The Boston Bruins will close a back-to-back set and their three-game California swing against the host Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.
Boston is 10-0-3 in its past 13 games after a 4-2 win Saturday night in San Jose. David Pastrnak scored twice for the Bruins, and Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists.
The Bruins beat the host Los Angeles Kings 5-2 on Thursday.
The Bruins’ season-long run of wins has continued this week without forward Jake DeBrusk, who suffered hand and lower-body injuries during Monday’s NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park.
“When you have great depth like we have, you’re able to move people around, especially when people are on top of their games, to give our team an added spark,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said.
DeBrusk is expected to miss approximately four weeks, and with him on long-term injured reserve, the Bruins recalled Chris Wagner — who was drafted by and began his career with the Ducks — from Providence of the American Hockey League.
A veteran of 359 NHL games, Wagner played just one game with Boston last season and had 11 points in 27 AHL contests before rejoining the big club.
“Just playing in the NHL, I don’t take any days for granted,” Wagner said upon arriving in California. “Definitely learned that last year. Just trying to help this team win.”
Pastrnak, whose 29 goals match Washington’s Alex Ovechkin for third-most in the NHL, was reunited on the line with captain Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand in DeBrusk’s absence.
Montgomery called the trio “dominant” when they played together briefly in November.
Bergeron reached another milestone in his career with his two assists on Saturday, passing Phil Esposito for third place in Bruins history with 1,014 career points.
The Bruins will look to secure all six points from the Western swing by beating a team they edged 2-1 in a shootout at home on Oct. 20.
Boston has yet to lose a home game in regulation this season (19-0-3). Its last regulation loss was Dec. 9 in Arizona.
Following Sunday’s game, Boston will return home for three straight contests, opening with a visit from the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
Anaheim is nearing the end of a 10-game homestand (3-3-1 so far) that continued with Friday’s 5-4 overtime win over San Jose.
John Klingberg scored 1:08 into the extra session with an assist from Mason McTavish, who finished a four-point night with two goals and two assists.
“He’s out there because he’s earned trust — not only the trust of me, but he’s got the trust of our coaching staff and he has the trust of his teammates,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said of McTavish.
It was the 19-year-old McTavish’s first multi-goal effort in 49 career games, the majority of which have been this season. He is the third teenager to record a multi-goal game with the Ducks, joining defensemen Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm.
Entering play Sunday, his 26 points are four shy of Seattle’s Matty Beniers for the NHL rookie scoring lead.
“I think confidence has always kind of been there,” said McTavish, who was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft. “I believe in myself … pretty creative and stuff like that. Also, working with the coaches and doing video and gaining their trust and understanding what they want from me.”
Also for the Ducks, Trevor Zegras scored his first goal in 12 games.
Anthony Stolarz (37 saves) returned to the net for the first time since he suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 9.
–Field Level Media
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