Patrice Bergeron’s point total against the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday night was higher than the temperature outside of TD Garden.
Boston’s alternate captain scored four goals and added an assist for five points en route to a 7-1 blowout. Bergeron has 11 goals and two assists for 13 points in his last 11 games. It was only his second hat trick of his career with the first coming on 1/11/11 against the Ottawa Senators. The five points match a career-high. He had five assists against the Senators on Dec. 19, 2005.
Linemate Brad Marchand finished with a career-high four assists and he now has eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in his lat 17 games.
Pregame notes
Since the Bruins have back-to-back games prior to the bye week, coach Bruce Cassidy decided to split the goaltending duties this weekend. Anton Khudobin will start against the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday night at TD Garden, while Tuukka Rask gets the nod against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena.
Khudobin has an 8-2-3 record with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage in 14 games this season. He's 3-0-1 with a 1.94 GAA and a .927 SP in four career games against the Hurricanes.
The Bruins are 10-1-2 in their last 13 games and have earned points in nine straight with a 7-0-2 record. Given the recent success, Cassidy will stick with the same lineup.
Observations from the third period
- Ryan Spooner is not on the bench. David Pastrnak is double-shifting on David Krejci's line.
- Kevan Miller is having his best season as a pro.
- Lost in this blowout is how well Khudobin has played. He hasn't been challenged too often but he's made a few solid stops.
- Assuming the Bruins win this game, their record will be 23-10-6 for 52 points. During the 2010-11 season, when Bergeron notched his last hat trick, Boston's record was 23-12-7 for 53 points.
- A four-goal night for Patrice Bergeron.
- Matt Grzelcyk is so smooth with the puck.
- And there it is a hat trick for Bergeron to give the Bruins a 6-1 lead. It's his 15th goal of the season.
- Not to jinx it but Bergeron's last hat trick was 1/11/11 vs. Ottawa.
- Wow. Bruins pouring it on as Bergeron scores his second of the game for a 5-1 lead.
- Bruins are buzzing big time. Ryan Spooner with a shot from the point that's redirected in the slot by Jake DeBrusk to give Boston a 4-1 lead.
- Danton Heinen wins a battle along the wall in the offensive zone on the PP before Bergeron absolutely rifles a cross-ice pass to Pastrnak for the one-timer. Boston with a 3-1 lead. It's Pastrnak's 16th goal of the season.
- Hurricanes capitalize on the power play for their first goal of the game.
- Scott Darling has replaced Cam Ward in net for Carolina.
- Riley Nash scores to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead. Both goals on Ward have been scored high glove on the short side.
- Outstanding effort by Bergeron and Brad Marchand to connect on a shorthanded goal to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
- Was just going to say that David Krejci is finding his groove but then he's called for a penalty.