Tag Archives: NHL

Boston Bruins 4th Line: #1 in the #4 Business?

Too Good to Break Up

After an another impressive win by the Boston Bruins, one line really stood out. The 4th line consisting of Tim Schaller, Noel Acciari and Sean Kuraly are really starting to make a name for themselves!

4 points by the 4th line, on night where they played a team that boasted a home record of 12-3-3, is pretty darn good! This line plays the wear-you-down drag-’em-out type of hockey we have been looking for. They have been called the lunch-pail gang but they are starting prove their worth.

All three guys were in the double digits for time on ice and also had some penalty kill time, which shows that the confidence Cassidy has in these guys is growing. Not since the Thornton-Campbell-Paille line, that helped hoist the cup in 2011, have we seen a coach with this much faith in his 4th line. Whispers from all around the media water cooler are calling our current grind line one of the best in the league.

Looking Ahead

Our next three games are no cake-walks. The Bruins host the Panthers and the Hurricanes before heading to Pittsburgh on Sunday, January 7. None of these three teams will be easy to beat. Only the Pens have a losing record in their last 10 games, BUT they are the 2 time defending champs. We will definitely have to bring our A-game.

Adam McQuaid is soon ready to return and management needs to figure out that mess. David Krecji is back and healthy which saw Bjork watching the game from the cheap seats. Having a healthy team is a great problem to have but figuring out where to put them is not.

Tuukka Rask is playing as if his life depended on it, which is an awesome sight. So far this season over 25 games Rask has a 2.13 GAA along with .923 SV%. Rask was also named first star of the month with a record of 9-0-1 with 1.22 GAA and .955 SV%. Even Anton Khudobin has a winning record over 14 games. 2.47 GAA and .923 SV% are pretty good numbers when you spend 3/4 of your time on bench. Needless to say he has been there when we needed him.

In my humble opinion it is a great time to be a fan of the Boston Bruins. We are getting back to being the team nobody wants to play and for good reason. With a game in hand over the Tampa Bay Lightning, we are just 10 points out of first in the division. It is a good feeling when you see any one of the lines on the ice and not get nervous! 2018 is off to a great start and I am pumped for each and every upcoming game.

Until next time….

Keep Your Head Up

Backes on Track: An Overview of David Backes’s Career

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The Signing

When I heard that the Boston Bruins signed David Backes to a 5 year deal on July 1 2016 I was jumping for joy! The Big Boy Backes was just the power forward we have been looking for since the departure of Lucic. That one still bugs me! Standing 6′ 3″ and tipping the scales at 225 pounds, David Backes would be the prototypical Bruin.

The Rookie

The St Louis Blues drafted David Backes 62nd overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft. He went back to play for Minnesota State for three seasons where he put up some decent numbers. He amassed 119 PTS and 212 PIMS in only 115 games! Not too shabby, eh? He had a brief stint in the AHL with the Peoria Rivermen before joining the St Louis Blues for the 2006-2007 season. His best production season with the Blues was the 2010-2011 season where he netted 62 points in 82 games. On Sept 09 2011 he was named the 20th captain of the Blues, taking the reigns from Eric Brewer who was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. While he may not be an offensive juggernaut, he is a mean two-way power forward who can score when called upon.

The Man

Off the ice Backes is a big gentle bear. David and his wife Kelly are quite involved in animal rescue efforts and pet adoption drives. He has a huge passion for animals which goes all the way back to his childhood where always had pets around. David received his private pilots license in 2012. He is also a graduate of Minnesota State University.

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David made his international debut in 2007 where he was named to the US national team for the IIHF World Championships. He was named to the team for next two years and played in the bronze medal game in 2009, losing to Sweden 4-2. The national team came calling again but this time on the Olympic platform. With a goal and 2 assists he helped the team get to the gold medal game, falling to team Canada 3-2 in OT. Again in 2014 he suited up for team USA in the Olympics. This time there would be no medals, but he did help out with 4 PTS in 6 games.

The Legend?

Now with the Bruins he his quickly making a name for himself. Last season with the B’s he had 38 PTS and 69 PIMS in 74 games. Now this season is a bit of a different story. He went under the knife in November to remove a portion of his colon due to diverticulitis. Much to the joy of his teammates Backes has made a full recovery! So far this season he has 15 points in 20 games. David Backes was just named the NHL’s 3rd star this week with 6 points in 3 games all while playing on the 3rd line! With his help the Bruins have been steam rolling along. They are currently sitting 2nd in the division with a 7-1-2 record over the last 10 games. Yee Haw!

This is exactly what a young Bruins team needs right now. The former captain who, while still in his prime, is showing tons of leadership on a very young and talented team. They are playing with a ton of confidence and looking to make some noise in the playoffs. The problem I see moving forward is how to make room for everyone in the line-up once all the injuries have healed. The young call-ups are starting to look like seasoned veterans which is definitely not a bad thing.

