Tag Archives: Brad Marchand

Marchand Ends Playoff Drought

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Starting Strong

Brad Marchand crushed the perception that he can’t perform in the playoffs with a goal and an assist in Thursday’s 5-1 win against Toronto. The performance earned him NBCSN’s first star of the game. His first goal came just five and a half minutes into the game. He caught a pass from Torey Krug, who had drawn both Toronto defenders with a charge across the blue line. With space behind the D, he pulled the puck across his body to flip a backhand over Frederik Andersen. Then, as the second period drew to a close, Marchand shook off Kasperi Kapanen with a deceptive head fake along the corner boards. This gave him space to set up David Pastrnak for a goal from the high slot, the B’s third of the night.

(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Making His Case

Marchand came into the game amidst questions about his ability to perform in the postseason. The Canadian left winger had put up just one goal in his last 18 playoff appearances (2014-17). Additionally, he accumulated 24 penalty minutes and averaged half a point per game in the same span. And while Thursday’s points are a good start to the Cup run, Game 1 was Marchand’s 69th game of the 2017-18 campaign. He still has to prove that he can play at the same caliber in game 70, game 75, game 80, and so on. With 53 points and a +20 rating in his last 40 games, Marchand has added momentum from the regular season. There’s no guarantee that the goals will keep coming as the season drags on, but number 63 has given his critics something to think about. Marchand’s Bruins will take the ice again Saturday night at 8 pm for Game 2 against the Maple Leafs.

(Elise Amendola/Associated Press)
Injury Bug

Injury Bug Could Define Bruins’ Season

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Injury Bug Hits Bruins

So far this season the Bruins have delivered more than many expected. They were not supposed to be one of the best teams in the NHL. The youth has arrived and exceeded all expectations. The Stretch that will truly define them is now. The injury bug has hit the Bruins, as they will be without Charlie McAvoy and Patrice Bergeron for the next few weeks. Tuukka Rask should be back soon, but he’s missed the last two games. So far, without their two top players the Bruins have done well, and even though it hasn’t always pretty they have found a way to win. The Bruins won their first game without McAvoy last night and are 4-0 without Bergeron. Both players are key to the Bruins as they impact the game in so many ways.

Injury Bug

Photo Credit: Michael Dwyer/ AP Photo

Deadline Deals Become More Important

At the trade deadline the Bruins were one of the busiest teams. Other than the Rick Nash deal the Bruins made minor moves to improve their depth. They did not know that depth would be tested so quickly. So far, these additions have been very productive. Nick Holden was having a down year in New York, but he’s recorded a point in each of his first two games in Boston. Tommy Wingels was not seen as a significant addition by Boston but had a big goal in his Bruins debut. The play of these two and Nash down the stretch will be essential. As the Bruins learned last year when they lost Krug and Carlo before the playoffs, depth is key.

Injury Bug

Photo Credit: Rudi Schuller

The Young Kids

The Bruins have a lot of veterans on this team. They have arguably one of the best lines in hockey with Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak. What makes this team so special is how the young players such as DeBrusk and Heinen have exceeded expectations. They have been solid offensively, and as the season has gone on they’ve only improved. They will not have to do it alone, as Marchand is on a tear of his own. Marchand has scored the overtime winners in both of Boston’s last two games. The young guys will have to step up, but the Bruins still have some very talented veterans.

Injury Bug

Photo Credit: Adam Belue

What Will Be Key

With McAvoy out the Bruins will be missing their best defenseman. Bergeron is very good defensively, as he is the best two-way player in the game. Without these two defense will be key, and that was evident last night as they gave up five goals to Detroit. What defines a championship team is the struggles they go through as a season goes on. If the Bruins can continue to win without Bergeron and McAvoy, this team should be taken even more seriously. This is the point of the season that every athlete relishes with the playoffs on the line. The injury bug hits every team over the course of a season and people are about to see how much heart this team really has.

