Tag Archives: Bruce Cassidy

Boston Bruins: What Joakim Nordstrom Brings To The Table

The countdown to the regular season has started and the Boston Bruins will be seeing the return of many familiar faces and some new ones. For Joakim Nordstrom the major question is- does he fit into the picture? Boston lost both Tim Schaller and Riley Nash this offseason, so would the Swedish forward fill one of those vacant spots? That will depend on how well he does during training camp. The competition will be fierce and the Bruins have a lot of talent. So much depth means one thing: Cassidy is going to have to make some tough decisions. So let’s get to know more about the player from Stockholm.

Scandinavian Invasion

(Photo Credits: Associated Press)

The 6’1″ 189 lbs Nordström started his early career playing for the Swedish Ice Hockey Club Södertälje SK before being signed by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013. He was also part of the team that won the 2015 Stanley Cup Championship. A quick peek at his stats: in 282 career games played he has 20 goals and 29 assists. He had a career-high 10 goals in 71 games with 14 assists while playing for the Carolina Hurricanes. While he may not have the same numbers as Riley Nash, what he could bring to the team is some solid skating. Not to mention being a decent penalty killer (which the Bruins can always use).

“I think my biggest asset as a player is my skating. I know the Bruins want to play fast, so that is, obviously, something I can help with…I played a lot of PK, so that’s, obviously, something that I wanted to bring to the table, as well. I don’t want to limit myself to just be a special-teams guy, so hopefully I can take my game to the next level here with the Bruins.”

🎥The Bruins signed forward Joakim Nordstrom to a two-year deal with an AAV of $1 million. Check out some of his highlights from last season: pic.twitter.com/3FxAFNg4Pn

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) July 2, 2018

What’s Next

(Photo Credits: Gregg Forwerck/NHL/GETTY IMAGES)

Nordström is quick but if you ask any ‘Canes fan, his offensive play is something that needs some tweaking. Especially if he wants to play on the 4th-line. What the Swedish player is good at is reading and setting up plays, but has trouble finishing around the net. What he lacks offensively, he makes up for in his PK (penalty kill), which bodes well for the Bruins.

Will he replace Nash? Possibly. He may not dazzle fans with his hockey skills but he’ll prove to be a versatile player who may be slotted as either a center or winger. For Cassidy, Nordström does seem like he would be a great Nash 2.0. But nothing is ever etched in stone. When speaking with Providence Journal’s Mark Divver, Cassidy shared his thoughts on newly signed Chris Wagner and Nordström:

“We hope those two guys can give us what (Nash and Schaller) gave us. We feel they can”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fYJMzcOwVo&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt4FmEd4Ipg&w=560&h=315]

Boston’s Amazing Head Coaching Success

Leave a reply

2018 Success of Boston Head Coaching

For a sports city it is rare for all teams to be playoff contenders. For Boston, that has become the norm, and 2017-2018 has been no different. The Red Sox have started the season 5-1. The Patriots lost in the Superbowl, and the Bruins and Celtics are playoff bound. A big reason for this amazing success is the heading coaching of these teams. Each has their own style, but has created high expectations and have impressed in their respective circles.

Photo Credit: John Tlumacki/ Globe Staff

Patriots Head Coach: Bill Belichick

In describing the impact of these coaches, Belichick goes first. Since the Superbowl he has come under fire for numerous things including benching Malcolm Butler. When he came to New England the Patriots were a struggling franchise. Since 2000, they’ve played in eight Super Bowls, winning five. They are constantly in the playoffs and anything less than a Super Bowl has come to be considered a failure. It’s been even more impressive considering Bill has done this in the Salary Cap Era. At times Bill’s head coaching has led to questionable decisions, but since he took over the franchise has become dominant and the envy of the entire league.

