Bruins Forward Drops Gloves as David Pastrnak. Bruins forward Cole Koepke dropped the gloves with Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle midway through the second period of Boston’s 4-1 defeat to Montreal at Centre Bell on Thursday night.
Boston started strong, outshooting Montreal 8-7 in the opening frame. But just 40 seconds into the second period, the Canadiens seized momentum when Christian Dvorak netted his 11th goal of the season, putting Montreal up 1-0.
Shortly after that early goal, Guhle delivered a hard neutral zone hit on Fabian Lysell — who had just returned to the lineup after being scratched in Tuesday’s game against Washington. Koepke didn’t take kindly to the hit and stepped in to defend his teammate.
“I thought it was a big hit on Lysell, and they were really taking control in the second,” Koepke told reporters. “I wanted to stand up for him and also try to spark some energy for the team, shift the momentum, and get us going again.”
Though Koepke held his own in his first fight as a Bruin, the Canadiens quickly added to their lead. A long Bruins line change left them vulnerable, and Montreal capitalized with a classic 2-on-1 play finished off by Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, making it 2-0.
The momentum from the fight faded fast. Montreal added two more goals in the third from Brendan Gallagher and Suzuki. Elias Lindholm cut the deficit with his 14th of the season, but Suzuki’s empty-netter in the final minutes sealed the win — and handed Boston its 10th consecutive loss.
The Bruins have gone nearly a month without an official captain—yet they haven’t been without direction.
Brad Marchand was traded to Florida on March 7, the final piece in a series of significant moves that overhauled a roster still clinging to playoff hopes at the time.
Those hopes have since unraveled into a 10-game losing streak, plunging Boston to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
With Marchand’s exit, and fellow veterans Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle also moved at the deadline, plus Charlie McAvoy sidelined due to a shoulder injury and infection, the team lost the core of its leadership group.
Left to lead was David Pastrnak, who has worn an “A” since the beginning of last season. Despite the turmoil, Pastrnak—Boston’s franchise cornerstone and one of the NHL’s top scorers—has stepped up as the team’s de facto captain.
When 2025 began, Pastrnak caught fire, embarking on a 17-game point streak that pushed him into the MVP conversation as the Bruins fought for a wild-card spot.
Following a Feb. 27 loss to the Islanders, Marchand even endorsed him for the Hart Trophy.
“He should be right near the top of the MVP race,” Marchand said. “He’s been unbelievable and leads this team every night. The things he does out there are incredible. We see it up close, and he’s taken his game to another level.”
Heading into Saturday’s matchup with Carolina, Pastrnak has 37 goals and 89 points—and he hasn’t missed a beat, even as the lineup around him shifted dramatically.
While he may have fallen out of the MVP race, Pastrnak has clearly become the heart and soul of the Bruins.
As the team plays out its final six games, Bruins president Cam Neely told *The Boston Globe* last week he expects his players to “compete and take pride in their game, both individually and as a team… Everyone should be giving full effort and showing pride.”
Pastrnak has taken that message to heart.
“No matter where we are in the standings, this is the NHL—the best league in the world,” he said. “You don’t take a single day for granted. When you wear the Bruins jersey, pride and compete have to be there every day—practice or game. That’s the culture the guys before us built, and it’s on us to carry it forward.”
With his on-ice production and leadership presence, Pastrnak is the clear frontrunner to wear the captain’s “C” next.
Still, he remains grounded.
“I haven’t really thought about it,” he said last month. “I’ve got the ‘A’ and I haven’t changed who I am. Maybe I lead a little more, but I’m just being myself.”
And for a team in transition, that may be exactly what they need.
**Minimal Return So Far from Departed Players**
The five players Boston dealt away at the deadline haven’t made much of a splash offensively with their new teams. As of Friday:
– Charlie Coyle has 1 goal and 4 assists in 14 games with Colorado
– Brandon Carlo has 1 assist in 13 games with Toronto
– Brad Marchand has 1 assist in 4 games with Florida
– Justin Brazeau has 1 goal in 14 games with Minnesota
– Trent Frederic (lower-body injury) has yet to suit up for Edmonton but may debut Sunday
Meanwhile, the Bruins have been held to three or fewer goals in 11 straight games. Saturday’s contest against the Hurricanes marks their final Saturday game of the season.
