Things have fallen into place for the Bruins over the last couple of weeks. They smacked a 3-0 loss on the red-hot Red Wings Tuesday night at the Garden, extending their winning streak to four games (all on home ice) and putting them thick in the mix for a wild-card playoff spot.
In the center of it all, literally, has been Pavel Zacha. The veteran Czech pivot, who scored his first career hat trick in Saturday’s 10-2 hammering of the Rangers, got the party started vs. the Red Wings, connecting for his 14th goal of the season.
Zacha snapped home a sizzling wrister with 10:59 gone in the second period. The 1-0 lead was up on the board, and that was all the Bruins needed. By night’s end, they had banked back-to-back shutouts, allowing but four goals in their last 12 periods on home ice.
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The 28-year-old Zacha has been a lot of things in his 3½ seasons as a Bruin. In fact, based on what we are seeing from him of late, he has been too many things. A center by definition, dating to childhood days in Brno, Czechia, he too often has been shifted to wing duty here out of necessity. In that sense, his versatility has worked against him.
He is best, and most valuable, at center. Much to Zacha’s benefit, first-year Bruins coach Marco Sturm knows it. He knew it before he came back to town over the summer and began plotting where all the parts fit.
“I think the message was very clear and early for me with Pavel Zacha,” Sturm said soon after Tuesday’s win that boosted the Bruins to 6-1-1 over their last eight. “I think, watching him for years now — not even being around him — there was no question in my mind, he’s a centerman for me.”
Jim Montgomery, his first coach upon arriving in Boston in the 2022 trade from New Jersey, often flipped Zacha in and out of the middle. In part, that was because “Monty” also had Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci on duty as two of the game’s top pivots. When those two retired, Zacha the next season often played center for Montgomery, as he did when Joe Sacco took over the bench last season.
Sturm often has changed line combinations, but he has kept Zacha at center, where now he’s working with Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson as his wingmen. Zacha landed five shots on the Red Wings while Arvidsson, his confidence growing in lockstep with Zacha, put a game-high 10 shots on goalie Cam Talbot.
“Where the team needs me,” said Zacha, when asked if it’s just better for him to remain in the middle, “but I think, with my two-way game, I feel a little bit better at center — especially with the line I’m on right now. It’s been clicking.”
Arvidsson scored the lone goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over the Penguins. Zacha did not assist on that strike, but it’s clear that his game has risen with Zacha’s overall play. Arvidsson gets to the high-traffic spots on the ice, and often it’s a product of Zacha getting him the puck.
“I think most of my career I played center,” noted Zacha. “It just helps me to get into the game, even if you don’t have a good start. Just the faceoffs and the defensive game helps me get into the game a little bit faster.”
Zacha’s goal, from about 25 feet out in the slot, came with help from Mason Lohrei and Arvidsson, a red-hot rising wrister.
A beauty 🤌 pic.twitter.com/QE7p3JILqj
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 14, 2026
“He’s got an elite shot,” said Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, who sees plenty of that shot in workouts. “And when he uses it, it’s effective. It’s awesome to see him get a few this week, and we know he can just keep it rolling.”
Zacha’s career high for goals is 21, which he scored in each of his first two seasons in Boston. He dipped to 14 last season in 82 games, amid a worsening tide that lowered all ships. But now he has equaled that output in just 46 games.
Like most playmaking centers, their DNA forcing them to distribute the puck, Zacha has been told throughout his pro career to shoot more. With four goals over the last three games, he’s likely to hear it more.
“We do,” said Sturm, laughing because he, too, wants Zacha to send more shots at the net. “Like that first goal today, oh my God, he has a rocket.”
Upon arriving over the summer, noted Sturm, he often saw Zacha out on the ice at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, constantly working on that shot.
“All summer long, so he works on it a lot,“ the coach said. ”I think the frustrating part with him was he missed the net a lot. But he gets those chances, and that’s what I like. He’ll keep working on it.
“He also goes to those tough areas. He’s doing all the right things and he’s finally getting rewarded because of the hard work he put in all summer long and during the season.”
It has now become Zacha’s time to shine. He’s finally where he belongs, right in the middle. No need to tell him to go anywhere else.
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