Analysis: David Pastrnak still learning when to be creative

TORONTO -- David Pastrnak's creativity can be dynamic. It can also be dangerous.

The Bruins' 21-year-old forward is learning when and when not to use his dazzling ability. He's been struggling of late at both ends of the ice, and he's been pressing. It doesn't help that his linemate this season, David Krejci, is sidelined with back issues. As a result, Bruce Cassidy has reunited Pastrnak with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.



Cassidy was critical of the forward's play recently, saying he needs to play like a leader. That includes knowing when to be creative, and that was the case during Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Pastrnak was on the ice and had one player, the Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner, to beat in the Toronto zone. Instead of getting the puck deep or getting a shot on net, Pastrnak attempted to spin around Marner. The Bruins forward tripped and allowed an odd-man rush for the Maple Leafs that resulted in Patrick Marleau's game-winning goal at the other end.

"You hope he makes a play and gets it to the net, or protects it," said Cassidy. "In 3-on-3, you've got to value the puck. It happened quick, and I'm not sure he expected to be in that position and all of a sudden it's there and it didn't work out for us. They made a play coming the other way and that is the nature of 3-on-3. We'll trade chances and we had our right before that."

There have been plenty of times during his three-plus seasons in the NHL that his creativity has worked to the Bruins' benefit. He's made plays that some players don't have the ability to produce countless times, even without the puck. On Friday, he needed to do a better job protecting the puck in OT.

"I didn't get there on time, so I tried to poke it through him," explained Pastrnak. "I think it hit (Marner's) skate. It was just an unlucky play. I tried to make a one-on-one move.

"I fell down because as soon as I tried to poke it to the right side, I tried to do a spin-o-rama, and when I did that I think I tripped over his leg and then I wasn't able to catch him."

The coaching staff has been watching video with Pastrnak to help him make better split-second decisions with the puck. It's easy to criticize his play in overtime, but had he been able to chip the puck past Marner and score the game-winning goal in Boston's favor, Pastrnak's masterful creativity would be the headline.

He'll have another opportunity when the Bruins host the Maple Leafs Saturday night (7 p.m.) at TD Garden. Watch, he'll score the game-winning goal on some incredible move.