% success rate and first in fewest goals allowed (167).
Some of the Bruins regulars are living outside the area and are weeks away from reconvening at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton. Getting the power play back into efficient working order will be a priority, according to Pastrnak.
“Obviously it’s going to be a big part of our game coming back especially after not playing,” said Pastrnak. “Every power play is going to be very important.”
The Bruins first power-play unit was a formidable entity over 70 regular season games. Pastrnak was situated at left point where he would slip down for one-timers from the circle.
Defenseman Torey Krug was the rainmaker from the right point in the Bruins 1-3-1 scheme. Jake DeBrusk patrolled the left boards and behind the net, center Patrice Bergeron was on the bumper and Brad Marchand on the right boards.
“Our power play has been together for probably two years now, right?” said Pastrnak. “It’s the same group of guys who have been together for a long time now but I don’t think it is going to be a problem hopefully.”
Pastrnak has been logging regular ice time with some current and former players in an effort to maintain his skating and stick skills. Pastrnak is awaiting a call from General Manager Don Sweeney and Coach Bruce Cassidy, so he hasn’t made travel plans for a return to Boston.
“I’m feeling very good and I’ve been skating twice a week and working out five or six times a week since I got back to Prague,” said Pastrnak. “I’m very happy moving around and you guys know how that is a big part of me, my movement. I’m pretty much leaving the house at 10 a.m. and getting back around dinner.
“We have a two-hour ice session with a tough scrimmage. We play one hour then get the ice ready and play for that hour. It’s a pretty good tempo.”
The NHL’s playoff format does not automatically award the Bruins the No. 1 seed from a field of 24 teams when games resume. The top four teams in each conference will compete in a three-game round robin tournament to determine the top four seeds. In the Eastern Conference, the Bruins will be joined by the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Washington Capitals, and the Philadelphia Flyers.
The NHL expects to be operational by mid-July from yet to be determined remote locations and played in empty arenas. Playing without fans will be especially strange for Pastrnak, who has grown accustomed to performing before rabidly devoted followers in a building where Stanley Cup hockey is a near-religious experience.
“I don’t have any superstitious pregame (rituals) so it will be just like a game on the road only we are going to be there for a while,” said Pastrnak. “It is not going to change much for me, I’m just going to think about it as a road game. Playing without fans is going to be new for just about everybody, especially for guys who haven’t played in a hockey game in about 20 years without fans.
“It’s going to be different and I’m watching soccer games now and it’s really weird when you can hear every single player on the field. To be honest, I even don’t know what to expect and I’m expecting the unexpected.”
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