BOSTON – The Bruins acquired proper again into the document books on Tuesday night time.
Simply over 48 hours after securing the NHL’s all-time wins document, Boston’s historic season rolled on with a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals at TD Backyard. With the win – their 64th of the season – the Black & Gold hit 133 factors, surpassing the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens (132) for probably the most in a single season in league historical past.
“I do not know if it means any completely different than what we have finished all yr,” stated coach Jim Montgomery. “It is good to interrupt the document for factors. The Montreal staff that we surpassed solely performed 80 video games. I feel [63] wins in 80 video games is a bit more important, however it’s a superb yr. I care extra that we’re taking part in the fitting manner.”
For Montgomery, who grew up in Montreal, the importance of the factors document was put into perspective when he mirrored on simply how dominant the Canadiens groups of the Nineteen Seventies had been.
“Once you phrase it like that, yeah. I grew up watching these groups play on a regular basis,” stated Montgomery. “I bear in mind the one tickets I may ever get was once they performed the California Golden Seals or Washington Capitals and it was all the time 11-0, that is how dominant they had been.
“I consider all of the Corridor of Famers on these groups after which Scotty [Bowman] behind the bench and going to the outdated Montreal Discussion board, enthusiastic about how nice these groups are/had been and the way we have surpassed that complete.
“It is important as a result of these had been dominant, dominant hockey groups.”
Video: Montgomery talks to the media postgame
Montgomery additionally revealed that he heard from each Bowman and his buddy, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper, after Boston broke the NHL’s all-time wins document on Sunday in Philadelphia. Bowman (1995-96 Detroit Pink Wings) and Cooper (2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning) had been the coaches of the groups to carry the earlier document of 62.
“We’re in elite firm,” stated Montgomery. “Jon Cooper referred to as me [Monday] morning and Scotty and I texted Sunday. It is flattering when you’ve got individuals like that…different coaches from across the league have texted me, too. It is flattering.”
With only one regular-season recreation remaining on Thursday in Montreal, the Bruins have additionally develop into certainly one of solely 33 groups in league historical past with one or fewer streaks of consecutive regulation losses, per NHL Stats. Boston’s solely such stretch got here March 12-14.
The Bruins are additionally simply the 18th staff in league historical past with two or fewer winless streaks (0-2-1 from Jan. 26-29 and 0-2-0 from March 12-14).
“It is one thing we’re happy with,” Brad Marchand stated of Boston’s record-setting marketing campaign. “We did set our sights on it the final few minutes the place we kinda locked up first. We would have liked one thing to play for the rest of the common season. It is a aim we wished to perform. It isn’t our be all or finish all. It is an unimaginable accomplishment. We’re very happy with this group and what we have been capable of accomplish.
“With the historical past of this league, what number of good groups there’s been, it is particular. And it is one thing, I feel, down the highway we’ll be extra happy with. We’re blissful about it proper now, do not get me incorrect, however it’s a regular-season document. Playoffs begins and all the pieces begins over once more. There’s gonna be 16 groups which have the identical aim in thoughts.
“What we have completed to this point has no bearing on that. We’re gonna park it. We have now one other massive recreation right here in a pair days and it is our final alternative to prepare earlier than playoffs…I feel that is a part of why we have been good this yr – we park every day and we fear concerning the subsequent one and simply maintain constructing.
“It is nice to get it, it speaks quite a bit about our group. That we have been able to play each night time. We have now one thing a lot larger that we’re constructing for.
Video: Marchand posts a 1-1-2, Bruins beat Caps 5-2
Ullmark Makes Historical past
There was additionally some particular person historical past on Tuesday night time as Linus Ullmark made 19 saves – earlier than leaving the sport within the third interval as a result of damage – to register his 40th win of the season, tying Pete Peeters (1982-83) for probably the most in Bruins historical past.
The netminder additionally turned the quickest goalie in historical past to realize the feat, having finished so in simply his 49th recreation of the season. The earlier document was held by Washington’s Braden Holtby (52 video games in 2015-16).
After the sport, Montgomery stated that Ullmark had some muscle tightness and left the sport “only a precaution” and “he is gonna be superb.”