Photo Credit: Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports

Celtics Head Coach: Brad Stevens

Brad Steven became the Celtics head coach in 2013. Since then he’s had one losing season, and every year the Celtics have improved. He has gotten the best of his players and his teams have become surprise contenders. This season could be considered his best work. The Celtics lost Gordon Hayward in the first game of the season. Key players such as Irving, Smart, and Daniel Theis have missed extended periods have time. Even with all the injuries, the Celtics still have the second best record in the Eastern Conference. Stevens’s head coaching has allowed his young players to excel. He is considered one of the best coaches in the league among his peers, and is a serious contender to win Coach of The Year.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/ Getty

Bruins Head Coach: Bruce Cassidy

Cassidy became the head coach of the Bruins at mid-season last year. With the Bruins struggling they fired their longtime head coach, Claude Julien. Since Cassidy took over, the Bruins have sixty-seven wins and twenty-six losses. This year the Bruins have been one of the best teams in the NHL. When the season began, no one saw them making a deep Stanley cup run, which now they are poised to do. That is in large part to Cassidy, as he’s turned a team which some considered to be rebuilding into a serious championship contender. With this Bruins team being very young they will be contenders for years to come. If Cassidy keeps pushing the right buttons than he will be as well.

Photo Credit: Arthur Pollock

Red Sox Manager: Alex Cora

The last coach to be mentioned is one who is very early into his tenure. Cora became the Red Sox manager this past off-season. Through the first two series of the season the Red Sox are 5-1. When the Sox hired Cora, it was a move that many praised around the MLB. He is replacing John Farrell, who wasn’t a fan favorite in Boston despite leading them to two division titles. Under Farrell the Sox did not win a postseason series and won only one postseason game. The ultimate goal is winning a championship, but winning a playoff series would show that things have changed in Boston. Cora knows what it takes as last year he was a bench coach for the World Champion Houston Astros. So far his Red Sox tenure is off to a good start.

Photo Credit: Michael Dwyer/ AP Photo

No Jack Adams for Bruce Cassidy?

Leave a reply

With little talk about being coach of the year, Coach Bruce Cassidy has helped rebuild the Boston Bruins.

When General Manager Don Sweeney announced last April that Bruce Cassidy would the 28^th head coach of the Boston Bruins, there was hope and excitement about the new direction this team was taking. Amid the plethora of young players coming in and the return of seasoned veterans, you could see that the Bruins were going to be contenders.

Then came the injuries.

OVERCOMING SOME ODDS

The B’s went through their ups and downs through the beginning of the season. Without making excuses, when you have a young injured team and a new head coach, there will be some growing pains. The big question was: will this team even make the Wild Card race? Fast forward to April 2018, and the Bruins have become that team that just won’t quit. Boston is the team that many do not want to face in the Stanley Cup finals. Don’t forget, the Bruins are severely short-handed and are now just getting back some key players.

ENTER CASSIDY

Boston has the talent and speed. And most importantly, they have an exceptional coach that knows his players and continues to make all the right changes. As the Bruins finish their last week of the regular season, it’s interesting to hear minimal talk about Cassidy becoming a recipient of the Jack Adams award. Although the only trophy any NHL coach wants it’s the big silver cup, it’s hard to ignore what Cassidy has done for this young team.

QUICK NOTES

And of course, you can’t gloss over what Gerard Gallant has done for the Vegas Golden Knights, who are full of players that have become the most successful team in its inaugural season. Gallant, for many fans and experts alike, seems to be shoe-in for the Adams award. Still, what if the Bruins win arguably one of the most difficult trophies in any sport? Would Cassidy get the recognition he deserves?

BY THE NUMBERS

Last season the Bruins, still under Claude Julien, were looking to miss the playoffs yet again. Something had to change and the time had come with Sweeney finally letting go of Boston’s long-tenured coach. Enter Bruce Cassidy, former head coach of the Providence Bruins. Cassidy had to coach a fragmented team that no longer responded to Julien while shifting to a new playing style that emphasized speed. No longer taking a slower approach and no more playing the dump and chase game-the Bruins would start to pick up their pace.

