Despite Nearly Missing the Game, Pastrnak Came Up Huge for the Bs

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Dorin Canaday
April 7, 2023 (1:33)

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By tying the game in the third, the Bruins avoided a lacklustre loss on Thursday, and even won with a Pastrnak OT winner, but the All-Star nearly wasn't able to play.

From Almost Sitting Out to OT Hero

After the game, head coach Jim Montgomery shared that Pastrnak had been dealing with a tough illness prior to the game against the Maple Leafs, however, insisted he could play.

As per Conor Ryan of Boston.com:

''I can't give him enough credit for how he willed himself to help us tonight,» Montgomery said of Pastrnak. «He was not at his 100% level. He was battling a stomach virus and I give him full credit for helping us win this hockey game.''

Although Montgomery kept his shifts short, Pastrnak still found a way to make a huge impact. He's now up to 57 goals and 47 assists in 77 games played this season.

But why did he decide to play under the Bruins' current circumstances and while feeling under the weather? Pastrnak himself credited to the leadership of guys like captain Bergeron.

''We have leaders like [Patrice Bergeron]. You learn from them all [your] life, so there's not many things that can stop you, you know?�'

The 2-1 win over Toronto gives Boston its 61st win of the season, and they now sit just two away from the single-season win record of 62 (DET in 1995-96 and TBL in 2018-19).

They have four games remaining:

Saturday vs NJD
Sunday @ PHI
Tuesday vs WSH
Thursday @ MTL

Will they set the NHL record?