Pavel Zacha recorded two goals and an assist to lead the Boston Bruins to a 5-1 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday afternoon.
Zacha has posted two multi-goal efforts in his last four games, with five goals and seven points over that span.
David Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk and Brad Marchand each had a goal and an assist, while Hampus Lindholm dished out two assists as the Bruins moved to 3-0-1 in their last four games.
Boston won the game despite being outshot by a 39-22 margin, including 14-5 in the third period. Three of its goals came in the middle frame.
Linus Ullmark made a season-high 38 saves in the Boston victory.
Kris Letang scored the only Pittsburgh goal while Alex Nedeljkovic made 18 saves as the Penguins lost for the fifth time in six games.
Pittsburgh posted a 14-8 shots advantage in the first period, but Ullmark kept the game scoreless with his glove save on Penguins newcomer Michael Bunting’s breakaway attempt just 3:32 into the game.
The hosts opened the floodgates in the second period, scoring first when Pastrnak ripped home a one-time feed from DeBrusk in the slot at the 2:26 mark.
A power play allowed the Bruins to double their lead at 12:48 as Morgan Geekie and Mason Lohrei played catch up top and slid the puck down to the top of the crease, where Zacha one-touched the puck in off Nedeljkovic’s shoulder.
Marchand scored his first goal in nine games and extended Boston’s lead to 3-0, striding past the defense for a backhand shot with 1:35 left in the middle frame.
Pittsburgh broke up the shutout bid at 2:51 of the third when Letang fired a slapper from the top of the left circle directly off Sidney Crosby’s faceoff win.
At 9:36, DeBrusk made it a 4-1 game with a one-time finish of Marchand’s pass from the left across to the right circle.
Zacha rounded out the scoring at 15:33, burying Pastrnak’s touch feed as he moved down the slot. Danton Heinen retrieved the puck off the end wall to start the play.
–Field Level Media