As the interim head coach for the Bruins’ final 33 regular and postseason games, he compiled an impressive an 18-8-1 regular season record. The Bruins would clinch a playoff berth for the first time since the 2013-14 season. And for some quick stats when Cassidy took over for Julien, the Bruins would: rank first in the NHL in goals per game (3.37), first in the NHL in fewest shots allowed (741), tied for second in the NHL in wins (18), tied for second in the NHL in power-play percentage (27.8%), tied for third in the NHL in goals allowed per game (2.30) (source: NHL).

BUTCH CASSIDY

With the title “Interim” being stripped away, Bruce Cassidy would step in as the official coach of the Boston Bruins. He would be tested however as the team began the season with injuries and with some tough losses and varied wins, many were unsure about how far this team would go. But as the story goes, you can never count the Black and Gold out. And with a successful trip out west in November, everything started to click. Chemistry was building amongst the players. Cassidy was learning to read his players and tweaking the lines as needed. With a team like the Bruins, every line has proved to be productive.

2017-2018 SEASON

The Bruins are in a good place right now and are poised to clinch the division title. Cassidy’s record so far with the Bruins since taking over is 67-26-13; Claude Julien was 26-23 before he was let go. No question that Cassidy has been an important proponent in rebuilding this team and continues to make smart decisions. With a few games left in the regular season, the Bruins will be pushing for a deep playoff run. Boston needs to continue to outperform their opponents and stay healthy. While there’s little chance that Cassidy will win the Jack Adams award this season, fans know he is one of the reasons this team has become a force to be reckoned with.

See you in June.

Follow Liz Rizzo on twitter @pastagrll88

It’s Crunch Time for the Bruins

Leave a reply

As teams continue to put pressure on the Boston Bruins, can the Black and Gold continue to tough it out?

I’ll be first to admit, I wasn’t sure if the Boston Bruins really needed to make a trade. But I had to take a hard look at their recent playing effort. The one thing about this team, which has been an issue these past few years, is the depth of their defense. As the trade deadline nears, most teams are looking to rebuild and that means making some changes. Recent rumbles throughout league would have the possibility of Jake DeBrusk going to Rangers in exchange for Ryan McDonough.

Yes, the Bruins need a top D-man, and Chara won’t be around forever. And yes, Carlo should be better than he is. Lacking that depth is being exposed in their recent road trip. We knew this was going to be tough test of just how good this team is and after a pretty bad showing against Vancouver, reality was starting to set in. If they want to be in the playoffs, they would have to play smarter, faster, and tougher.

Staff photo by John Wilcox/The Boston Herald

Quick Change

After losing 6-1 against a low standing Vancouver team, the Boston Bruins had to bounce back. A win against Calgary gave another shot of confidence that the team needed. The Bruins went back to the basics while working on what needed to be polished. Tuesday’s night game against the Oilers was another test. Edmonton hasn’t been playing great this year, yet somehow managed to find their pucks behind the Bruins’ net. A quick look at some stats and you’ll see that Boston plays under .500 when they are two goals behind. The black and gold found themselves in a hole, which they had to dig themselves out of. Something had to change and with a stroke of genius, Coach Bruce Cassidy led the charge. With the third period getting underway, the Bruins were set to make a dramatic comeback. And they did. David Krejci skated alongside David Backes and Danton Heinen. Backes retrieved the puck from Edmonton, passed to Heinen which set up Krejci to score the winning goal. Because of the stellar comeback win for the Bruins, the question of whether the B’s can play gritty was answered.

Production

The thing about this year’s Boston Bruins team is the production from their lines, particularly the 4^th line. While the 1^st line of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak has produced huge numbers for the team- let’s take a look at the 4^th line. With Tim Schaller, Noel Acciari, Sean Kuraly, this line has been very productive for this team. Cassidy put that line out in the crucial minutes of the third period and sure enough, that move worked. The Bruins scored. In a bold move, Cassidy switched up his center and Riley Nash played alongside Jake DeBrusk and Ryan Spooner. After some great puck movement, Charlie McAvoy’s shot hit off Nash, who beautifully back passed to Matt Grzelcyk and the Bruins tied the game.

