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It’s Crunch Time for the Bruins

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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.

Boston Bruins Matt Grzelcyk goal

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 4th line. While the 1st line of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak has produced huge numbers for the team- let’s take a look at the 4th 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.

 

Boston Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

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

Patrice Bergeron- Fire on Ice

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After losing in a recent game against Anaheim, the Bruins were looking to bounce back. In their next game, they had their chance for redemption when they faced the St Louis Blues. The Bruins are getting into the latter part of the season where every point is crucial. Boston scored three goals-all coming from key veteran players: David Krejci, David Backes, and Patrice Bergeron. In this article, we take a look at one of the league’s most humble player.

THE ART OF THE DRAW

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If you want to win a faceoff, you put Patrice Bergeron on the ice. The Boston Bruins centerman led the NHL in faceoff wins with 1,015 in the 2013-14 season, and he’s widely considered one of the best in the league. The finest two-way players in the NHL, Patrice Bergeron is not only methodical in his gameplay, he’s a consummate player. With a team-first attitude, the quiet forward makes a lot of noise on the ice. So much so that Bergeron earned NHL’s Second Star for January. Currently, Bergeron boasts a 57% faceoff win and has 11 goals in his last 14 games played. He also is now first on the Bruins’ roster in goals.

As being part of NHL’s most formidable line, Bergeron just keeps piling up numbers, even without his sidekick, Brad Marchand. With Marchand serving a five-game suspension, Patrice kept the first line productive with himself, David Pastrnak and Danton Heinen. Being with a responsible player like Bergeron has served them well, as both Pastrnak and Heinen scored critical goals. The B’s posted a 4-1 record without Marchand, showing once again how cohesive the black and gold have been. And if you’re wondering just how respected Bergeron is around the league, there’s serious talk about nominating the four-time Selke Winner as the league’s MVP. Not only does he have the backing of the Bruins organization, he has a fan in Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill:

“Bergeron, for me, has probably been the best player in the league for the season up to now…There are others like (Tampa Bay’s Nikita) Kucherov that you could make arguments for, but I think he has had as big an impact on winning as anyone in the league.”

Not only is the future Captain an all-around player, he’s one tough player. And playing against an ill Bergeron doesn’t exactly bode well for any opponent. Ask the Carolina Hurricanes, who had the misfortune of playing against Bergeron; he netted 4 goals in a recent game- an impressive feat considering he wasn’t feeling too well. Back in 2013 during a Stanley Cup playoff run, Bergy played with a separated shoulder, a hole in his lung, and a fractured rib. Most athletes wouldn’t dare play through those type of injuries, yet for someone like Bergy, there’s no questioning his dedication to the sport.

FUTURE CAPTAIN

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For every young Bruins player on this years roster, they have found themselves in a somewhat enviable position. Not only do they look to Captain Zdeno Chara’s wisdom from his many years of playing 1400 games to be exact-but they also have Bergeron to look to. Sadly, there will come a time when Chara will hang up his skates, leaving a lasting legacy in Boston. For Patrice Bergeron, becoming the Bruins new Captain would be the natural step, as Chara passes the torch to his successor. For the organization and fans, there could not a better leader than Patrice- tough, smart and classy.

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter: @pastagrl88

From Russia With Love- Anton Khudobin

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Every player on every line has so far stepped up and pushed through the many injuries that have plagued this team so far this season. For once in a very long time, this Bruins team has major depth on the bench. One of the biggest surprises this season for the Bruins is their newly found tenacity amongst personnel. For one particular player, this year has proven to be his shining moment. Enter Anton Khudobin, Russia’s import to the Boston Bruins.

