Bruins News & Rumors: Marchand, Pastrnak, Shattenkirk & More

Let’s discuss all of this in today’s (Dec. 3) Boston Bruins News & Rumors column.

Marchand Breaks Ice With Overtime Winner

Heading into the Bruins’ game against the Maple Leafs last night (Dec. 2), Marchand had zero points and a minus-5 rating over his last five games. It was easily the biggest cold streak he has had this season, but he ended it in an outstanding fashion against Toronto. With eight seconds left in overtime, Marchand gloved down a Pastrnak pass and buried the puck into the empty net while Joseph Woll was out of position.

Marchand needed this game-winning goal, and one could sense throughout this game that he would find a way to get on the scoresheet. The 2006 third-round pick generated several chances throughout the game, posting eight total shots on goal. Overall, it was a great response game from the captain.

Pastrnak Has Monster Game, Gets Love From Montgomery

While Marchand was the overtime hero against the Maple Leafs, Pastrnak was the Bruins’ top star of the contest. The 2014 first-round pick had a goal and two assists on the night. With that, he finished the game with a ridiculous team-leading 10 shots on goal. It was a truly dominant performance from the superstar, and he received big-time praise from Montgomery after the game because of it.

While speaking with reporters after the game, Montgomery had this to say about Pastrnak: “I loved 88 tonight. You’re trying to balance how much you play him with getting other people on the ice as well. That’s the tough part. On the bench, he’s much more talkative. He’s much more positive on the bench. Last year, he didn’t concern himself with having to do that with so many other great leaders. He’s grown like that, and he’s also grown in his playmaking.”

It is hard to disagree with Montgomery when observing how Pastrnak played against Toronto and has played all season. Clearly, he’s grabbed the attention of the Bruins’ bench boss.

Shattenkirk Gets First Goal of the Season

Shattenkirk entered this game against the Maple Leafs with zero goals in his first 17 games of the season. However, the 34-year-old defenseman finally potted his first goal as a Bruin, and it was a nice one. After receiving a perfect feed from Pastrnak, Shattenkirk showed great confidence with the puck before roofing it past Woll.

While Shattenkirk hasn’t made the biggest impact offensively so far this season, scoring a goal like this could provide him with more confidence moving forward. Remember that he is coming off a 27-point season, so there’s reason to believe his offense could improve.

Beecher’s A Player to Watch Moving Forward

The Bruins scratched Beecher for their game against the Maple Leafs and dressed Oskar Steen. The timing of the scratch was a little surprising, as Beecher had seen an increase in offense as of late (two goals in his last five games). Montgomery said this to reporters about the reasoning behind the scratch: “We don’t feel like he’s been on top of his game like he was for several of the first 22 games, and we just want him to watch and learn and grow and get ready to go back in.”

After this scratch, Beecher is a player to watch from here. Montgomery wants to see more from the rookie, and I think the Bruins will get just that once he is inserted back into the lineup.