David Pastrnak publicly calls out his Bruins teammates prior to Game 4
Photo credit: © Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
David Pastrnak put the Boston Bruins power play on trial after Game 3, and Game 4 now feels like a referendum.
Boston lost 3-1 to the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden, falling behind 2-1 in the series. The Bruins finished 45-27-10, while Buffalo was 50-23-9.
This was not about effort alone.
Tanner Jeannot scored Boston's only goal, but the top-six never bent the game back. Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha combined for 10 of Boston's 25 shots.
The key sequence came late.
Boston got two power plays in the final stretch and came up empty. Pastrnak said the unit had to "bury one," putting the heat on himself.
You can feel the frustration.
"Just got to bear down," Pastrnak said after the loss.
"We had big opportunities on power plays; we got two power plays in the last six, seven minutes. We have to bury one of those. It’s on us guys on the power play to be better." he said.
"Their goalie played well, but we have to make it a little harder on him as well. It was a good opportunity for us, but it’s playoffs. Every game has been tight-checking, and today they came on top of it."
- David Pastrnak
"We had big opportunities on power plays; we got two power plays in the last six, seven minutes. We have to bury one of those. It’s on us guys on the power play to be better." he said.
"Their goalie played well, but we have to make it a little harder on him as well. It was a good opportunity for us, but it’s playoffs. Every game has been tight-checking, and today they came on top of it."
- David Pastrnak
Buffalo let Boston pass around the outside, then trusted Alex Lyon to see the first shot. The Bruins did not plant enough bodies at the crease.
David Pastrnak Forces Boston Bruins Accountability
Bruins fans are right to be irritated, because this was a winnable playoff game sitting on the man advantage.
Pastrnak had 1-4-5 through the first two games, then went pointless in Game 3. That swing tells the story.
When he drives touches, Boston looks dangerous.
When Buffalo closes his one-timer lane, Charlie McAvoy has to change the angle faster. Zacha also needs to attack downhill instead of waiting for seams.
The ripple effect is obvious.
If Game 4 starts flat, Marco Sturm may need to split looks on the first unit. That puts pressure on every top-six forward, not just Pastrnak.
Boston does not need panic.
It needs traffic, quicker puck movement, and one ugly power-play goal before the series starts slipping away.
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