ENTER THE DOBINATOR

Despite the loss on Tuesday night, Anton Khudobin has been on fire lately. Up until Tuesday’s game, Khudobin has not lost in regulation and is currently boasting a .924 save percentage (eighth on the leaderboard). The 31 year old Kazakhstan goalie has also done something equally impressive: giving competition to the Bruins’ number one goalie, Tuukka Rask. By mid-November, Boston started to get their team healthy again. Anton Khudobin was given the chance to finally play between the pipes. The Bruins enjoyed a four game winning streak and with Khudobin in net helped bolster the confidence of team. As for the fans, they got to see a goalie who was excited to play some good hockey. It was hard not to to notice how Anton’s energetic enthusiasm translated in his style of play. As Coach Bruce Cassidy puts it:

“Doby is always going to have a bit of energy, for lack of a better word, in there and more movement than most. You know, he’s not your typical technically robotic goaltender…”

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

For Tuukka Rask, watching Khudobin play those games has earned top praise from the Bruins goalie early on in the season, especially when Rask was struggling early on.

“Doby played a heck of a game. The results have been there. I haven’t been able to get wins in the past three starts. So it’s understandable. Obviously, we look at every game whether it’s a win or loss and take the positives and learn from the negatives.”

BEING THANKFUL

For a young Anton Khudobin, playing hockey was always the one thing he wanted to do. Playing for the home town team, the coach decided to move to a different city, far from Kazakhstan where the Khudobin’s lived. This meant leaving their life, giving up everything so that their son could play. Khudobin played for the Russian National team which beat the United States in the final. For the young goalie, the dream of playing in the NHL soon came true. After being drafted to the Minnesota Wild and playing for a Canadian Junior team, he came to Bruins in 2011. He became a free agent and ended up playing for the Hurricanes and the Ducks before returning to Boston.

With his contract set to expire at the end of this season, there’s a question on whether or not the Bruins resign Khudobin. No matter what happens, there’s no question about Anton’s love for playing and winning at the sport.

“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?” … 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 …and so now hopefully it’s not going to roll like it did last year.”

Gear up Anton, you may get a cup soon enough.

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrl88

Zdeno Chara: Big Man on Ice

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With the sudden news of young superstar Charlie McAvoy recovering from an abnormality in his heart, the Bruins will once again be playing with one man down. The big difference with this year’s Bruins team is how much depth they have on the bench. With the tremendous amount of talent being developed at the NHL and AHL level, Coach Bruce Cassidy has smartly paired up veterans alongside the first year players. One of those veterans is Captain Zdeno Chara.

GUIDING LIGHT

A towering force at 6”9”, Zdeno Chara has secured the admiration of both teammates and the NHL as both an intimidating defenseman and role model. The amount of value and experience he shares with the younger players comes from playing in the NHL for the past two decades. Fellow teammates gain confidence when they have Big Z on their side. They see Chara as both a mentor and “big brother”. Back in April, McAvoy had this to say:

“.. To put a guy with less experience like myself, or a guy like Brandon Carlo, and put him with a guy like that [CHARA], who just has so much experience, has had such a storied career. It’s easy to see why they do that, to help that transition become easier for someone like myself. I’m just very thankful to have the opportunity today to be able to practice with him…He’s just such an amazing player and the leader of this team.”

For Chara, fulfilling that role of mentor is nothing new.  Early on in his career with the B’s, he was paired up with veteran Dennis Seidenberg before playing alongside a nineteen year old fresh-faced Dougie Hamilton. Last season, Chara once again played along side a young rookie: Brandon Carlo. This season, BU alum Charlie McAvoy has been his new student.

2018 SEASON

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

One of the many talking points about this year’s Boston Bruins team is how every single line has been productive. The team’s penalty kill becomes instantly improved when Chara is on the ice. In other words, he’s gotten the Bruins out of a few jams. During a recent game against the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins saw them selves in a five on three situation. Being responsible for starting every penalty kill, Chara had already been on the ice for almost two minutes when both Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo put in the penalty box. And because of Chara’s toughness and skill the Canadiens never came close to scoring during the two power plays.

GOLDEN YEARS

For any New England fan, NFL QB Tom Brady is one of the greatest athletes of all time. And at forty years old, keeps defying odds and silencing his critics. But for any hockey fan, the Bruins have their own age-defying player. Being the biggest player to ever play in the NHL, forty year old Chara is still clocking an impressive amount of time on ice. He averages over twenty-three minutes each game. No workload is too heavy for the Slovakian native. He’s the guy that just loves to play hockey:

“..I love everything about it. I love the sacrifice. I love the pain that goes with it. Love playing with young guys. Love playing with older guys.”