Photo Credit/Getty Images

Coach Cassidy had this to say about the fourth line:

“Offensively, they’ve done a real good job chipping in.They’re over 20 goals even strength as a line. That’s pretty good for a fourth line that doesn’t see any power-play time. It was a big one by Noel tonight, typical goals. Again for Noel, going to the net, willing to pay the price, be around there. Very, very happy for those guys …I think they’re well liked by the group, so when they give you energy, it just gets the whole team going [and] they’ve done it more than once for us this year.”

Boston Bruins David Krecji scores game winning goal

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Looking Ahead

March is going to be a tough month for the Bruins. After finishing their Canadian road trip, they’ll be back home for the next five games. With the newly acquired Rangers defenseman Nick Holden, the Bruins are looking to add some jolt to their defense. The black and gold will need to work on their back-end, make smart trades (if needed) and keep pushing. Cassidy will have to switch up lines and the young guns will need to play through their growing pains. Boston hasn’t exactly made the greatest decisions when it comes to making trades however, fans will have to trust the process. This could possibly mean losing a young player and that can be hard to swallow, given the amount of talent this team has and the chemistry they’ve built.

Final Thoughts

The Boston Bruins need to stick to the basics, drive hard to net and continue to get pucks in. Other teams will be gunning for a spot in the playoffs and the pressure will be on. One thing is for sure, this team is and has been exciting to watch. Because of the comeback win in Edmonton, this team continues to prove once again just how special they are. Cassidy keeps making the right calls, the team has found their stride and Holden is someone we could use. If everything falls into place, the Bruins will get far into the playoffs. Finally, does this team need another player like a McDonough or even a Lucic? From this writer’s perspective, Boston doesn’t really need to make another trade, but I’ll leave that to the experts.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrll88

Changing of the Guards

Leave a reply

SHOWDOWN IN MONTREAL

The Boston Bruins face a tough schedule heading into to the second half of the season. There’s no doubt that there will be a lot of emotion on the ice in Wednesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. The Bruins and Canadiens hold what is considered to be one of the NHL’s greatest rivalries. This also marks the first time that coach Claude Julien will return to Boston to face his former team. For the past decade, Julien sat behind the Bruins bench and coached a team that made two Stanley Cup appearances in 2011 and 2013. To say Julien didn’t have an impact on the Bruins organization would be foolish. Coming into the first of many meetings between the two clubs, there’s a level of respect from both the players and Coach Bruce Cassidy. For some, like Patrice Bergeron, playing against his former mentor will carry some extra emotion:

” It’s going to be special. He’s been great for my career and for the organization. It’s going to be a special moment”

“..There’s a mutual respect for the player-coach relationship that they have..”

These last forty games are crucial for the Boston Bruins as they continue to push for a playoff spot. As for Montreal, a time for desperation calls for desperate play. Under Claude Julien, the Canadiens have been playing inconsistent and lackluster. They currently have a 2% chance of a clinching a playoff spot. There’s no question that the recent surge of young players has propelled the Bruins into second place with a +30 in the Atlantic division. Under Cassidy, there’s a great chance that the black and gold will emerge as one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup. In this week’s match-up against the Habs, all eyes will be on the bench as one curiosity arises. Just how would this young Bruins team be under Julien? Also, would he be able to put all his trust into a first-year player?

OLD SCHOOL

In the last few years, the NHL has morphed into a game more focused on speed and less on strength. Things change and to be competitive means adjusting to a different style. For the upper brass management (as well as fans), Claude Julien just wasn’t able to adapt productively. With personnel changes and the league’s expansion, the Bruins were two steps behind. Consequently rumors of tension between some players and Julien began to surface.

Both the media and Bruins fans were starting to believe this “myth” that Julien simply didn’t like the young players. It didn’t help that player Ryan Spooner made a remark that Claude didn’t like him. There were even whispers that Tuukka Rask didn’t exactly see eye to eye with Claude. If you take a look at the stats and what some of the young players had to say about Claude, you get a different story. Julien helped develop a lot of players such as Milan Lucic Patrice Bergeron, Dougie Hamilton, David Pastrnak, and Ryan Spooner. The difference between Cassidy and Julien is the way he developed them; you had to earn your ice time. The old school thought would have Julien put more pressure and trust onto a veteran rather than a first-year player.

