David Pastrnak Scores Overtime Winner as Bruins Edge Hurricanes 4-3 in Boston

David Pastrnak delivered in clutch fashion on Monday night, scoring a power-play goal at 2:34 of overtime to give the Boston Bruins a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Garden, strengthening their grip on second place in the Atlantic Division with just over a month remaining in the regular season.

The Czech superstar took a perfect pass from Brad Marchand and ripped a one-timer past Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen for his 42nd goal of the season, sending the sellout crowd of 17,850 into a frenzy. Pastrnak's winner came on the man advantage after Carolina's Sebastian Aho was called for slashing with 3:01 left in the extra period.

"Pasta was incredible tonight, especially when we needed him most," said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery after the victory. "His shot is so lethal from that spot, and Brad found him perfectly. These are the kinds of games that can define your season, and our top line came through when it mattered. We're going to need more performances like this down the stretch."

The game was a back-and-forth affair throughout regulation, with both teams trading goals and momentum shifts. Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk, and Pavel Zacha scored for Boston in regulation, while Carolina got goals from Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Necas, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi to force the extra period.

Jeremy Swayman was outstanding in net for Boston, making 34 saves including several spectacular stops in the third period when Carolina pressed for the go-ahead goal. His performance was particularly crucial given that the Bruins played the final two periods without defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who left with an upper-body injury.

The victory moves Boston to 40-15-5 on the season and extends their lead over third-place Toronto to eight points in the Atlantic Division standings. Pastrnak's overtime heroics and overall performance continue to cement his status as one of the NHL's elite goal scorers, as he remains on pace for his second 50-goal season. With the playoffs approaching, clutch performances like this could be the difference between home-ice advantage and a difficult first-round matchup for the Bruins.