David Pastrnak labels Tuesday’s game vs. Montreal as ‘must-win’
Boston Bruins
“It’s [the] Montreal Canadiens. It’s very, very easy to get motivated, especially the way the last couple games [went].”
A Tuesday night game just ahead of the holiday break won’t be the final determinant in whether the 2025-26 Bruins will punch their ticket to the postseason later this spring.
But given the current rut that Boston finds itself in — coupled with the optics of facing off against their top rival, the Montreal Canadiens — David Pastrnak stressed Monday morning that the upcoming showdown with the Habs holds plenty of weight.
“We can feel the importance,” Pastrnak said. “We can call it the most important game so far [that] we’ve had this year. It’s a big game for us and we need to bounce back heading into the Christmas break. … It’s [the] Montreal Canadiens. It’s very, very easy to get motivated, especially the way the last couple games [went]. It’s a must-win tomorrow.”
Boston is in desperate need of a positive result going into the holidays. Beyond getting shredded by the Senators, 6-2, on Sunday night, the Bruins have now lost three straight games at TD Garden — and have dropped four of their last five matchups.
The Bruins have largely exceeded expectations so far this season with a 20-16-1 record. But a log-jammed Eastern Conference hasn’t exactly done Boston any favors when it comes to building some breathing room in the standings.
As of Tuesday morning, the Bruins currently sit just outside of the playoff picture with 41 points accrued through 37 games. The two teams currently holding onto the two Wild Card spots in the East — the Flyers and Devils — also have 41 points, but Boston is on the outside looking in due to points percentage.
Of the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference, 12 of them have accumulated at least 40 points this season, with Carolina leading the charge with just 47 points. As such, Boston only needs a win or two to rise back up into the playoff picture.
But with the Bruins’ struggles with forcing some of their games into overtime and at least banking “loser points,” Boston currently ranks 12th out of 16 teams in the East in points percentage at .554.
The road won’t get any easier on Tuesday against a Montreal team that currently sits in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 19-12-5 record.
Beyond Montreal’s bevy of skilled playmakers littered across the depth chart, they’ve also received a lift as of late from former Boston College goalie Jacob Fowler, with the rookie netminder sporting a .915 save percentage through four games so far in the NHL ranks.
Speaking after Sunday’s lopsided loss, Nikita Zadorov shared a similar message as Pastrnak when it came to Boston’s need for a response against their Original Six foe.
“We need to win that game,” Zadorov said. “We’re out of a playoff spot. That’s not where we want to be. It’s really tight in the standings but we know where we’re at. Nowhere near where we want to be as well, so we’ve got to show up against a big rivalry game.”
This will mark Boston’s second meeting with Montreal this season, as the Bruins went into the Bell Centre and bested the Habs, 3-2, on Nov. 15. Fresh off of Sunday’s showing on home ice, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm stressed on Monday that his team will have no shortage of motivation entering Tuesday’s showdown.
“I really think those kinds of games, you learn from,” Sturm said of Sunday’s setback against Ottawa. “I almost feel embarrassed sometimes, and when I feel that way, and hopefully the guys do, too, I get better. I’m already very excited about tomorrow.
“Did I have a [expletive] night last night? Damn right I did. But I’m more excited about tomorrow, because I know my guys. I know my players. I know this group — these guys care. There was never been a doubt that these guys care, and I know they’re gonna give me a response tomorrow. Not just for us — but I think for this organization and also for our fans.”
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