So just how was Claude with his young players? If you break down some numbers of those coached by Julien, they aren’t as bad as many fans would remember. And keep in mind, many of these players were under the age of twenty-two. In his rookie year, Brad Marchand scored twenty goals. Pastrnak also scored twenty-two goals at the age of twenty years old. Also, as a 19-year-old, Tyler Seguin scored twenty-nine goals, and 22-year-old Milan Lucic netted thirty. Many of these players credit Julien for helping them develop their playing style. A young David Pastrnak had a breakout year while playing under Julien in 2016. At one point he was second in the league behind Sidney Crosby in goal scoring and garnered high praise from Claude:

“He’s been our best forward since the beginning of the year. He’s coming into his own..”

Interestingly enough, a lot of these young players worked closely with former Providence head coach Bruce Cassidy. For David Pastrnak, it was Cassidy and assistant coach Jay Pandolfo who worked closely with the young Czech forward for three years. As a side note, Claude Julien coached in the AHL and was even a successful Junior coach.

While Julien and Cassidy may have similar backgrounds, their approach in working with young talent has produced different results. For Julien, limiting playing time for a young player was part of the learning curve and development process. However, Cassidy had a different plan; speed drills, picking up the pace and attacking the net more on the offensive end. As the NHL began to change and after the Bruins missed the playoffs in 2015 while under Julien, both general manager Don Sweeney and President of the Boston Bruins Cam Neely knew that it was time to move on and hire a new voice.

CHANGING OF THE GUARDS

The firing of the long-tenured coach drew a mixed response from players and the organization as well as hardcore fans. Many of whom immediately called for the firing of Neely and Sweeney. By the time Julien was let go from the Boston Bruins, the team record of 26-23 left them with little chance of clinching a playoff spot in the 2016-2017 season. As the interim head coach, Cassidy had his work cut out for him. At that point in the season, the Bruins were one point outside the Eastern Conference With a quick change-up in styles, the black and gold managed to clinch a spot. Cassidy’s playing style was what the Bruins needed as they headed into a playoff series against the Ottawa Senators.

Fans got the see a first glimpse of an astounding performance by first-year player Sean Kuraly and newly signed prospect Charlie McAvoy. Those who were unsure of how this team would be without Claude got to see a new resilient team that didn’t give up easily. In a hard-fought series, the Bruins made it difficult for the Senators to earn a spot in the playoffs. Even though the Boston lost, there was no question that given the short amount of time that Cassidy had coached the team there was something special about the upcoming group of “young guns”.

BUTCH CASSIDY AND HIS SUNDANCE KIDS

Bruce Cassidy had to deal with an onslaught of injuries affecting the team at the beginning of the season. With a tough task ahead of him, Cassidy continued to put trust in his young players while looking to his veterans for guidance. Sure, there have been a few hiccups and learning opportunities on the bench. However, the Bruins had managed to stay afloat in the standings. As the team started to become healthy, things started to rapidly change. For fans, one of the biggest stories in the NHL is how the recent youth movement propelled the Bruins into playoff contention.

Seeing this team jump twenty spots in the standings, one would have to think again how this team would fare Julien. In my opinion he would have a hard time extending his leash, continue his dump and chase game, with little emphasis on speed- a strategy that would not work for this year’s Bruins team. In order to be competitive in this sport you have to be willing to change. One look at the standings in the Atlantic Division, it’s not hard to tell which team will rise up to the top. Under Julien, the once powerful Canadiens are looking to miss the playoffs this year. With their recent 4-3 loss to the Bruins, Montreal continues to sputter down in the division, while the Bruins continue to shut down their opponents.