Video: WSH@BOS: Ullmark makes save on Snively
Nosek Hits 100
After being caught on 99 profession factors for the previous 5 video games, Tomas Nosek broke via with No. 100 when he picked up a free puck excessive within the slot after a Washington turnover and ripped dwelling a wrister to offer the Bruins a 3-1 lead at 4:13 of the third.
“It felt fairly good,” Nosek stated of hitting the 100-point plateau. “It isn’t taking place fairly often. So, attempt to benefit from the second. Now it is behind me, and our focus is on subsequent recreation and the massive image.”
“Good for him,” added Montgomery. “He is an awesome teammate, he is finished a lot great things behind the scenes and the little issues that assist construct our staff wins, it is good to see him get rewarded. And 100 factors, that is a superb profession for anyone on this league – possibly not Pasta, however most gamers.”
Later within the interval, Nosek added level No. 101 when he delivered a nifty saucer feed on a 2-on-1 to Garnet Hathaway, who completed if off to place Boston up, 4-2, at 7:49 of the ultimate body.
“We have been taking part in collectively for the reason that starting,” Nosek stated of the chemistry along with his linemate. “I feel it has been good. He is a tough man. He goes laborious on forecheck. You’ll be able to simply learn off him. It has been good to this point.”
Video: WSH@BOS: Nosek scores in 3rd period
A Serving to of Pasta
Together with his first of two assists towards the Capitals, David Pastrnak turned simply the second participant in Bruins historical past with 60 targets and 50 assists in a single season (Phil Esposito, 4 occasions – final in 1974-75). The winger joined Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (64-87-151) as the one gamers within the NHL this season to perform the feat. Per NHL Stats, the final season to function two gamers hitting these marks was 1995-96: Mario Lemieux (69-92-161) and Jaromir Jagr (62-87-149).
It additionally marked Pastrnak’s first profession 50-assist season, making him the third Bruin within the final 10 years to hit that mark together with Brad Marchand (3 times, final in 2019-20) and David Krejci (3 times, final in 2018-19).
Pastrnak additionally picked up two factors on the facility play to offer him 202 for his profession and transfer previous Cam Neely (200) into ninth place on the Bruins all-time.
Video: Bruins set another record with 5-2 win over Capitals
Wait, There’s Extra
- Boston scored power-play targets on each of its possibilities with the person benefit and has now cashed in on six of 13 alternatives (46.2%) in six video games throughout April which leads the NHL. “I assumed we began to essentially hem Washington in and create lots of good scoring possibilities that led to energy performs that led to targets,” stated Montgomery.
- Marchand’s power-play marker to open the scoring at 8:32 of the second was his 21st aim of the season and first since March 9 in Edmonton, a span of 17 video games. “Virtually should giggle about it,” he stated of the drought. “I feel it will get irritating however then it will get to a degree the place it is simply laughable. You’ll be able to’t take it too severe. I feel that is what it acquired to. It acquired to the purpose the place it isn’t the norm and I do know that. I’ve a lot better, larger expectations. However on the identical time, we’re profitable lots of video games and we’re having lots of enjoyable. Let the frustration get in the way in which of that and get in the way in which of seeing what we have been going via the final little bit right here and the way a lot enjoyable we have been having, wasn’t gonna fear about it. If we had been dropping a bunch of video games, and people targets had been want, I would put far more stress on that. We’re nonetheless profitable each night time.”
- Boston cashed in once more on the facility play slightly below six minutes later when Tyler Bertuzzi whacked dwelling a Pastrnak rebound from the highest of the crease to place the B’s forward, 2-0. “It has been working rather well, we’re simply looking for one another,” Bertuzzi stated of his chemistry with Pastrnak. “I do know he is good at getting open and discovering the areas. I simply attempt to help him as a lot as doable and [Pavel Zacha’s] been actually good down the center for us too.”
- Per NHL Stats, Marchand secured his 93rd profession multi-assist recreation to surpass Adam Oates for sole possession of ninth most in Bruins historical past. The winger additionally registered his 63rd profession three-point recreation to tie Ken Hodge for sixth most in staff historical past.
