Pastrnak pushes point streak to 17, Bruins hold off Penguins

PITTSBURGH -- David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist to extend his NHL career-high point streak to 17 games in a 3-2 win for the Boston Bruins against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.

Pastrnak has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) during the streak.

“Definitely feel I’m much better out there,” Pastrnak said. “We’re confident. Making plays, hanging onto the puck when I have to. Today was not as great besides that first period but definitely feeling much better out there.”

Joonas Korpisalo made 31 saves, and Pavel Zacha had two assists for the Bruins (28-25-8), who had lost five in a row (0-3-2). Boston captain Brad Marchand left the game after he sustained an upper-body injury early in the first period.

Anthony Beauvillier and Rickard Rakell scored, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 23 saves for the Penguins (24-29-9), who have lost five of six.

“The common theme is we need more purposeful play so we’re harder to play against,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I’m not going to single out anything. This is a group effort. I think we could’ve done a better job.

“They got behind us more than we’d like ... but I’m not going to single anybody out. We, as a group, have to be better.”

Pastrnak put Boston ahead 1-0 on its first shot on goal at 1:32 of the first period. He took a stretch pass from Zacha and skated in alone before going backhand to forehand around Nedeljkovic’s left pad.

Pittsburgh has allowed a goal on the first shot in 13 of 62 games this season (21 percent), including in each of the past three. Nedeljkovic also gave up one on the first shot in a 6-1 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday and a 5-4 overtime win at home against Philadelphia on Thursday.

“They all happen different ways,” Nedeljkovic said. “I think for a majority of them, it’s just about starting on time for everybody. Some things are preventable. Some things, they just happen and that’s hockey."

Marchand was injured during a power play at 5:52 when the 36-year-old forward was hit into the boards by Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph. He remained down for several minutes before being helped to the locker room by Pastrnak and a trainer.

Bruins coach Joe Sacco said he expects to have more information Sunday.

"I thought we responded well. I thought we played hard,” Sacco said. “We played hard today. ... Overall, I thought the guys responded very well. We played physical, we played well.”

Mason Lohrei made it 2-0 on the same power play at 6:33 with a snap shot off the right post from the left face-off circle.

Pastrnak was awarded a penalty shot after Erik Karlsson was called for hooking at 3:38 of the third period, but his backhand was turned away by Nedeljkovic.

“’Ned’ was huge,” Penguins forward Bryan Rust said. “I don't think we came out with the game or the energy that we would have liked, and they jumped out to a lead. I think after that lead, he was incredible. He made every save. Made some big saves for us, obviously. The penalty shot was huge, too.”

Beauvillier cut it to 2-1 on a short-handed goal at 14:01 of the third, taking a pass from Kevin Hayes for a wrist shot in the slot.

Charlie Coyle scored an empty-net, short-handed goal to extend the lead to 3-1 at 19:19.

Rakell scored with a wrist shot on the same power play at 19:38 for the 3-2 final.

The Penguins were 1-for-7 on the man-advantage.

“They have really dangerous guys out there, right?” Korpisalo said. “So, every single guy just stayed on the passing lanes, shot lanes. Really good sticks. Smart plays. It comes down to every single little detail.”

NOTES: Pastrnak tied Ray Bourque (17 games in 1984-85) for the eighth-longest point streak in Bruins history. His is the longest ever by a Czechia-born player, passing Robert Lang (16 games in 2003-04) and Jaromir Jagr (16 games in 2000-01). ... Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had an assist on Rakell’s goal to tie Adam Oates (586) for the eighth-most home assists in NHL history. ... Boston forward Matthew Poitras had one shot on goal in 12:11 after sustaining a lower-body injury in a 2-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Friday, colliding with Islanders forward Brock Nelson and slamming into New York’s open bench door. ... Joseph left the game after he sustained an upper-body injury midway through the first period on a hit along the boards from Bruins forward Mark Kastelic. Sullivan did not provide an update.