Despite Point Streak Bruins Still Have Plenty to Prove

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Yes the Boston Bruins have earned a point in eighteen straight games. But with thirty-five games left on the schedule the Bruins still chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning. There are still a quite few hurdles for the B’s to clear. Up to this point the B’s have proved that they need to be taken seriously. However, let’s look at some concerns the team has even with this point streak.

Composure

This may seem like nitpicking, and it probably is. But could cockiness become a problem for such a young Bruins team? Maybe, while the Bruins have plenty of proven veteran leadership up and down the roster there is a cocky feel around this team. That is what a huge streak can do to a team. While having some swagger on your team is a good thing it can become flat-out arrogance if you let it. Especially when the puck starts bouncing the wrong way for you and all of a sudden you have lost three out of four. That is where Bruce Cassidy, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara are going to have to make their presence felt. It has not been a problem up to this point, but lets see what happens with the confidence of the young kids if the team starts to struggle, if that ever happens.

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Workload

This may be the biggest concern surrounding a complete team like the Bruins. Young and old players have different ways of handling a full 82 game schedule. The All-Star break is the last real lull for a hockey team during the grind that is the NHL regular season. With this being the first full season for players like Charlie McAvoy, Jake Debrusk, Anders Bjork, Matt Grezyleck, it will be interesting to see how their legs hold up down the stretch. Also the Bruins’ best defenseman from start to finish this year has been Zdeno Chara, who is forty years old. Chara is leading the Bruins in TOI with 23:26 minutes per game. That is a lot of pressure to keep on the veteran.

With the playoff run really starting to heat up teams are going to give their best every night. That means harder hitting, tougher puck battles, and more emphasis put on every single point. With the Bruins in a tight division race it will be interesting to see if the team can hold up under the pressure. Going on a point streak is one thing, but building off of it is something completely different.

What’s Different About the Bruins?

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The Bruins have finished the last three seasons with nearly identical numbers, finishing with 96, 93, and 95 points. We were treated to a brief playoff appearance last season, but they certainly weren’t ready to make the jump into the upper tier of the league. Luckily for B’s fans, this year is different. Currently sitting comfortably with the second spot in the Atlantic and on pace for 113 points, this poses one question: what’s making a difference?

Goaltending

For starters, the Bruins have two goalies who have put up solid numbers. Rask got off to a slow start, posting an October save percentage of just .896. This lead to some early season controversy regarding the starting position, seeing as Khudobin came out of the gate hot. But around early December, Rask’s play transformed into what we’re used to seeing out of him. With Khudobin also continuing his stellar season, the Bruins have consequently climbed the standings going 15-2-4 since December 1st. As of today, Rask has started thirty games to Khudobin’s seventeen, emphasizing the faith that the coaching staff has behind both of them. And seeing as both goalies currently boast a season save percentage north of 92% and a GAA below 2.4, it comes as no surprise to see both of them getting their minutes.

The Young Guys

In addition to the dynamic duo between the pipes, the Bruins have also enjoyed plenty of production from players who can’t even drink yet. Rookie standout Charlie McAvoy is leading the way, even drawing some Calder Trophy attention. It’s unlikely that he’ll bring home the honor being a defenseman, but his 25 points through forty-five games to go with his +18 rating is exactly what the Bruins needed. Playing mostly on the top pair, McAvoy has also been given the credit of rejuvenating the play of Zdeno Chara. The two have worked well together all season, and Chara is proving that he still has something left in the tank. Rookies Danton Heinen (10-21-31), Jake DeBrusk (10-14-24), and Matt Grzelyck (1-5-6, +13) have also risen to the occasion this season. Each are proving that they are both hungry and capable of establishing themselves as NHL players.

Goalscoring

The B’s have also managed to combine their trademark “hard-nosed” style of play with a sufficient amount of skill. Between the years of 2010-2016, they failed to have a single seventy-point player. The team simply lacked that “big name scorer” that every team needs for both the fans and the results. But we can now see that Brad Marchand is ready to wear that label.