And for Chara, this means no real timetable as to when he’ll retire from the organization. However one thing’s for sure- he’d like to retire a Bruin.

“I take a lot of pride in my offseason training and being ready for every season…I want to still be very effective, get better, improve, maintain my game, and keep adding to my game..it’s still beautiful to have players staying with one team and retiring with that team.”

Keep playing Big Z. Boston will miss you when you’re gone.

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter:  @pastagrl88

Cover photo courtesy of AP Photo/Charles Krupa.

Creating Depth: A New Era for the Boston Bruins

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Creating Depth on the Bruins’ Bench

It was a smile you don’t quite see often, but after Saturday night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, one could not blame Coach Cassidy. His Boston Bruins beat the ‘Canes 7-1; a blowout game that saw the black and gold score five goals in the first period alone. With all the recent buzz about the youth movement for the Bruins, it was the Bergeron line that reminded everyone just how dangerous they were. As the night went on, it was becoming clear that this team, and its players, are the real deal.

“They were fun to watch when they got puck possession.. It’s amazing to watch Bergy get a shot off from there. But if you’re at Warrior enough, you’ll see him working every morning skate to getting that quick release”.

As the schedule is nearing the halfway point, the Bruins will be looking to continue their recent winning streak. With Saturdays’ win, the black and gold continue to embarrass teams. They are outscoring their opponents 42-12, and are riding an eleven game point streak. The first line alone garnered twelve points from the Hurricanes game. Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak produced five goals with seven assists. Bergeron, a future hall of fame inductee, scored four goals. He also nabbed his 700th career point-a personal reminder of how good he really is. The thing about this year’s Bruins team is that no matter which line is out on the ice, you know that you’re going to see some good hockey.

HAVING SOME FUN

The Boston Bruins have always prided themselves as being a blue-collar team; a team that was once the “Big Bad Bruins”. But as things change in the NHL, the Bruins also had to change. The days of using brute force are gone. The players today rely more on pure skill and working hard towards one goal: winning the Stanley Cup. But for the Bruins, there was panic early on. With every game came new injuries, and with new injuries Coach Bruce Cassidy had to make important roster changes; especially if he didn’t want his team to fall far behind. As the season wore on, the Bruins somehow managed to stay afloat and reached third or fourth in the Atlantic Division-something extraordinary if you think about how depleted this team was early in the season.

But then something happened. This team started to get their legs. You saw young players like Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, and Charlie McAvoy score their first NHL goals. The veterans were helping these young players, which in turn helped them with their gameplay. The Boston Bruins were finally becoming a healthy team, creating noise around the league. They were quickly becoming a bunch of guys that love playing with each other and connecting on and off the ice. With each win, the confidence of the Bruins continues to flourish. As Brad Marchand put it:

“ We are just confident right now.. you see the way that some young guys are stepping up, it just seems like everyone is connecting..we’ve got a great group of guys in the room and we all get along really well.”

RAISING THE BAR

Overcoming injuries early in the season created a problem for the Boston Bruins. With key veteran players such as Brad Marchand, David Backes, David Krejci and enforcer Adam McQuaid out, a call to Providence was imminent. For the defense, the Bruins once again looked to Charlie McAvoy. A hard-nosed first-year player, McAvoy is not only scoring winning goals, but has quickly become one of the leagues most formidable defensemen. As the young players began to find their identity on the ice, key players slowly started to emerge as unlikely superstars, especially Danton Heinen and Sean Kuraly. For Coach Bruce Cassidy, finding that right combination of players was proving to be a tough task. And for some veteran players, confidence was starting to wane.

PROTECTING THE NET

The Bruins’ starting goalie Tuukka Rask had a very shaky start. Analysts were starting to worry that the Vezina winner wouldn’t be able to bounce back. As losses piled up, Rask’s save percentage dipped down to .870, a far cry from his 2015 stat of .927. Consequently, Cassidy had to find a way to get his number one starter confident again: creating competition.

