Mason Lohrei’s Birthday Bash Powers Bruins to Sixth Straight Win in Chicago
On a night that already had special meaning, Mason Lohrei made sure it became unforgettable - not just for himself, but for the Boston Bruins.
Celebrating his 25th birthday with family and friends in the building and his sister Zoe reading the starting lineup as part of the Bruins’ siblings trip, Lohrei scored twice to help Boston rally past the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 at United Center. It marked the defenseman’s first multi-goal game in the NHL - and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“Pretty special day,” Lohrei said. “I won’t forget it.”
This was Boston’s sixth straight win and their eighth in the last nine games, a stretch that’s starting to feel like more than just a hot streak. The Bruins are showing the kind of resolve and depth that playoff teams are built on - and they needed every bit of it after falling behind 2-0 in the first period.
Resilience on Display
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a wire-to-wire win. Boston had to dig deep after early mistakes put them in a hole.
But that’s what makes this one so impressive. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 22 shots, and the Bruins got multi-point efforts from Pavel Zacha, Casey Mittelstadt, David Pastrnak, and Elias Lindholm - each of them tallying two assists.
Head coach Marco Sturm acknowledged the frustration of falling behind despite a strong start, but credited his team’s energy and execution for the comeback.
“You just never know,” Sturm said. “The frustrating part was because we played so well … all of a sudden we were down 2-0.
Again, good feeling today. Guys had a good energy.
Maybe it was the siblings. I don’t know.
But we got the job done because we just played our game.”
Blackhawks Start Fast, Fade Late
For the Blackhawks, this one stung. They came out with jump and built a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Ryan Greene and Wyatt Kaiser.
Greene opened the scoring just three seconds after a power play expired, taking a feed from Andre Burakovsky and snapping a shot from the slot. Kaiser followed it up with a slick move from the point, walking into the slot and beating Korpisalo with a wrist shot.
But that was where the momentum stopped.
Chicago coach Jeff Blashill didn’t sugarcoat it - the Blackhawks’ mistakes were largely self-inflicted.
“You’ve got a 2-1 lead with five to play in the second, you walk in and you’re down 3-2,” Blashill said. “It was kind of some individualistic mistakes that we just have to be tighter on. These games are going to get harder and harder, and we have to make sure we get rid of any self-inflicted errors.”
The Comeback Begins
Boston’s response was methodical and relentless. Charlie McAvoy got the Bruins on the board early in the second period, jumping into the rush and burying a wrist shot after a slick feed from Lindholm. It was a textbook example of how Boston’s blue line contributes offensively without sacrificing structure.
“I’ve been trying to jump in the play more recently, responsibly, trying to be a threat,” McAvoy said. “That was a great play off the rush, a heads-up play by ‘Lindy’ to slip it over to me. That started rolling the snowball down the hill.”
Lohrei tied it up later in the period, finishing a cross-ice pass from Hampus Lindholm with a laser from the right circle. That goal came just hours after Lindholm was activated off injured reserve, and he wasted no time making his presence felt.
Then, with less than a minute left in the second, Viktor Arvidsson capped a give-and-go with Zacha to give Boston a 3-2 lead heading into the final frame.
Finishing Strong
Lohrei struck again midway through the third, this time on the power play. He crept in from the point and ripped a wrist shot through traffic to make it 4-2 - the kind of confident, assertive play that speaks volumes about his growth on the blue line.
Marat Khusnutdinov sealed it at 11:02, finishing a quick feed from Pastrnak on a rush to push the lead to 5-2.
Pastrnak Hits Another Milestone
Speaking of Pastrnak - Saturday’s game marked his 100th career multi-assist performance, making him just the 10th player in Bruins history to hit that milestone. He also became the fifth Czech-born player to reach that mark, joining legends like Jaromir Jagr, Jakub Voracek, Patrik Elias, and David Krejci.
That’s elite company, and Pastrnak continues to cement his place among the game’s best playmakers.
Looking Ahead
For the Bruins, this win wasn’t just about extending a streak - it was about reinforcing their identity. They’re showing a knack for overcoming adversity, leaning on depth, and getting timely contributions from all over the lineup.
“It’s huge,” Lohrei said. “A lot of other teams are winning games, and we’ve got to stick with it and keep climbing.
We all know we’re a playoff team. I think it’s just about going out there every night and playing 60 minutes of good solid hockey.”
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are searching for answers after dropping three straight and four of their last five. With Teuvo Teravainen still sidelined by an upper-body injury, Chicago will need to tighten up quickly to stay competitive as the season grinds on.
But Saturday night belonged to the Bruins - and to Mason Lohrei, who turned his birthday into a statement game.