“David Pastrnak’s milestone 400th goal leads the Bruins as they continue their dominant streak, ready to face the Ottawa Senators in their third matchup in just 18 days.”
The Boston Bruins are riding high with seven straight wins and will look to extend that streak as they head into Ottawa for their third meeting with the Senators in 18 days. After a thrilling 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, which saw David Pastrnak reach a career milestone, the Bruins are primed for another important matchup against their Atlantic Division rivals.
Pastrnak’s 400th Goal: A Historic Moment for the Bruins
Pastrnak’s two-goal, one-assist performance in Tuesday’s victory not only propelled the Bruins to a big win but also secured his place in history. The winger became the sixth player in Bruins history to score 400 goals, joining the ranks of legends like Johnny Bucyk, Phil Esposito, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and Rick Middleton.
“It’s something that will sink in a little bit later, maybe when I retire,” Pastrnak said. “Now, when you are in the game, you focus and flip the page on to the next day.” Despite the significance of the achievement, Pastrnak remains focused on the present, helping lead the Bruins to another dominant win.
Coach Marco Sturm praised Pastrnak’s consistency, saying, “Pasta is obviously a special player. To score 400 goals in this league is pretty amazing, so we’re all really happy for him reaching that milestone.”
Strong Team Play as Bruins Continue Winning Streak
In addition to Pastrnak’s historic night, Hampus Lindholm, Alex Steeves, and Pavel Zacha all contributed with goals of their own, marking Boston’s third five-goal outing during their current streak. Lindholm noted, “We’ve really started to figure out what’s going to be successful for us, our identity as a group.” The Bruins’ balanced attack and strong defensive play have made them one of the most dangerous teams in the league right now.
Senators’ Resilience Amid Injury Struggles
The Senators, currently riding a six-game point streak (3-0-3), are a formidable opponent but have had their share of struggles. Their most recent game against the Dallas Stars ended in a 3-2 overtime loss after blowing a 2-0 lead. Despite the loss, Ottawa coach Travis Green was pleased with the team’s performance, saying, “It was a hard-fought game… when you play good teams, I thought we had some chances to put the game away.”
Ottawa’s defense took a hit with the loss of Thomas Chabot, who left the game with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Bruins. His absence leaves a significant gap, as Chabot is a key player on the blue line. However, Green expressed confidence in the remaining defensive corps, with Jake Sanderson stepping up to play 29 minutes in Chabot’s absence.
Looking Ahead: A Competitive Showdown
With both teams battling for position in the standings and key players sidelined, this matchup between the Bruins and Senators promises to be a hard-fought contest. Boston is riding high after another dominant performance, but Ottawa, despite the recent loss, has shown they can challenge the top teams in the league.
Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Storm Norton reverted to season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday, per team reporter Terrin Waack, the first player in the league to do so this season.
Norton landed on IR with a return designation during final roster cuts after undergoing ankle surgery in the preseason. He returned to practice on Oct. 22 and was a full practice participant right away. He then re-aggravated the injury the following week and has not practiced since. His 21-day practice window expired on Wednesday, forcing him to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines.
Head coach Raheem Morris declined to give details on Norton’s setback, but acknowledged that “it wasn’t great news.”
The Falcons already lost starting right tackle Kaleb McGary for the year after he suffered a leg injury in training camp. That was a major loss for Atlanta’s offensive line, especially considering McGary’s job to protect left-handed quarterback Michael Penix‘s blind side. The team has relied on Elijah Wilkinson to fill McGary’s spot, but he has allowed 30 pressures, the fifth-most among all offensive tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Norton would not necessarily have been an upgrade. His only full year as a starter came in 2021 for the Chargers, when he allowed 59 pressures, the second-most by an offensive tackle that season and the third-most in a single season since 2019. Since then, he has only started four games, though he still could have pushed Wilkinson for his job.
Atlanta also placed fourth-year linebacker DeAngelo Malone on IR on Wednesday. He suffered a broken ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts and underwent surgery on Monday. Malone will miss at least four games, but his absence could be longer, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The 2022 third-round pick is a core special teams contributor who has not had more than a peripheral role on defense since his rookie year.
In other Falcons news, linebacker Malik Verdon was designated to return from the non-football injury list. The team signed the former Iowa State safety as an undrafted rookie with the intention of converting him to linebacker in Jeff Ulbrich‘s defense. Verdon played through an arm injury during his last year of college, but it is unknown if it is related to the shoulder issue that landed him on the NFI list in July.
Finally, Atlanta signed safety Jammie Robinson to their practice squad. The 2023 fifth-round pick appeared in 21 games for the Carolina Panthers over his first two years, primarily on special teams. He was waived before the end of his second season and has since spent time with the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions, though he has not played this year. He will add special teams depth in Atlanta, which may come in handy with Malone sidelined for the foreseeable future.