His increase in production really began in the inaugural World Cup of Hockey. Even while putting up eight points in just six games during Canada’s gold medal run, Marchand is best remembered for his tournament winning goal with just 43.1 seconds remaining to beat Team Europe. From there he took off and established himself as one of the premier forwards in the NHL. He went on to finish the season with 85 points, good for sixth in the league in scoring. This surpassed his previous season high by 24 points and is the most by any Bruin since Marc Savard in 2009 (88). Carrying his play into this season Marchand has been helped out by line mates David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. With 44 points through 45 games for Pastrnak and 39 in 40 for Bergeron, all three players on the Bruins top line are on pace for career high point totals.

Boston Bruins’ David Pastrnak (88) celebrates with teammates Patrice Bergeron (37), Brad Marchand (63) and Torey Krug after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 in Montreal. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

The Man Behind the Curtain

And lastly- Bruce Cassidy. The Bruins were lucky to have Claude Julien but after ten years it was time for a new voice. Luckily for the B’s, that voice was already in the organization. Having coached in Providence since 2008, Cassidy was already familiar with several players and the Bruins systems. One of these players is Torey Krug, who recalls that “everything was quick, on the go. He doesn’t like to spend time explaining drills or being at the board at practice.  It’s go, go, go”. Krug went on to mention that this becomes a habit and translates into games. With nearly half the season remaining, it will be interesting to see if Cassidy and the Bruins can keep up this unexpected pace. But with the way things are looking right now, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic.

 

Featured image courtesy of www.stanleycupofchowder.com

Youth

Bruins Youth Will Soon Deliver Championship to Boston

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Youth Movement Key to Championship

Like all of the Boston sports teams the Bruins have many young exciting players. After years of talk of what these players were doing in Providence they are finally getting a shot. The Bruins’ youth includes Charlie McAvoy, who has drawn comparisons to Bobby Orr, Jake Debrusk, who could be a thirty-goal scorer, and Danton Heinen, who is putting up the quietest breakout rookie season in the league. The Bruins have also received contributions from rookies Matt Gryelzk and Anders Bjork. After a slow start the Bruins have won thirteen of their last seventeen games. This has shown the potential this team has as these young players mature.

Youth

Photo Credit: Boston Bruins

Veterans Mixing with the Kids

The Bruins not only have many talented rookies but a core of talented veterans as well. They have two of the most talented goal scorers in the league in Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak under control for the next five years. Patrice Bergeron continues to be one of the best two-way forwards in the league and he is under control for the next five years. The mix of these veterans and rookies has made this team harder to play. They are grinding out games like they did 2011 when they won a championship. The reason why the Bruins will be good for the foreseeable future is because of this mix of players under club control for a long time.

Youth

Photo Credit: Matt West

The General Manager

The Bruins named Don Sweeney General Manager in 2015. Since then he’s shown two skills critical to sustained success for the franchise. He’s been able to sign key players to team friendly long-term deals and he’s done very well developing players. He has not made many successful trades, but he hasn’t sacrificed the future of the franchise just to make a deal. Every year Sweeney has been the General Manger he’s improved which is critical going forward.

Youth

Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara

Prediction

The Bruins may not win a championship this year but they will make a deep postseason run. That experience will be critical for the young players and will make them better going forward. It will also make these players hungrier next year and Lord Stanley will return to Boston in the next three years giving the Bruins two championships this decade.

Healthy Bruins Look Dangerous

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Healthy Bruins

The Bruins are fully healthy, and look dominant! In their last 10 games, the Bruins scorecard stands at  6-3-1.  In their last six,  5-1-0.

Injuries

The Bruins welcomed David Backes, Ryan Spooner, David Krejci, Brad Marchand and Anders Bjork back to the lineup last week. Even with the Bruins finally healthy, they still don’t have key players Jake DeBrusk (upper body), and Adam McQuaid (broken leg).  McQuaid has recently started skating again, which is a great sign. However, DeBrusk remains on IR with an upper body injury. When the Bruins get Quaider and DeBrusk back, I believe they will have an excellent season, and possibly a playoff run.

Recent Games

In recent games, they have beaten the reigning Stanley Cup Champions 4-3, and the leagues top team, Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2. The most recent win for the Bruins took place in Saturday’s matinee game in Philadelphia, with a 3-0 win. The Bruins are back in action tonight in Nashville, where they take on the Predators at 8:00 PM ET.

