Tuesday night was a special one for Brad Marchand, as he took to the ice for his 1,000th career NHL game, all of them coming with the Boston Bruins.
Marchand's 1,000th game; help needed in bottom six
Marchand’s long-time teammate, David Pastrnak, shared the ice with Marchand to start his milestone game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Pastrnak, who has been Marchand’s teammate since 2014, spoke after the game about Marchand’s accomplishment and how he felt seeing the team’s captain be honored, including with a standing ovation during the game’s first commercial break.
“We’re so happy for his accomplishment,” Pastrnak said. “Well deserved. I’m happy for him.”
As Pastrnak watched the video tribute to Marchand in the first period, he said, “it definitely brings you some goosebumps. A thousand games in one jersey and in a special organization like the Bruins, it’s definitely amazing.”
Pastrnak commented on what makes Marchand’s path to 1,000 games special:
“He definitely didn't have the easy route to get here, so that for me is the biggest motivation.”
“The way he built himself as a player in all these years, he has a huge amount of respect from every guy in this room,” Pastrnak said.
What has stuck with Pastrnak most in his time working alongside Marchand has been his work ethic, energy and competitiveness.
“No matter if he is tired or rested, his work ethic is always there,” Pastrnak said. “His competitiveness on the ice, the battles in practice, he always brings it.”
Pastrnak, who is a frequent linemate of Marchand, explained what makes playing with him so special: “It’s fun. We always push each other. I always preach on his work ethic. It’s amazing and definitely a lot of guys can take that away from him.”
The full celebration for Marchand’s 1,000-game milestone will come on Monday, when the Bruins host the Dallas Stars at TD Garden at 1 p.m.
“Hopefully we can make it even more memorable for him on his celebration night,” Pastrnak said.