The Boston Bruins clobbered the New York Rangers 10-2 on Saturday at the Toronto Dominion Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins offense was on full display, as two Bruins players recorded hat tricks. In fact, Bruins center Marat Khusnutidinov of Moscow, Russia scored four goals and center Pavel Zacha of Brno, Czech Republic scored thrice. This is the first time this season that NHL teammates have registered a hat trick in the same game according to Hockey Reference.
Khusnutdinov became the third player this season to score four goals in a game. The first player this season to accomplish the feat was Utah Mammoth centre Logan Cooley of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in a 5-1 Mammoth win over the Vegas Golden Knights. The second player this season to score four times in a game was Nashville Predators centre Steven Stamkos of Markham, Ontario in a 7-2 Predators win over the St. Louis Blues on December 11.
Inside look at Khusnutdinov’s four goal game
This was Khusnutdionov’s first NHL hat trick. Remarkably, he scored four goals in the contest.
Khusnutdinov’s first goal was at 2:31 of the first period to tie the game at one. David Pastrnak of Havirov, Czech Republic and defenseman Henri Jokijarju of Oulu, Finland had the assists. Khusnutdinov’s second goal was at 6:41 of the second period from Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm of Boden, Sweden. At the time, the Bruins went up 5-1. Khusnutdinov’s hat trick was at 3:51 of the third period. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov of Moscow and Pastrnak had the assists to put Boston up 8-2. Khusnutdinov closed out the scoring from Fraser Minten of Vancouver, British Columbia and Jokijarju with one minute and 29 seconds left in the game.
Pavel Zacha’s first NHL hat trick
Zacha put the Bruins up 2-1 at 7:16 of the first period from defenseman Charlie McAvoy of Long Beach, New York. Zacha’s second goal was the game-winning goal with 33 seconds left in the first period from Lindholm and Pastrnak. The goal came on the power-play. Zacha’s third goal came at 11:26 of the second period from Casey Mittlestadt of Eden Prairie, Minnesota to put the Bruins up 6-1.
David Pastrnak also shines
Pastrnak also had a memorable game for the Bruins. He tied the franchise record for most assists in a game with six. Ken Hodge of Toronto, Ontario had six assists in a 6-3 Bruins win over the Rangers on February 9, 1971 and defenseman Bobby Orr of Parry Sound, Ontario had six assists in an 8-2 Bruins win over the Vancouver Canucks on New Year’s Day, 1973.
