Pastrnak eclipses 50-goal mark as Bruins win seventh straight

RALEIGH, N.C. -- David Pastrnak eclipsed the 50-goal mark, scoring twice, and the Boston Bruins won their seventh game in a row, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in a shootout Sunday.

A day after Boston secured the Atlantic Division crown with a home win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk scored in the shootout in a matchup of Eastern Conference division leaders.

Jakub Lauko also scored for the Bruins, who earned their 57th victory. Coach Jim Montgomery's club is now five wins shy of matching the NHL record with nine regular-season games to play. Charlie McAvoy had two assists and Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves.

"We've had a lot of character wins in a lot of different fashions," Montgomery said.

Swayman concurred.

"It shows the depth that we have," Swayman said. "I think all of us thrive on the energy in a building like this."

Jack Drury, Brady Skjei and Sebastian Aho scored for the Hurricanes, who won three of their previous four games. Brett Pesce had two assists and Frederik Andersen stopped 35 shots.

"This wasn't our best game, but I thought, third period, we certainly came on," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "It's one of those games where you say that's probably a good point to get out of it."

Pastrnak's 50th goal of the season came 4:43 into the game. He received pass from McAvoy and skated half the length of the ice on a breakaway to beat Andersen.

After the win, Pastrnak, carrying the milestone puck, said he "may have a beer or two" to celebrate the achievement.

Drury, set up in the slot, scored his second goal of the season off a pass from Jalen Chatfield at 7:44 of the second.

Just 1:28 later, Pastrnak's second goal came on a power play when he blasted a shot from the left side just inside the post. Lauko's fourth goal extended the lead at 11:46 of the second.

Carolina pulled even at 3-3 when Skjei and Aho scored in the first four minutes of the third period.

"Obviously, you want to get two points," Skjei said. "But proud of the way we came back in the third period."

With the division secured, the Bruins sat some important players. Defenseman Hampus Lindholm and forwards Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand were scratches with what the team called nagging injuries. The trio has accounted for 57 goals this season.

"With Bergeron and Marchand back at home, you can see his leadership skills really come out," Montgomery said of Pastrnak. "I think he put the team on his back and played the right way."

Carolina's only significant lineup adjustment came with center Paul Stastny in the lineup in place of Jesse Puljujarvi, who had played in eight straight games since making his debut with the Hurricanes. Puljujarvi arrived in a trade from Edmonton in late February.

As part of their "Heritage Night," the Hurricanes wore their Hartford Whalers-inspired jerseys, honoring the city where the franchise began before relocation in 1997.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.