The Bottom Line

Was signing Big Boy Backes to 5 years for 30 mil a good move for the Bruins? ABSOLUTELY!!! He is fearless power forward with some all-star skill. He is giving coach Cassidy some needed options on the 3rd line. Playing alongside Riley Nash and Danton Heinen, they are giving the top 2 lines much-needed rest and security. It nice to know that you can send out the 3rd line and not have to worry about defensive breakdowns. With this line it is the complete opposite. They look like a top line every time they step on the ice! Let’s hope 2018 will continue to be kind to this Bruins team as they make a mad dash for the finish line.

Until next time….

Keep Your Head Up

What Should the Boston Bruins Do with Adam McQuaid?

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A mere six games into the season Adam McQuaid blocked a shot that ended up breaking his leg. The timeline for his return was 6-8 weeks, and sure enough here we sit with McQuaid just about ready to get back on the ice. But even though McQuaid is ready to return to the lineup Cassidy has chosen to leave him out of the lineup. So with the decision coming to a head what should the Bruins do with Adam McQuaid?

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Grzelyck

The foundation of the Bruins this season is the promise of the young prospects up and down the roster. This season has been a huge step forward towards the future so far. However bringing Adam McQuaid back and playing him over a younger, more mistake prone, but also more talented defenseman, contradicts the entire theme of the season. Especially considering McQuaid would either take the place of Brandon Carlo or Matt Grzelyck, both of whom look like they are the future. Grzelyck has been a genuine difference maker on this team during his time with the big club. Since Cassidy inserted Grzelyck into the lineup the Bruins have been otherworldly, going 13-3-2.

While Cassidy has made the transition into the NHL easier for Grzelyck by not playing him in high pressure minutes. He has still shown exceptional skill and awareness in the minutes he has gotten. Grzelyck’s performance alone should be enough to keep McQuaid on the shelf for the rest of the season. Mainly because the next time the Bruins win a Stanley Cup Adam McQuaid will not be a factor in it.

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Kevin Miller

The biggest asset of McQuaid’s game is his toughness and grit. But even that has lost its value to the Bruins with Kevin Miller on the roster. Miller has been playing exceptional hockey since be moved to the right side paired with Matt Grzelyck. Being his natural side, Miller is able to do much more offensively from the right side of the ice. Miller is able to use his pure strength to fight defenders off the puck and barrel through the neutral zone to add another element to the Bruins’ offense. On top of that Miller has shown time and time again he can drop the gloves with anyone in hockey.

At this point Miller is practically a more offensive and reliable Adam McQuaid. That leaves the veteran enforcer on the outside looking in for a top six defenseman spot on this team. The move is to obviously send Paul Postma to the AHL and keep McQuaid as a solid seventh defenseman heading into the new year. The only question is if McQuaid will be willing to sit on the bench in a backup role.

Frozen Thoughts: the State of the NHL and the Bruins

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Frozen Thoughts…

Greetings from Northern Alberta. As I write this the temperature outside is -36°C. Brrr.

I read one of Don Cherry’s books a few years ago and I remember him saying this book has no order. It is written like his thoughts and that is probably how this article will be. I, like Don, am not very politically correct but I will try to contain myself.

These are my thoughts on the current state of the NHL and the Boston Bruins in particular:

Protection

Number one thing on my mind is how the injuries keep piling up. My solution is bring back the enforcer role or get rid of the instigator rule. I believe the on ice presence of a guy like Shawn Thornton will deter guys from taking cheap shots or liberties with stars or even any top line guy. I am not a big fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but I applaud them for signing Ryan Reaves. That guy is a tank and he would and should put the fear of God into opposing players! I have been saying for a while now that the Bruins need someone like that. Look at the injuries we are having. Not saying that some policing would have prevented them all, but it would not hurt. One of my previous articles talks about how we can use McQuaid back in the line-up for this purpose.

Expansion

My next beef with the NHL is their decision to put the next possible expansion team in Seattle. I am not against that decision completely, but Quebec has been ready and waiting for a while now. They built a first-rate arena which some would say is better than some of the current league arenas. Now I know what you’re thinking: they already had a team and they couldn’t support it. But look at Winnipeg, they are doing better than ever! In fact, they are doing better than the Panthers, Coyotes and the Hurricanes. I believe that Quebec can do the same.

Bettman is definitely not a fan favorite but he has done good things for the league. However, I think he leans more towards the US market than he does Canada. Just my opinion. I am sure Seattle can support a team, but maybe the league should think about relocating one of the aforementioned teams to Seattle instead of expansion. That being said, LET’S GET QUEBEC A TEAM! I miss that Quebec rivalry.