It’s clear Cassidy is the perfect fit for this young Boston team. He is currently 42-18-8 with the Bruins, keeping the focus on speed and puck control. Don Sweeney’s plan has come to full fruition. Signing young prospects, developing them in Providence and hiring a young coach that isn’t afraid to take chances. Sometimes change is good, and as the Bruins continue to be tested and pushed in the second half of the season, Cassidy and his Sundance Kids will no doubt be fighting to the end.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter: @pastagrl88

Washington Troubles Continue for the Bruins

Leave a reply

Well this news certainly will not shock anybody: the Boston Bruins lost to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. The Bruins have now dropped 12 straight games against the Capitals, and do not have any more regular season games scheduled with them this year. A blessing in disguise if you ask me, because it seems like no matter how well they play the Bruins just cannot overcome the Caps. Coming into D.C the Bruins had won five games in a row and eight out of the last 10. All of the sudden the Bruins had some adversity to overcome. Lets take a look back at last nights 4-3 loss and highlight the areas where the Bruins fell short.

Embed from Getty Images

Bruce Cassidy

There has not been much to complain about this season regarding Bruce Cassidy. Overall he as done a fabulous job. But last night in Washington Cassidy really had egg on his face. Starting in the overtime period where Cassidy thought it was a better idea to put Carlo on the ice in a 3-3 situation than Krug. Cassidy explained that he was sending a message to the veteran defenseman. But overtime against the team that owns you is not the time to bench your most talented offensive defenseman.

Another major blunder by Cassidy was not challenging Lars Eller’s goal that made it 2-1 Boston. When on replay it was very clearly offside. But later on in the game Cassidy did decide to challenge Brett Connolly’s game tying goal that had no chance of being overturned. At that point it’s hard not to wonder if Cassidy was more focused on saving face than actually objectively viewing the play. Especially considering that one of Cassidy’s reasons for not challenging the first goal was because he did not want to risk the two-minute minor in that situation. Which only makes him challenging the game tying goal that much worse, thankfully the Bruins killed the penalty and were able to get one point.

Embed from Getty Images

Anders Bjork

This decision may be even more frustrating than the whole challenge situation. Cassidy has been rather harsh on Bjork all season, and that trend continued against Washington. Bjork had only 6:53 TOI against Washington and seemed to be in the doghouse once again. Cassidy explained that Bjork was not sharp without the puck and was off his defensive angles. This is true, as Bjork has a tendency to be rather ineffective physically in the defensive zone. However the Bruins need to make a choice on Bjork. Either let him work through his deficiencies at the NHL level or send him down to Providence. Bjork is not going to improve by playing not even seven minutes a night at the NHL level. A Providence stint would allow him to play 20 minutes a night and focus on his positioning without the puck.

The Bruins have some big roster decisions coming up, and right now Bjork is the odd man out. Krejci is set to return to the lineup soon as well as Chelarik. While the Bruins have made it public that Bjork has earned his roster spot their hand may be forced. Sweeney and Cassidy have some big decisions to make for the surprisingly good Bruins team now lets see if they can make the right one.

Bruce Cassidy Keeping Bruins Season Afloat

Leave a reply

The start to the NHL season has been anything but expected for the Bruins. Despite the team being ravished by injuries, the team has maintained a winning record. The Bruins are currently sitting at 6-5-3 after the first 14 games. While Boston fans criticize the Bruins for losing, the fact that the Bruins have been able to hover around .500 is outstanding.

It Could Be Worse

It feels like every other game another big time player is going down with an injury. As a result, the Bruins have had to put young kids in the lineup sooner than they would have hoped. Most critics expected the team to collapse and spiral down the drain. However, the kids have not only met expectations; they have gone above and beyond them. Patrice Bergeron deserves a ton of credit. While young players cycle through the lineup, Bergeron is a consistent veteran voice in the locker room. While the kids may have the talent, Bergeron has the smarts to guide them through the season.

With the new wave of youth in the lineup the Bruins have played uptempo hockey, setting the pace for most games. The Bruins have also been able to grind out tough physical games against more experienced teams. As a result Boston has taken 5 out of 10 possible points over the past five games. For a team with so many injuries this is more than impressive.

