David Pastrnak completed his fourth hat trick of the season and surpassed 40 goals as the Boston Bruins beat the visiting Montreal Canadiens 4-1 Wednesday night.

Pastrnak regained the league lead with his 41st goal when he scored his third of the night late in the second period.

Patrice Bergeron added an empty-netter and Brad Marchand had two assists as the Bruins won for the seventh time in their past eight games. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots to improve to 13-0-6 at home this season.

Nick Suzuki scored for the Canadiens, who lost their second straight. Carey Price made 34 saves for Montreal.

Pastrnak became the first Bruin to reach 40 goals in a season since Glen Murray scored 44 in 2002-03 when he and Sean Kuraly teamed on a two-on-one breakaway up ice at 4:16 of the second period. Pastrnak cut in front of Price and beat him with a snipe top shelf for his second marker and a 2-0 Boston lead.

The Canadiens got back in it 36 seconds later when Suzuki put the puck past Rask, tipping in Marco Scandella's one-timer from the blue line.

After two sets off offsetting penalties midway through the middle period, the Bruins found themselves on a four-on-three when Joel Armia was penalized for roughing Torey Krug at 15:14.

Just 31 seconds later, Pastrnak completed his hat trick when Bergeron deflected to him the rebound of Marchand's initial shot for a 3-1 margin.

The Bruins, who outshot the Canadiens 26-19 through two periods, kept up the pressure through the third. Price was pulled with about 2:30 remaining, and Bergeron scored with the net empty with 20 seconds left.

Pastrnak scored his first goal after Marchand stole the puck in the neutral zone, battle toward the net through two defenders and found Pastrnak on his right to score at 6:59 of the first period.

Pastrnak, 23, is the first Bruin to register four hat tricks in a season since Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr each did it in 1974-75.

--Field Level Media