Goaltenders

Bruins number one goalie, Tuukka Rask, appears to be returning to form. Rask has posted back to back wins against the Bolts, and the Flyers. Against the Flyers, Rask stopped all 28 shots he faced, to earn his first shutout of the season. Bruins backup, Anton Khudobin, has also been stellar this season. He holds a record of 7-0-2, with a 2.22 GAA. This is the 4th best in the league among goaltenders. Dobby also holds a solid 0.932 SV%, which is tied for 2nd in the league with Vasilevskiy of the Lighting. With Rask winning his last 2 games, I would have thought the Bruins would roll with him against Nashville. However, it appears that Khudobin is confirmed to start in goal for the B’s Monday. This is still a good decision, based on how good he’s been so far this season.

Standings

The Bruins are currently 1 point behind the Montreal Canadians for the 3rd spot in the Atlantic division. They have four games in hand on the Habs, should easily win some of those games, and surpass the Canadians. The Bruins are 7 point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, and also have four games in hand on them. If the Bruins can keep winning like they have recently, I see no issue with them making the postseason for the second time in as many years.

The Road Ahead

The road ahead for the Bruins is going to be tough. The Bruins play the Preds tonight. They will get another two day break, they have a had a lot of those this season. They are back in action Thursday, in Boston, where the face the Arizona Coyotes. After that, the Bruins play the red hot New York Islanders, who are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. Then off for three nights, they then play the Red Wings next Wednesday, and Capitals the very next night. It’s not going to be easy for the Bruins, but if they can continue to stay healthy, they will be fine.

 

 

Bruins Slowly Getting Healthy

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The Bruins are off to an average start this season despite being decimated with injuries. They hold a record of 9-7-4 for a total of 20 points. They’ve been without Bergeron, Krejci, Spooner, Backes, Marchand, McQuaid, Krug, Bjork, and Tuukka Rask at some point this season. Bergeron, Krejci, and Rask have all returned to the lineup full time.

Reinforcements on the Way

With some key players still missing from the lineup it looks like the Bruins are going to get a boost to their lineup very soon. Ryan Spooner, David Backes, Torey Krug, and Brad Marchand all practiced Tuesday. Spooner was a full participant in the practice while Backes, Marchand, and Krug all wore non-contact jerseys. With Spooner being a full participant in practice, the Bruins could see Spooner back in the lineup as early as Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils. If Spooner isn’t ready to go Wednesday he will get another chance in Friday’s afternoon tilt with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brad Marchand took some light contact during practice but it still appears he wont be ready to go tomorrow. Krug and Bjork are also both out for Wednesday’s game.

Transactions

The Bruins also recalled defenseman Matt Grzelcyk from Providence on Tuesday. So it looks like he man suit up for the Bruins maybe instead of Postma or O’Gara.

Scary When Healthy

I think when the Bruins get all these key players back they will be a force to be reckoned with. The lineup looks pretty deep down the middle and also pretty solid on the wing.

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak

Heinen-Krejci-Backes

DeBrusk-Spooner-Bjork

Beleskey-Nash-Accari

As you probably notice these probably wont be the exact forward line we will see when healthy. However I think this third line of DeBrusk, Spooner, and Bjork would be a killer third line and a very fast one as well. You also notice that I have Heinen on the second forward line. Heinen has put up 4 goals and 6 assists for a total of 10 points in 15 games. Heinen is on pace for 55 points this season and has proven that he deserves to be here. I think if he plays alongside some more skilled players like Krejci and Backes, he will score more and become a great player in the NHL.

Chara-McAvoy

Krug-Carlo

Miller-McQuaid

Rask

Khudobin

With the goalie controversy heating up, I think the Bruins need to ride Khudobin until he loses. He hasn’t yet lost a game in regulation. He holds an impressive record of 5-0-2 with a GAA of 2.17 and a SV% of .935. With Rask really struggling so far this season I believe it’s time to let Khudobin play a few more games. By doing this maybe Rask will realize he’s got to be better and will start performing better.