Bruce Cassidy’s Impact

How can a team with so many major injuries still be playing such inspired hockey? The answer is the coach. Bruce Cassidy has been driving the bus from behind the bench all year long. Cassidy was promoted from bench coach to head coach last year and has done nothing but impress since. He has faced numerous injuries to the stars of the team, a goalie controversy, and multiple on-ice issues. But Cassidy has held it together and has somehow kept this team in contention two weeks away from Thanksgiving.

Cassidy, who was previously the head coach of the Providence Bruins, has been able to get more than anyone could have asked for from these young kids. Many of these young guys played multiple seasons under Cassidy in Providence and now get the comfort of their old head coach at the NHL level. Only a little over a month into the season the Bruins have called Tim Schaller, Frank Vatrano, Sean Kuraly, Anders Bjork, Danton Heinen, and Jake Debrusk’s numbers. Not just in third line minutes, but in key situations late in games. For the most part they have thrived, mainly due to Cassidy’s guidance and coaching skills.

Cassidy has kept the car running while all the parts seem to be breaking around him. The Bruins are getting the future of their team some much needed experience in real games. No one wants to see injuries, but they have shown us a lot about Bruce Cassidy as a coach, and a lot about the future stars of this team.

Bruins Fall 4-3 in Shootout After 3 Goal Comeback

Leave a reply

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

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.

From Bad to Worse for the Bruins

Leave a reply

With the Bruins only five game into this young season, they have posted a 2-3-0 record. The Bruins have been good in their two wins this season, but horrendous in the three losses they have suffered.

The team has been without assistant captains Patrice Bergeron and David Backes to start the season, but both have resumed skating this week and look to be close to a return. Bergeron has been out with a lower body injury, and Backes with Diverticulitis. It’s a good sign seeing these two skating and looking to soon make a return.

The injuries just keep coming

When things were just starting to look better, the Bruins were hit with more injuries. Third line center-man, Ryan Spooner, was injured in Sunday’s loss against Vegas. Spooner is going to be out of the lineup for 4-6 weeks with a groin tear. He had previously been playing through the issue, which tore in Sunday’s game. Spooner wasn’t the only player to be injured in that game. D-man Adam McQuaid, was injured after taking a slap shot off the side of his knee from Colin Miller. McQuaid was able to participate in Wednesday’s practice, and hasn’t been ruled out for tonight game against the Canucks.

Rask leaves practice

Bruins starting goalie Tuukka Rask has had a shaky start to the season. Rask currently holds a record of 1-3-0, has a SV% of .882 and a GAA of 3.30. Rask left Wednesday’s practice after rookie, Anders Bjork, ran into him during a drill. “It was a fast play. I don’t even know what happened” said Bjork. The Bruins haven’t given an update on Rask, but the Bruins have called up young goaltender, Zane McIntyre. It looks like Rask may miss some time. Hopefully Rask isn’t out too long, the Bruins need him to be successful in the lineup in order for them to win games.

Backes could return Thursday

According to Head Coach Bruce Cassidy, David Backes is closer to returning tonight than Bergeron. Having Backes back would be a tremendous boost to the Bruins young forward group. Backes adds size, power and a veteran presence. If able to play tonight against the Canucks, he could potentially play between Marchand and Bjork on the top line. This would allow Bruins center-man, Riley Nash, to move down in the lineup where he is more effective.

Bruins need wins now

With the Bruins currently 2-3-0, they are tied for fifth in the Atlantic division, with the Florida Panthers and the Buffalo Sabers. The Bruins have two games in hand, but are seven points behind the division leaders, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins need to start catching up now rather than later. The Atlantic Division is very good this season, with the Leafs, Lightning and Red Wings all playing excellent hockey. If the Bruins want to compete with the other teams in the division, they better start now.

Bruins Look to Bounce Back Tonight

Leave a reply

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

[contact-form][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Website” type=”url” /][contact-field label=”Message” type=”textarea” /][/contact-form]

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.

Image result for ryan white boston bruins