David Pastrnak Almost Had The Goal Of The Year

By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- David Pastrnak didn't find the back of the net in the Bruins' win over the Predators, but he came close - and it would have been one of the prettiest plays you'll ever see.

Pastrnak left an impression every time he was on the ice on Tuesday, leading several eye-popping rushes and setting up David Krejci for a first-period goal to put the Bruins up by two. But Pastrnak's most impressive move of the night came on a non-goal.

Watch below as Pastrnak carries the puck into the offensive zone and hits Preds defenseman Matt Irwin with a ridiculous spin-move toward the middle of the slot. He didn't quite hit the net on the ensuing shot, but "Pasta" came within inches of scoring what would have been a top candidate for "goal of the year."

(H/t Stanley Cup of Chowder)

Here's a wide angle:

It was the kind of move that had the TD Garden fans buzzing well after it happened, even though it didn't result in a goal. Many players couldn't pull off that move with cones in an empty rink, let alone on a professional defenseman in the middle of a game that counts.

Pastrnak's assist on Krejci's goal was pretty enough, as he completed the give-and-go play back to Krejci on a rush up the middle:

Pastrnak's teammate Noel Acciari did score, however, and it was the first of his career. So Pastrnak gave him a pie to the face for the milestone:

Pastrnak had hit a bit of a lull in his play over the course of the Bruins' four-game winning streak. It's good to see that he could be heating back up as the Bruins make their final push for a playoff spot.

Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.

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