Enter Anton Khudobin. The 31-year-old Kazakhstan goalie would be given a chance to play between the pipes and perhaps give Rask a much-needed realization that if his numbers continued to suffer, so would his goaltending chances. With Khudobin in net, the tide started to slowly change for the Bruins. As a “goalie controversy” gained steam in the media, all eyes were on Khudobin. Questions were asked: would the Bruins trade Rask and how worried should the team be about their number one starter? With Anton in net, the Bruins would enjoy a  four-game winning streak.

Rask needed this motivation. Not only has the 30-year-old Finnish goalie begun winning games, the team that played in front of him were starting to gain some steam. Both Tuukka and Anton are currently boasting impressive numbers, with Rask 11-0-1 in his last twelve games, 1.20 GAA with a .962 save percentage. Khudobin, since Saturday’s win, is now boasting a .964 SV%. For Bruce Cassidy, no longer would he have to rely solely on Rask, he now has a solid back up goalie in Anton Khudobin.

HAVING DEPTH

With continued injuries plaguing the team, it was now time for the young players to step up. From recent efforts, the call to arms has been answered. Having players like David Krejci, Adam McQuaid and Ryan Spooner out, the lines had to be tweaked. At first the Bergeron line had himself, Marchand, and newcomer Anders Bjork. The second line saw the pairing of fellow Czech players David Krejci and newly signed superstar David Pastrnak. But as Krejci continued to sit out due to his nagging injury, the lines have, needless to say, changed. For this Bruins team, those changes have worked to their advantage. One impressive feat: in the last 38 games played, the Bergeron line has not given up a 5 on 5 goal.

The fourth line that sees Sean Kuraly, Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari finished with a combined 8 shots on goal, (2 of which were part of the 5 goals scored vs. the Islanders), and ended with a combined +5 rating. Jake DeBrusk, Ryan Spooner, and a now healthy David Krejci all posted goals when playing against the Senators. For the Heinen, Nash and Backes line, scoring has now become second nature; posting two goals during Tuesday’s game against the Islanders. As goaltender Tuukka Rask puts it,

“They give us energy. They’re just buzzing around and making hits, making plays. You need four lines in this league nowadays to contribute and lately, we’ve had that”.

THE ROAD AHEAD

With last night’s thrilling game against a well-rested Pittsburgh Penguins,  Bruins fans saw a team that had goals from each line. Players Ryan Spooner, Noel Acciari, David Backes, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak all scored to bring the Bruins up 5-3 during the second period. Despite the loss in overtime, one thing was clear: you can never count this team out. The Bruins have now become the “dark horse”, frustrating and breaking the spirits of their opponents. With each game comes the question; which line will be the one to shut their opponents down, shoot the puck and win faceoffs?

As teams head into their bye week, the Bruins to keep up the pace in the second half of the season. For the black and gold, clinching a spot in the playoffs is the ultimate goal. And having a team with so many skilled, hungry players has become a “luxury” for Coach Bruce Cassidy; a luxury that the fans have been waiting for.

An Unlikely Superstar for the Black and Gold

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A look at the rapid rise of Danton Heinen: one of the hottest young studs of the Boston Bruins

A Rough Start

Early on in the Boston Bruins training camp, there was talk about the upcoming first-year guys. Players like Jake DeBrusk, Anders Bjork, and Charlie Mcavoy were creating a buzz. But for Danton Heinen, his star was starting to slowly (and quietly) shine brightly.

The 22-year-old British Columbia native has no doubt made an impressive impact so far this season. He started out his career playing eight games before being sent down to Providence. After honing his skills in the AHL, Heinen has now become an integral part of the surge of young players. The best part of watching this team is how a player like Heinen has flown under the radar to only emerge as a top player for the black and gold.

A Call to Arms

While the Boston Bruins were plagued early on with injuries, Coach Bruce Cassidy had no other choice than to look to the “young guns” to stay competitive in the Atlantic Division. After starting the year in Providence, Heinen has quietly become a player that can complement any line. As of late, the Backes, Nash, and Heinen line have not only produced points with goals and assists. They have shown what this team is about; playing smart and winning battles- all without brute strength. Gone from the Bruins’ playing style is the Claude Julien method of dump and chase. What they have now is a team full of players that continue to grind out smart plays with a solid defense. Guys like Heinen have stepped up in every capacity and produce on whatever line Bruce Cassidy places him on. Cassidy commented on his player’s success, saying:

“Danton has really grown his game, to be able to play with different flavors, or attributes, of different forwards”

In the last 34 games Danton Heinen has scored 10 goals, with 18 assists and 28 points. The 6’1″ forward is now third on the roster for points, right behind Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Not bad for a first-year player.

