BOSTON — The Bruins’ losing streak is no more.
Boston got arguably its best game from the Morgan Geekie-Elias Lindholm–David Pastrnak line as the trio combined for 13 points — including a hat trick from Pastrnak — in the Bruins’ 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.
It’s Boston’s first win since March 11. Despite the victory, Montreal’s win over Philadelphia eliminated the Bruins from the playoffs.
The first period didn’t feature much action until the final 90 seconds. Geekie scored the game’s first goal and his 28th of the season to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead when he snapped a shot by Frederik Andersen on a nice Pastrnak feed.
Lindholm doubled the Bruins’ lead 58 seconds later on Pastrnak’s second assist of the game to give Boston a 2-0 advantage going into first intermission.
After assisting on the first two goals Pastrnak scored one of his own to make it a 3-0 game with a shot from the goal line.
The Hurricanes had ample chances to get on the board, but Swayman was strong between the pipes and stopped the 14 shots he faced in the second period to keep the game scoreless.
Pastrnak added his second goal of the game 1:28 into the third period to give the Bruins a 4-0 lead when he batted Geekie’s pass out of mid-air and into the net.
With 4:42 left in the game Pastrnak notched his third goal of the game and watched fans litter the TD Garden ice with hats. It marked Pastrnak’s 40th goals of the season and his 19th career hat trick.
The Hurricanes got their first and only goal with 54.2 seconds left in the game from Justin Robidas.
Swayman, who was 0-7-0 in his last seven starts coming into Saturday, made 39 saves in the win.
