Bruins hammer Canucks on David Pastrnak's milestone night

Czech linemates David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha each scored a goal and combined for seven points as the Boston Bruins eased past the host Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Saturday night.

Pastrnak (one goal, three assists) became the 11th player in Bruins history to reach 400 career assists after contributing to the team's first three goals before scoring 26 seconds into the third period.

Zacha (one goal, two assists) and Morgan Geekie (one goal, one assist) also recorded multiple points while Brad Marchand and Marc McLaughlin added goals for Boston, which has won five of seven despite starting 0-2-0 on its five-game road trip.

The Bruins built 2-0 and 4-0 leads at the intermissions for goaltender Jeremy Swayman (19 saves).

For Vancouver, which has won just one of its last four (1-2-1), Max Sasson netted his first NHL goal and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves in his second start following a knee injury.

The Bruins came out firing in the first, earning the game's first power play on the way to opening a 16-4 advantage in shots -- including an 11-1 start -- and a 2-0 lead.

Marchand lit the lamp first at 5:12, finishing a great puck-moving display on the power play with Elias Lindholm threading a pass down the goal line for a finish at the right crease.

Geekie made it 2-0 when Pastrnak fed him a pass off the end wall and into the slot at 8:08.

Boston netted its first shot of the middle frame only 1:12 in, as a faceoff win led to Pastrnak sending Zacha down the slot to move backhand to forehand and slide home the 3-0 goal.

Vancouver finally found a push around the midway point of the game, with Swayman making one of his best stops on a Conor Garland one-timer from between the circles.

Boston quickly took momentum back and added to its lead. At 11:49, McLaughlin scored his first of the season, spinning in the high slot for a shot that deflected off a defender and five-hole past Demko.

Swayman maintained the clean sheet through two periods, thanks in large part to a turnaround save on Kiefer Sherwood on the rebound with 7:00 remaining.

The Bruins needed only 26 seconds in the third to find their fifth goal, as Charlie McAvoy fed Pastrnak to drive the wing and net a wraparound. It would have been 6-0 if not for Demko stopping Cole Koepke's break-in at the 2:00 mark.

A failed clearance allowed Vancouver to break the shutout as J.T. Miller set up Sasson to wrist home the goal with 9:47 left.

--Field Level Media