A Look Ahead

The Boston Bruins are in a good spot right now: a healthy team that is a productive mixture of first-year guys and veterans. The thing that stands out about this team is how well the players compliment each other. David Backes credits players Danton Heinen and Riley Nash in helping to improve his game on the ice since returning from surgery. Not only has Heinen been there for those important rebounds, his playing style is that of good, solid puck control, keeping the play alive and winning those crucial battles on the ice. And since coming back up from Providence after that rough start, Heinen has not wasted any time in getting those winning shot on goal. The Boston Bruins are now bouncing between being 2nd and 3rd in the Atlantic Division with a good amount of points ahead of the fourth-place team (currently Florida).

While the Bruins continue to outsmart and outplay other teams, there’s no question that for someone like Danton Heinen, having a good player attitude will only lead this team down the road of quickly becoming serious contenders for the Stanley Cup.

What Kind of Return Could Tuukka Rask Net?

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Claude overseeing the changing of the guard from Tim Thomas to Tuukka Rask is a move that Bruins fans to this day are still thankful for. While Rask delivered the Bruins to the promised land in 2013, a tough Blackhawks team stole Lord Stanley’s cup away. While since then the Bruins have experienced some regular season success, including a President’s Trophy win, quick trips to the playoffs and flat-out missing them are the norm.

This Season

Despite what the Bruins and the media might tell you, a goalie controversy is brewing in TD Garden. Tuukka Rask struggles continued at the start of the season. Anton Khudobin is flying high this season coming out with a 2.53 GAA and a .922 Save%. This season’s numbers are right on par with Khudobin’s career numbers of a 2.46GAA, and .917S% respectively. Although Rask’s play of late is an encouraging sign, as of writing this he’s won his last 4, including 30 stops in a 3-1 Bruins’ victory over the Islanders, his future in Boston seems up in the air.

Possible Suitors

Before us armchair GM’s pack Tuukka’s bags for him, we must first find a possible destination for him. Don Sweeney and the Bruins should be on the phones with, and that is the Calgary Flames.  The Flames are floating along in the pacific division with 34 points. Mike Smith is currently giving adequate numbers with a 2.68GAA and .918Sv%. What could bring Calgary over the hump is a hype goalie like Tuukka Rask. The Bruins need to do something to complement our young forwards and defensemen to take the Bruins into the future.

Return

Jon Gillies, National Champion and former Providence College Friar, is an up and coming player in the Flames system. During the 2016-2017 season, Gillies played one game with the Flames and gave up 1 goal on 28 shots. This season he has only played in one game and gave up 3 goals on 9 shots. 2 games in the NHL is not enough to go on, his numbers in the AHL and Providence College are the most impressive. Gillies is set to become an unrestricted free agent soon so his value will diminish a small amount.

Rask’s commitment and sometimes long absences leave a bad taste in many, including myself and other Bruins fan’s mouths. Since the beginning of the season, Rask’s play has drastically turned a corner. Rask has a high value and Calgary should be willing to depart with at least a 2nd round pick. Depending on how the goal tending does in Calgary for the rest of the season, Calgary could become desperate. This could give the Bruins the opportunity to ask for a first rounder.

Future

While Khudobin is playing great season, he is not the long-term solution for the Bruins. As we’ve seen from Malcolm Subban, the Bruins are not always the best at developing goalies. I believe it is too early to give up on Zane McIntyre. His stats in the NHL are awful, (3.93GAA and .858Sv%) his play in Providence is quite good. The former University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux was instrumental in helping bring the P-Bruins to the Calder Cup Finals. However, as we’ve seen with Matt Murray in Pittsburgh, a goalie could fall right in our laps.