The Boston Bruins have set a new NHL single-season record with 63 wins, defeating the Flyers 5-3 on Sunday at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center.
Bruins forward David Pastrnak tallied a hat trick to give him 60 goals on the season, second only to Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (64).
The Bruins entered the game tied with the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning. They ended the game as the first team in NHL history to post 63 victories in a single regular season.
Boston now has 131 points on the season, within reach of the all-time single-season record of 132 points held by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins finish with a home game on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals and a road game on Thursday against — potentially quite poetically — the Canadiens.
“I think they grasp (the moment), because we’re talking about the history of the NHL and how long this league has been here,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery on Saturday. “I think they grasp it like when (Wayne) Gretzky broke (Gordie) Howe’s record. Our group is aware of what we’re doing as a team.”
Boston has dominated the 2022-23 NHL season from start to finish. They have clinched the Presidents’ Trophy with the league’s best record, and with it home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, the Bruins are the fourth team in the NHL’s modern era to sit atop its division standings for the entire season, joining the 2008-09 Sharks, 1984-85 Oilers and 1977-78 Canadiens.
The Bruins set NHL records for the fastest team to 50 wins (64 games) and 100 points (61 games) as well.
Rather than coast into the postseason, Montgomery and his players have emphasized that breaking those regular-season records was a meaningful goal before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on April 17.
“Being able to stay focused and learn how to win when chasing records is the closest thing you can do when you’re having a season like us to prepare for the playoffs,” Montgomery said.
The Bruins — who have already wrapped up the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage through the Stanley Cup playoffs — have three games remaining in the regular season to become the first team in NHL history to reach 63 wins. Boston plays Philadelphia, Washington and Montreal, all non-playoff teams, before its regular season wraps Thursday.
Boston faced the Flyers less than 24 hours after defeating the New Jersey Devils at home on Saturday night. They iced a depleted lineup, missing centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, winger Taylor Hall and defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Dmitry Orlov.
Center Charlie Coyle got the scoring going just 47 seconds into the contest, firing a one-timer on a pass from defenseman Connor Carrick past Philadelphia goalie Felix Sandstrom.
The Flyers answered back with an unassisted goal from Wade Allison just 17 seconds later, on a miscue from Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (34 saves).
Pastrnak broke the tie at 2:04 of the second period and then added another goal at 7:31. Joel Farabee‘s goal at 13:58 of the second period off a Bruins turnover cut the lead to 3-2 entering the third period.
Pastrnak completed the hat trick just 39 seconds into the third. Flyers forward Owen Tippett‘s goal at 9:06 made things interesting, but center Pavel Zacha scored his 21st of the season to make it 5-3 and send Boston to its history-making victory.
“Anytime you’re talking about putting your team’s name in the history books of the most wins ever in a regular season, it’s special,” Montgomery said.
It should be noted that the 1995-96 Red Wings set their regular-season wins record in an era in before the overtime shootout eliminated tie games. Detroit had a record of 62 wins, 13 losses and 7 ties. Four of Boston’s wins this season came via the shootout.