The Road Ahead

The Bruins have a tough schedule ahead facing a red hot New Jersey Devils team, the defending cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, Connor McDavid and the Oilers. The Bruins need to continue playing how they have been through all these injuries for the time being.

 

Bruins Fall 4-3 in Shootout After 3 Goal Comeback

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The Bruins fell to one of the Eastern Conferences top teams Monday night, The Columbus Blue Jackets.

Bruins Down Early

The Bruins fell behind early in the game, giving up the first goal only two minutes into the game. They gave up another goal in the final few minutes of the first period, and another in the second period. Bruins Captain, Zdeno Chara, gave the team a much needed boost by stepping up and dropping the mitts with Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson. As soon as Chara dropped the gloves, the Bruins completely changed their play. They played excellent in the second half of the second period, and excellent in the third. With this play, they stormed back with goals from Patrice Bergeron, Torey Krug, and Brad Marchand.  David Pastrnak added helpers on each of the goals.

TUUKKA?

Bruins Veteran goaltender Tuukka Rask has struggled so far this season–posting a .896 SV% and a 2.93 GAA through six games. Rask has only one win thus far, and it was nearly a month ago against the Nashville Predators. Rask had a rough start to the game in Columbus by giving up a goal on the first shot of the game, that he should’ve stopped. He gave up another that was tucked in beside him on the post, which he should have been covering. After the third goal Rask allowed, which was a breakaway, Tuukka played excellent in the second, third, and in overtime. In my opinion, Rask has never been the greatest in shootouts, so I’m not surprised with his performance.

Comments

“I don’t think we’re a team that’s going to win too many games if we don’t have all 20 guys going, and I don’t think that was the case pretty early on.”  -Head Coach Bruce Cassidy

”We didn’t show up, they were taking it to us, they were hitting us. We weren’t responding, Every second of that first period bothered me.”  -Assistant Captain Patrice Bergeron

”Z did an awesome job stepping up out there and our game started turning around there. Mills sticking up for Krug was awesome. We need that we need to show that we’re a team and a family in here. And we are, and that carries onto the ice and the guys did a great job standing up for one another.”  -Brad Marchand

“You never wanna see another guy get hit like that. Guys taking liberty out there so I kinda just reacted to be honest.”  -Kevin Miller

Next

The Bruins will be in action again on Thursday night, back in Beantown, taking on the Vegas Golden Knights. Forward Kenny Agostino, and Goaltender Zane McIntyre, were sent back down to Providence on Thursday. It looks like some guys may be getting healthy, and looking to make a return soon.

 

Bruins Exit Weekend With Two of Four Points

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The Bruins looked solid on Saturday night in the desert with a 6-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes. The same can’t be said for the Bruins on Sunday as the Boston fell to the Golden Knights 3-1. The Bruins are off until Thursday when they take the ice in Boston to host the Vancouver Canucks.

Saturday in Arizona

The Bruins really impressed on Saturday night skating to a 6-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Rookie Anders Bjork recorded his first career NHL goal.  Jake DeBrusk scored his second of the season and added an assist in the game. Some more noticeable Bruins on Saturday included Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Tim Schaller, and Danton Heinen.  The most outstanding Bruin on the night was captain Zdeno Chara.  Registering his first goal of the season in the second period, Chara added two helpers. Marchand scored a nifty backhand goal off a slick pass from David Pastrnak., who also added an assist in the game. Tim Schaller scored for the second straight game for the Bruins. Recent call up Danton Heinen got credit for two assists.

Dobby impresses

Bruins goaltender Anton Khudobin got the start on Saturday night and played well enough to earn his first win of the season. Khudobin stopped 29 of 31 shots he faced against the struggling Coyotes. The Bruins needed Khudobin to step up for them with starter Tuukka Rask struggling, and he certainly did. With the Bruins wanting to rest Rask longer more this season, Khudobin will have to win some games.  He has proven he is the man for the job after watching him this preseason, and in this game.

