Krejci Has Hat Trick, Bruins Pound Penguins 8-4
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BOSTON (AP) - David Krejci had his fourth career hat trick, David Pastrnak had two goals and an assist, and the Boston Bruins had their highest-scoring game since 2012 on Thursday night, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 8-4.
One night after the Boston Celtics posted a season-high 134 points in the same building, the Bruins had their biggest offensive output of the year.
Pittsburgh's Olli Maatta scored just 35 into the game, but from there on it was mostly Bruins. Boston led 2-1 before the three-minute mark, 3-1 after six minutes and 5-2 with just under four minutes to play in the first before Riley Sheahan scored with 4 seconds to play in the period.
The Bruins added three in the second - two on the power play from Krejci, giving him a hat trick with 25:27 still to play - and one from Pastrnak. It was Krejci's first three-goal game since 2014; he also has had two in the playoffs.
The Bruins have won back-to-back games since the trade deadline, when they acquired Rick Nash and Tommy Wingels and signed Team USA Olympic captain Brian Gionta. Nash had a goal and an assist, and Gionta had two assists.
Tuukka Rask made 22 saves for the Bruins.
Casey DeSmith stopped just two shots he faced in 5:27 before he was replaced, trailing 3-1. Tristan Jarry made 28 saves the rest of the way.
Maatta also scored with 15 minutes left to make it 8-4. Ex-Bruin Phil Kessel scored the other goal for the Penguins, who lost their third in a row.
David Backes and Torey Krug also scored for the Bruins, who haven't lost in regulation to the Penguins at home in eight games since 2013.
NOTES: Gionta, who made his season debut after playing in the Olympics, assisted on Boston's fourth goal in the first period for his 300th NHL assist. Nick Holden also made his Bruins debut after coming over from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline. Evgeni Malkin, the No. 2 scorer in the NHL, did not have a point and registered only two shots in the game. Sidney Crosby had four shots and also did not register a point or assist. ... Zdeno Chara snapped a six-game scoreless streak with a first-period assist. ... The Bruins were without Patrice Bergeron, who will miss at least two weeks with a broken bone in his foot. ... DeSmith, a New Hampshire native, was playing in his first career game against the Bruins.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday.
Bruins: Host Montreal on Saturday.
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