What we learned: Ryan Donato’s ‘nifty’ shootout winner

Ryan Donato wore No. 16 throughout his hockey life. That number wasn’t available upon his arrival to the Bruins so he got the next best thing: a jersey patch in honor of Rick Middleton’s banner raising night.

Donato’s father, former Bruin and current Harvard University head coach Ted, idolized Nifty growing up. His son was on hand to see Middleton finally raise that No. 16 to the rafters between fellow Bruins greats Milt Schmidt and Terry O’Reilly during Thursday’s pregame ceremony at TD Garden.

Fittingly enough, Ryan Donato had a night to remember in his first game back in Boston since his Providence assignment on Oct. 30. With the game on his stick in the fourth round of the shootout,…