Bruins vs. Kings Takeaways: Pasta Pots OT Winner 

BOSTON – David Pastrnak provided some late game heroics, with a little help from a couple of rising stars. 

The Bruins right winger scored the game-winning goal in sudden death overtime, as Boston topped the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, Saturday at TD Garden. 

Skating three aside in the extra session, the winger hooked up with center Matthew Poitras and Mason Lohrei for the game-winner at 3:07. 

Taking a backhanded drop pass from Lohrei, the pair executed a brilliant give-and-go. Lohrei returned the favor finding the winger wide open in the right slot for the game-winner.  

“Great job by Potsy,” said Pastrnak. “He made a couple of nice plays, and the puck got to me. I saw Mason flying at top speed, so we kind of crisscrossed.  The other guys looked tired, so I skated, made a nice move. It was a good game-winning goal.”

Read: Matthew Poitras Is ‘Very Close’ To Returning For Bruins

Trailing 1-0, Boston’s offense kicked into gear midway through the second period. Elias Lindholm led the comeback, scoring on a fat rebound of a Brad Marchand drive at 16:50. Lindholm’s goal extends his point streak to three-games. 

Making his second straight start, goaltender Jeremy Swayman was unflappable.  The Bruins netminder made 32 saves. The best of the bunch came in the first period, denying Alex Lafreniere on a rush down the left boards, before stoning Joel Edmunson on the rebound with a snapping glove save with 3:47 remaining in the stanza. 

Boston outshot the Kings 8-6 in the first period, but fell behind 20-16 at the end of two.   The Bruins offense was held to just three shots midway through the second period, and were looking for a spark, which Pastrnak provided in the extra session.

Poitras didn’t look out of place in his season debut on the Bruins checking line, before assisting on the OT winner.

Check out: Tenacious Forward Cole Koepke a Surprise Addition to Bruins Lineup

Flanked by wingers Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau, the center set up Frederic out front during a first period drive.  He even managed to strip the puck off the Kings, one of four takeaways the team earned.

After enduring a shaky season opener in Florida, Lohrei also returned to the Bruins lineup. Paired with Andrew Peeke, the 6-foot-5, 211-pound defenseman kept it simple, making one block in 15:01 of ice through regulation, before picking up the OT helper.

With Poitras and Lohrei both returning, Riley Tufte and Parker Wotherspoon were scratched.

KBK Line Keeps Clicking:

The Bruins fourth line of Mark Kastelic, Johnny Beecher and Cole Koepke continue to play heads-up hockey.  

The trio set the tone from the opening shift. Koepke stripped the puck free from Warren Foegele deep in the offensive zone, resulting in a decent scoring opportunity.  A dark horse candidate to make the team out of training camp, Koepke has earned his keep on the squad with his trademark tenacity. The Two Harbor’s Minnesota native had three first period hits.  

Kastelic has complimented the line providing a heavy net-front presence, with Beecher digging pucks out of the corners and off the boards.  The line accounted for 11  hits.

Mitchell Waived:

Before the game, Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney placed defenseman Ian Mitchell on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Providence. Mitchell had previously been in the injured list. The move leaves Boston with eight defensemen. Alec Regula is also out with an injury.  

Forward Tyler Johnson remains with the team on a PTO. 

Bruins Lines:

Pavel Zacha – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak 

Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle  – Morgan Geekie 

Trent Frederic – Matthew Poitras – Justin Brazeau 

John Beecher – Mark Kastelic – Cole Koepke 

Nikita Zadorov – Charlie McAvoy 

Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo 

Mason Lohrei – Andrew Peeke

Jeremy Swayman, Joonas Korpisalo 

Up Next:

The Bruins cap their three-game homestand on Monday, with a rematch against the Florida Panthers at 1 p.m. Boston dropped its season opener to the defending Stanley Cup Champions, 6-4, Oct. 8. 

FOLLOW CHRISTOPHER HURLEY ON 𝕏: @HURLEY_BURLY  

FOLLOW BOSTON HOCKEY NOW ON 𝕏 AND FACEBOOK