Recap: Pastrnak’s hat trick propels Bruins to 6-2 win over Senators

Justin Brazeau added two power-play goals while Jesper Boqvist picked up the other tally in the win.

David Pastrnak registered his 17th career hat trick to help the Boston Bruins to a 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night at the TD Garden.

Justin Brazeau added two power-play goals while Jesper Boqvist picked up the other tally in the win.

The Bruins didn’t have their best first period, but still managed to take a 2-0 lead on Pastrnak’s first two goals of the game.

The Senators were able to make it a one-goal game twice in the second period, first scoring on the power play. But Justin Brazeau and the Bruins’ second power play unit struck and cushioned the B’s lead. The Senators, however, capped things off with a very late, four seconds remaining, goal in the middle frame from Brady Tkachuk.

The Bruins closed out the third period, as Pastrnak completed his hat trick with a blind backhander and Brazeau yet again potted a power-play goal. Boqvist stayed strong on the puck coming into the offensive zone to score the Bruins’ middle goal of the third period.

Here are the highlights!

First period:

The Bruins took the lead at 8:27 of the first period.

Pastrnak tipped in a long shot by Matt Grzelcyk for it to travel past Joonas Korpisalo. 1-0 Bruins.

The Bruins took a two-goal lead at 11:23 of the first period on Pastrnak’s second goal of the game.

Pastrnak skated down the center lane and put a backhander past Korpisalo’s blocker. 2-0 Bruins.

Second period:

The Senators bounced back at 13:08 of the second period on the power play.

Claude Giroux found Shane Pinto in the high slot for a one-timer past Linus Ullmark’s stick. 2-1 game.

The Bruins struck on the power play to regain a two-goal lead at 18:51 of the second period.

Justin Brazeau picked up Kevin Shattenkirk’s rebound to lift the puck past Korpisalo. 3-1 Bruins.

But then the Senators made it a one-goal game again for the second time in the second period at 19:56.

Brady Tkachuk picked up the loose puck out front to snap a shot through Ullmark’s five-hole. 3-2 game.

Third period:

Pastrnak completed his hat trick at 4:43 of the third period.

Along the goal line, Shattenkirk hit Pastrnak with a pass. Just inside the left-wing circle, Pastrnak sent a blind backhander toward net which beat Korpisalo’s glove. 4-2 Bruins.

The Bruins extended their lead at 5:08 of the third period.

After receiving a long pass from Johnny Beecher, Jesper Boqvist skated into the offensive zone, fending off Jakob Chychrun to cut to the front and slide a low shot past Korpisalo’s right skate. 5-2 Bruins.

Brazeau netted his second goal of the night — and second on the power play — to cap of the Bruins’ win at 18:06 of the third period.

Jake DeBrusk slid a pass to Brazeau below the goal line before he threw a wrist shot past Korpisalo out front. Final score: 6-2 Bruins.

Game notes:

• Ullmark is now 3-0-0 since the trade deadline. He said he is “just playing my game,” and felt the Bruins played a good defensive game in front of him tonight.
• Postgame, Ullmark talked about the Bruins’ third-period efforts to shut down the Senators and not make it as exciting as Sunday. He said offensively, the team did a good job to shut things down, and defensively, keep the puck out of the net. “We didn’t let up anything as well,” Ullmark said. “It kind of shows we are on the right path
• With his hat trick, Pastrnak is one point away from a 100-point season. Netting No.’s 42, 43 and 44 has him four goals away from at least tying his second-best season for goal production.
• Jim Montgomery said postgame that Brazeau has played a consistent game during his time with the Bruins. He liked his game around the net and how he gets to pucks at the goal line to then make subtle plays.
• Montgomery added Brazeau on the second power play unit has kind of always been the plan to utilize the forward because he’s good out front and also screens well.
• Shattenkirk returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the last couple of games. But he didn’t miss a beat and looked sharp out there. Along with Brazeau on the power play’s second unit, he drove plays in the offensive zone — even while playing on his off side tonight.
• The Bruins return to TD Garden ice on Thursday, March 21 to face the New York Rangers at 7 p.m.