Boston Bruins: 3 Things to Watch Tonight Against the Capitals

1. David Pastrnak makes his season debut tonight against the Capitals.

When it was announced in October that David Pastrnak underwent hip surgery in September, the time frame for his return in the fall was mid-February. In the newly realigned East Division, the Bruins were hoping to hang around without their leading goal scorer from last season with 48 lamplighters.

The Bruins have survived the first seven games without Pasta and will get their top-line right wing back tonight to reunite with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. While the Bruins have survived without No. 88 and sit tied for second place in the division, having the gifted goal-scorer back is a sight we didn’t think we would see for another couple of weeks.

Boston will be minus forwards Jake DeBrusk and Jack Studnicka tonight as the injuries just seem to pile up each night for coach Bruce Cassidy and company.

The Boston power play has been lethal through the first seven games with Nick Ritchie, Marchand, and Bergeron combining for all eight man-advantage goals. Now they add Pasta to the first unit and as weird as it sounds, that unit just got a whole lot better.

As the Bruins begin an early-season key four-game road trip, they do so getting back their most dangerous offensive player against one of the division’s most dangerous offensive teams. Game on!