”The ‘W’ is always great. No matter what the score, whether it’s 8-6 or 9-7. If you win then you win. Nobody talks about losers. Everybody talks about winners, right?” said Khudobin. “If you win, then you’re on the horse, and if you don’t then you’re under it. It’s great to get one at the start of the season, and so now hopefully it’s not going to roll like it did last year.”

Sunday in Vegas

The Bruins had a disappointing game on Sunday as they fell to the leagues newest team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Bruins managed to get only 23 shots on their old teammate Malcolm Subban. If the Bruins want to win games they will need to generate more shots on net. They must stop being so fancy all the time and just keep it simple to get those greasy goals. If the Bruins focus more on this, they will score more goals and win more hockey games. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask played fairly well in the game by stopping 23 of 25 shots that he faced.

The Bruins lone goal scorer on Sunday was David Pastrnak, who banked the puck off the Vegas defender in the final minute of the game. Brad Marchand who continues to put up points assisted Pastrnak’s goal. Rookie Charlie McAvoy also got an assist on the goal as well which now gives him assists in the last two games.

Injuries

The Bruins lost Ryan Spooner and Adam Mcquaid on Sunday due to injuries. I am unsure what happened to Spooner, but he is out with a lower body injury. Mcquaid, took a slap shot from ex-eammate Colin Miller off the side of his leg which didn’t look pretty.

Whats next?

The Bruins get four days off before their next match up at home against the Vancouver Canucks. If the Bruins want to make it to the postseason again this year, they have to improve — fast. They won’t make the playoffs as a 500 team. They need to put up points and do it now.  Boston may get a boost to their lineup on Thursday with Patrice Bergeron close to returning. I really hope Bergy gets back on the ice soon as a very important player on this team.

Bruins Look to Bounce Back Tonight

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The Bruins hope to bounce back tonight in Colorado after a disappointing matinee Monday and play the way they did in their season opener against the Nashville Predators.

Bruins Sign white to PTO

The Bruins made a couple of minor transactions on Tuesday.   One includes the signing of ex-Montreal Canadian tough guy Ryan White to a PTO. White could bring some grit and toughness to the Bruins’ young and speedy forward group.  White has quite the resume in the NHL, playing for the Montreal Canadians, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes, and the Minnesota Wild.  He hopes the Bruins are his next destination.   “I play my game wherever I go,” said White. ”I’m probably here for a reason — just to play physical, straight up and down, north-south game, and chip in when I can. It’s pretty self-explanatory the way I play, and I can’t change it now.”

Coaches and Players Comments

Brad Marchand had some kind words on White when speaking to the media on Tuesday. “He’s a very competitive guy, very hard to play against, and a really good player,” Bruins winger Brad Marchand said of White. “He’s one of those guys you don’t want to play against, but you love to have him on your team. Very good locker room guy, and he’s the kind of guy you need on your team to go deep in the playoffs.”

Head Coach Bruce Cassidy also had some things to say about White’s game play. “We’ve lost David Backes and Noel Acciari on the right side. We know what they can give us every night; They give us straight-line play, they’re gonna be physical, they’re going to get to the net. We’ve lost that element.”   When asked about White’s potential addition to the B’s, Cassidy added, “They might not be sexy players, but Ryan White has a history of playing that way. He was available for a look, and we’re gonna look.”

Although the Bruins have a ton of young players down in Providence, they could really benefit from having a guy like White on their roster. He’s the type of player that’ll look out for all the young players. White could also score the odd goal or two for them while being used in a bottom-six role.

Heinen Recalled

Signing White to a PTO wasn’t the Bruins only transaction on Tuesday. With the Bruins prospect pool overflowing with young talent, forward Danton Heinen was the chosen one getting the call from from the Bruins on Tuesday

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after recording an assist for Providence in their first game of the season. Heinen skated in 64 games for Providence last season. He recorded 14 goals and 30 assists for a total of 44 points in his first full season in the Bruins organization. Heinen has shown he can score at the AHL level and he’s being given a chance to do the same with the Bruins. Heinen has grown a lot as a player in the last year, and hopefully it continues for him and of course with the other youngsters as well.

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