Just a couple of weeks ago, it was open season on Casey Mittelstadt.

Seemingly a lightning rod for criticism since he was drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2017, Mittelstadt found himself a healthy scratch in Utah on Oct. 19 and the knives were out for him again.

But a funny thing has happened. Mittelstadt has pushed back with some very good play, and in all three zones with his vastly improving second line with Pavel Zacha and Viktor Arvidsson. And on Saturday at the Garden, he earned third star honors by scoring a goal and assisting on Arvidsson’s game-winner in the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

The healthy scratch is a clear line of demarcation in Mittelstadt’s season.

“I think I’ve said this to your guys before. I could sit and pout about it but what’s

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