ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — David Pastrnak had three goals and an assist, Hampus Lindholm scored in his home start in Anaheim and the Boston Bruins completed a perfect three-game trip with a 7-1 victory over the Ducks on Sunday. night.
David Krejci had a goal and two assists before Brad Marchand, Lindholm and Charlie Coyle added third-period goals for the first-place Bruins. Boston has won four straight after outscoring California’s three NHL teams a combined 16-5 over the last four days.
“Our defense is playing well and all four lines are running and we have two great goaltenders,” Pastrnak said after the Bruins (32-4-4) extended their NHL lead to 11 points over Toronto and Carolina. “We’re having a great time and playing for each other.”
Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves in defense of Pastrnak, who has 32 goals in 40 games this season after collecting his 13th career hat trick. He’s scored a whopping seven goals in three games with the Bruins on the West Coast, and that outburst in Anaheim was another indication that the Czech winger is set to land a monster contract, either before or after he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.
“I looked good and I was able to capitalize,” Pastrnak said. “An incredible trip for us. Now let’s go home.”
Trevor Zegras scored and John Gibson stopped 35 shots for the Ducks, who failed to snap their first three-game winning streak since November 2021. Last-place Anaheim fell to 3-4-1 on its franchise-record, 10-game homestand.
“I was OK with the effort in the first two periods,” Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. “We just screwed our brains out in the third.
After securing his sixth career 30-goal season with a first-period goal, Pastrňák completed the hat trick with two goals 17 seconds apart in the second period. He put a power play goal between Gibson’s legs and followed it up with a breakaway goal, sending dozens of hats onto the Orange County ice from Bruins fans.
Boston coach Jim Montgomery said Pastrnak is “elite. Creative. He is like an artist in the different ways he scores. … If I had been the goalkeeper (for the third goal), I would have broken my ankle.”
Pastrnak is no stranger to prolific performances against the Ducks: In October 2019, he scored a career-best four goals in Anaheim in Boston.
Lindholm, the longtime Anaheim defenseman who was traded to Boston last spring when new general manager Pat Verbeek decided not to sign him to a long-term contract, was warmly welcomed by Ducks fans. Lindholm, the Ducks’ sixth overall pick in 2012, is third in franchise history among defensemen in points, goals, assists and blocked shots.
Lindholm immediately received an eight-year, $52 million contract from the Bruins, and the Swede paid off: he left his home opener with an impressive 28 points and a plus-29 rating.
“It was a great moment,” Lindholm said of the tribute video and standing ovation for him in the first period. “This place is special to me, but now I’m in a new chapter that I’m really excited about.”
Pastrnak gave the Bruins the lead less than four minutes in from the top of the left circle with a quick wrist shot past Gibson, who was screened by teammate John Klingberg.
Zegras, who scored 36 points in one season at Boston University, scored his 12th of the season on a nasty one-timer late in the first.
NEXT UP
Bruins: Host Seattle on Thursday.
Ducks: Host Edmonton on Wednesday.
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