"Those are learning experiences" - David Pastrnak reflects on Bruins' Round 2 playoff exit against Panthers

Boston Bruins alternate captain David Pastrnak reflected on the team's performance after the Florida Panthers eliminated them from the Stanley Cup playoffs. During a press conference, Pastrnak openly acknowledged the difficulties the Bruins encountered, particularly in close games where they ultimately came up short.

"I mean, obviously, in hockey games, you know, to put it simply, there were a lot of tight games in the playoffs that we ended up losing. When we didn't play our best, we made a couple of mistakes, which is understandable given our relatively young team this year. Those are learning experiences."

David Pastrnak stressed the need for the team to close out tight games, especially in overtime.

"We just need to be able to close out the tight games, especially in overtime. So, it's definitely not a big deal, not a big hassle; it's a big part of the game. We need to stay healthy, be healthy, so there's just a lot to it. Hopefully, we can use this as motivation going into the summer and get back to work ASAP because there's a lot of work to be done," Pastrnak said.

The Boston Bruins faced challenges during the season, including the absence of key players from the previous year's roster. However, this didn't shake the team's confidence. Instead, they leaned on their young talent like Mason Lohrei and John Beecher.

David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha will join Czech team in IIHF 2024

David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha will join the Czech national team in the 2024 IIHF World Championship. The event taking place in Prague has already started but both players will join the team for the remaining games.

Following the Boston Bruins' elimination from the playoffs, both players expressed keen interest in participating. They are expected to leave Boston on Sunday evening and arrive in Prague on Monday morning.

Petr Nedved, the GM of Czech's national team said,

“David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha showed great interest in coming to the World Championship ... The medical examinations went without complications and the club has therefore allowed both players to play at this year's World Championship.”

While Pastrnak and Zacha are unlikely to join Monday’s practice, they should be on the ice for Tuesday’s morning skate before the game against Canada.

Martin Necas of the Carolina Hurricanes, who earlier joined the Czech team, is wearing number 98 instead of his usual 88 out of respect for Pastrnak, whom he considers the best Czech player.

“Of course, Pasta has priority in number. He is our best Czech player," Necas said.

Necas noted that the arrival of Pastrnak and Zacha would be a big boost for the team.