Bruins’ 10-2 Offensive Explosion Makes Statement in Historic Rout of Rangers
Jeremy Swayman pregame January 6. Photo credits: Jenn G.
Written By Gina Anton
BOSTON— In a game that will be remembered for years to come at TD Garden, the Boston Bruins cruised to a staggering 10-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon. What was expected to be a tight Original Six matchup instead turned into one of the most dominant offensive performances the Bruins have produced in decades.
Boston’s attack was relentless from the puck drop. After conceding an early goal, the Bruins erupted for three in the first period, four in the second, and three more in the third, finishing with 10 goals on just 34 shots, which demonstrates a remarkable rate of efficiency. Jeremy Swayman saved 27 shots out of 29 as well.
Leading the scoring barrage were Marat Khusnutdinov with four goals and Pavel Zacha with three, both logging their first career hat tricks, a rare event that hasn’t happened for Bruins teammates since 1964. Khusnutdinov was unstoppable, tallying four goals and an assist, while Zacha notched his three-goal night against an overwhelmed Rangers defense.
Adding to the offensive outburst, David Pastrnak recorded a franchise-tying six assists, joining legends Bobby Orr and Ken Hodge as the only Bruins ever to reach that mark in a game. Fraser Minten contributed two goals and an assist, and Charlie McAvoy chipped in offensively as well with a goal.
Scoring 10 goals in an NHL game is rare in the modern era, even for high-powered offenses. This night was especially significant for Boston. The Bruins had not reached double digits in a game since Oct. 16, 1988, when they put up 10 against the Chicago Blackhawks. That means it had been nearly 38 years since a Bruins squad scored this prolifically.
“We were ready from the start, which was the biggest thing I saw from the team today,” Zacha said in a postgame interview. “It was great to see everyone was ready from the beginning even when we got scored on, and the response we had today was big and that’s how you win games.”
The win was a confidence booster for this Boston team, which improved to 4-1 in its last five games, showing signs of a team that can score in waves and wear down opponents. This performance could be a turning point. A dominant outing like this reels in valuable standings points. By contrast, the Rangers’ struggles continued: their defensive issues were laid bare, and they fell to 1-4-2 in their last seven games.
Boston has now experienced an efficient comeback from their earlier 6-2 loss to New York in November. With this type of performance under their belt, the Bruins will look to carry this offensive confidence into upcoming matchups as they push through their January matchups.
