10! Breaking Apart the Bruins’ Ten-Goal Showing Against the Rangers

The Boston Bruins (24-19-2) had not recorded ten goals since 1988, but accomplished that feat on Saturday afternoon, steamrolling the New York Rangers (20-20-6) 10-2 at the TD Garden. 

Four goal scorers had the ten goals for the black and gold; each of them scored a different number of goals. On the back end, Jeremy Swayman backstopped the team with 27 saves. David Pastrnak generated six assists; he is the third Bruin to do that in franchise history (Bobby Orr, Ken Hodge). 

“We had a good day. They had a really bad day,” Marco Sturm said to open his postgame press conference.

It was the Rangers who opened the scoring only 84 seconds into the matinee. However, the Boston Bruins responded 67 seconds later, and then poured five more into the net before the Rangers could answer. 

Marat Khusnutdinov answered the Rangers’ goal; he tied the game for the Bruins. He would go on to check a few boxes during this game: he notched his first multi-goal, hat trick, and four-goal game in his NHL career. For the Russian forward, he exploded for a breakaway, buried a net-front feed, and redirected two pucks into the net. 

He skated on the first line with David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm. 

“He’s a great kid that recognizes where he plays in the lineup,” David Pastrnak said about his linemate. “He’s been playing on every line, and he’s very smart to recognize what his role [is] each and every game. Right now, he’s playing with us, and it’s fun to play with him, with his speed, and he’s so creative. Strong on the puck for his size, he’s extremely strong on the puck, and he creates so many turnovers on the forecheck.”

Khusnutdinov generated five high-danger chances and six scoring chances on Saturday afternoon, according to NaturalStatTrick.

“I have maybe three or four more chances,” Khusnutdinov said after the game. “Maybe I can try to score five goals today. But I need to stop at four.”

Khusnutdinov’s hat trick was not the only one for the Bruins. Pavel Zacha had one of his own. He did it in the first 31:26 of the game. His second goal came on the power play, and with 32.9 seconds remaining in the first period, although it was not initially called a goal. The play clock ran down to zero, and the Rangers’ bench headed up the tunnel. Boston did not, though.

“That’s why we have two video coaches in the room,” Marco Sturm said. “They caught it right away. The play was still going on, and we already knew it was in the net. That’s why we all stayed, because we already knew before that it crossed the line.” 

The 32.9 seconds were put back on the clock, and the Rangers had to come back from the locker room to finish out the first period.

Zacha’s first career hat trick comes 672 games into his NHL career. Before Saturday, he had one two-goal game this season, and 14 in his career. 

“It took longer than I thought it would,” Zacha said about his first career hat trick. “I’m just trying to play a two-way game. When I scored two in the first period, I knew there was a chance to score a third. Our line was going well, and the power play.”

The Bruins had two players record a hat trick in the same game for the first time since January 18, 1964 (Andy Hebenton and Dean Prentice, vs. Toronto). 

Fraser Minten connected twice for his second multi-goal game in the Bruins’ last four contests. The Vancouver native skated on the third line, but once Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie left the game, Minten was playing alongside Khusnutdinov and Pastrnak.

“He played a great game, too,” Zacha said about Minten. “Overall, I’m happy that a lot of guys got on the board and had assists and goals. Helped us win, the whole team.”

Charlie McAvoy scored the Bruins’ seventh goal of the matinee. That is McAvoy’s second on the 2025-26 season, and he has both in the last nine games. 

Through all of the goal scoring, David Pastrnak led the team in points on Saturday. He had six assists, which extends his point streak to five games (4-8–12). 

“We all know he’s a great goal scorer, but every year he’s getting better and better at making plays, being a leader in the locker room,” Zacha said about his Olympic teammate. “It was a great game for him; every assist was deserved. He made great plays, strong plays in the offensive zone, winning a lot of puck battles.”

In a 10-2 win, the Bruins outhit the Rangers 29-27 and had two fights go their way. The Bruins, for the second straight game, stayed true to their identity. 

“Proves that when we play physical and play hard, good things happen and offense comes from it,” Mark Kastelic said after the game. “I know the guys who all scored aren’t the biggest guys. For a complete team game, when we’re physical and hard, everybody’s going, and it works out in our favor.”

Two Bruins forwards departed the game early for different reasons.

“[Geekie] had a family emergency, so he had to leave. But it’s all good. It’s all good. We have to watch him and see if he comes back tomorrow; game-time decision.” 

Geekie skated in seven shifts and totaled 6:14 time on ice in the first period. 

Elias Lindholm departed after the second period due to a “nagging” issue, and with the lead, Marco Sturm made the move to take him out of the game. Sturm called Lindholm a “game-time decision” as well. 

The Bruins have to move on rather quickly, with a game on Sunday evening against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

“It is important to soak it in, but at the same time, we have a new game tomorrow,” Pastrnak said. “We’re going to have to flip the page.”

“It’s going to be a 0-0 hockey game,” Marco Sturm added. “We have to push some buttons right away, early on, and make sure that we forget about today.”

The Bruins have steadied the ship as they move through their five-game homestand, and have little time to linger on Saturday’s win.