Recap: Pastrnak’s hat trick propels Bruins past Avalanche, 5-2

The Bruins protected their lead in the third in a big way to come away with the win tonight.

A hat trick night from David Pastrnak helped the Boston Bruins to a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night at the TD Garden.

Jeremy Swayman made 32 saves while Jakub Lauko netted his first goal this season. Jake DeBrusk added a goal and a big assist on the Bruins’ late third-period as the team held their ground and limited Colorado’s offense to a handful of shots in the final frame to protect their one-goal lead.

Pastrnak got the Bruins out of the gate early with a goal in less than a minute into the game. He also picked up a power-play goal in the third period to cushion the Bruins lead and give them a little wiggle room as time ticked down and before he’d register a hat trick on an empty-net goal to secure the Bruins’ third straight victory.

Here are the highlights!

First period:

The Bruins opened the scoring 44 seconds into the first period.

David Pastrnak picked the puck off 8 as he circled from behind the net and into the left-wing circle to release a wrist shot from the top of the circle past Alexandar Georgiev. 1-0 Bruins.

The Bruins took a two-goal lead at 4:458 of the first period.

Morgan Geekie dished a pass out front. Jakub Lauko skated toward the net to pick up the loose puck and put a backhander into the net. 2-0 Bruins.

The Avalanche bounced back at 7:32 of the first period.

Miles Wood picked up Devon Toews rebound for a short-side goal past Jeremy Swayman. 2-1 game.

The Bruins regained their two-goal lead at 14:52 of the first period.

Parker Wotherspoon threw a wrist shot on net which Jake DeBrusk got his stick on and redirected past Georgiev. 3-1 Bruins.

Second period:

The Avalanche cut into their deficit at 16:20 of the second period.

Josh Manson fired a shot on net. Swayman thought he had it, but lost track of where the puck was. Nathan MacKinnon saw the loose puck and tapped it in through Swayman’s five-hole. 3-2 game.

Third period:

The Bruins cushioned their lead on the power play at 17:24 of the second period.

Jake DeBrusk found Pastrnak at the far post where he tip-in a goal. 4-2 Bruins.

Pastrnak recorded a hat trick at 19:38 of the third period to solidify the Bruins’ win.

After missing the empty net three times, Charlie Coyle fed the puck to Pastrnak for him to complete his hat trick. Final score: 5-2 Bruins.

Game notes:

• The Bruins have had a great stretch of games and it might be their most consistent play of the season. In their third straight win, they started strong and ended strong and were able to limit the impact of guys like MacKinnon and win puck battles against the Avalanche along the boards. While the Avalanche pressured them in the second period with their increased offensive zone coverage, the Bruins were able to protect their one-goal lead when it mattered most — the third period.
• Jim Montgomery said postgame he likes the way his team’s game is building. He said they are playing with confidence out there and it shows with how they are handling the puck.
• Parker Wotherspoon said postgame it was really important to play shut down defense in the third period with Colorado’s high offensive first line of Drouin, MacKinnon and Rantanen and limiting their shots on net. The Bruins limited Colorado to only four shots in the third period.
• That was important considering the Avalanche’s second period and outshooting the Bruins 16 to 8 in the frame.
• “We had a great first period and tough second,” Pastrnak said postgame. “Coming into the third, we definitely turned things around. It was more like the first period and we got the power play late there with the insurance goal and it was huge.”
• The power play also capitalized when it needed to and what a pass and skilled play DeBrusk made to find Pastrnak on the security goal.
• Pastrnak’s hat trick was his first this season. He said postgame he immediately went to Coyle on the ice, knowing he had just returned him the favor from when Pastrnak fed Coyle a pass to complete his own hat trick.
• Updates: Brandon Carlo and Matt Poitras were held out tonight as “precautionary,” Montgomery said.
• The Bruins host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. at the TD Garden.