I want the teams to go back to wearing white at home. Dark on the road. That’s it. Next…

Collision

This is a touchy subject, but I am going to open this can of worms. I was taught from age 4 to keep your head up! In fact, when my dad sends me a card or a note his closing remarks to this day are “Keep Your Head Up Kid”. If a player is skating up the ice with his head down, then he should be fair game. Now I’m not saying get him with a cheap shot, but a player should be to step up and lay the body. If you can picture a guy skating up the ice his head is further out than the rest of his body. So now it would stand to reason that his head would get hit first. That’s a penalty in the new NHL. I completely disagree.

It’s the same if Chara steps up on a guy elbows down. The receiving player will get hit in the head just because of the sheer size difference. Now is this the fault of Chara? No. Look, it is a very fast and physical game. Guys will get hurt no matter how hard the league tries to stop the injuries.

These players are paid a ton of money to play a game where every game could be their last. They know the risks and they make the decision to lace up their skates and get out there and do it! Now I do not want to see anyone get hurt, but it happens. It will always happen. Concussions will happen. Some players are more prone to concussion than others. It’s just how our bodies are different. I still watch hockey every chance I get, but the way the league is changing bugs me. You can see players going in for the big hit and then backing off for fear of getting a penalty. ‘Nuff said on that.

Confusion

What to do with Krug. Personally I like the guy. He is a fast, puck moving defenseman with a dandy shot from the point. His defensive game has been lacking a bit though. He is in the 2nd year of a two year contract worth 5.25 mil/season. That is a boat load of money for someone you can not trust to put on the ice during a 3 on 3 OT. He never set foot on the ice in OT, which leads me to think, have the coaching staff lost faith in him? For example, his ice-time during that game was 18:14. Rookie sensation Charlie McAvoy had 20:48. Even league wide unknown d-man, Matt Grzelcyk had 17:22 TOI. Grzelcyk is quickly becoming a staple on the point for the Bruins.

Was the benching of Krug in OT a message to him and the rest of the defensive corp? Time will tell. I think Krug is just in slump and needs a push to get back to where he was.

Conclusion

Hopefully the next time we meet it will be a bit warmer. Hopefully the Bruins can keep their winning ways and stay injury free. It’s gonna be fun seeing what this young, fearless team can do in the post season!

Keep Your Head Up

Washington Troubles Continue for the Bruins

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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.

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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.

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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.

Young Bruins Team Poised for Deep Postseason Run

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The Boston Bruins are red-hot coming out of the Christmas break, and that may be overstating it. The Bruins absolutely ran over the competition throughout this week. They outscored opposing teams by a combined 15-4 score and won all four games. Two of the games came against a pair of the NHL’s best teams: the Jets and Blue Jackets. The other two were easy lay-ups against Detroit and Buffalo. All in all as a fan of this team you should be ecstatic about the direction this team is headed in. But how far can this young Bruins team really go in the playoffs?

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Offense

Offensively the Bruins are not the most dangerous team in the league. However they still have quite a few players who can put the puck in the net. Brad Marchand has rapidly developed into one of the best players in the entire National Hockey League. His offensive ability has shined the past two seasons playing beside the best two-way center in the NHL in Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron/Marchand/Pastranak is one of the most dangerous line combos in the NHL, possessing great chemistry and skill to provide the Bruins with a consistent source of offensive production every single game.

With Krejci out, another intriguing line combo that Cassidy has begun deploying is the Debrusk/Spooner/Bjork line. All three players are young skilled offensive players who play with a ton of speed and creativity. If this line can develop any sort of chemistry on the ice then the potential for this offensive line is certainly there. This also allows Backes to play on the third line with Heinen and Nash. This makes the Bruins a hard team to play against, especially when all three lines are rolling. Along with the fact that the Bruins can use a more physical fourth line in the Schaller/Kurally/Acciari. Because of the offensive production from the top three lines.

While on the face this lineup does not seem to be that potent. It is very well-balanced and if managed correctly could be a good offensive unit in the post season.

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Defense

Unlike the offense for the Bruins there is much less certainty on the back end. McAvoy is an all around stud in all three zones but is still only 20 years young, and has a lot of responsibility on him this time around. While Chara is still an excellent defender he is 40 years old. The games this season begin to mount the question of his durability. If you actually take a deeper look at the defense core there is no real proven reliable players. Krug and Carlo are widely inconsistent, and McQuaid and Miller cannot seem to stay on the ice for more than a handful of games. So other than McAvoy and a 40-year-old Chara the defense of the Bruins is rather lackluster.

An opposing team could take advantage of the inexperience and inconsistently of the Bruins’ back end throughout a seven game series. Ultimately that could be their downfall at end of the day against a high-octane offense such as the Tampa Bay Lighting. At the end of the day these Bruins could potentially compete for the Eastern Conference championship. Maybe even the Stanley Cup final as long as they maintain this level of play. This team has shown time and time again that they cannot be counted out of any game.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry

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The Beginning

Bruins versus Canadiens. The greatest rivalry in all of hockey. I say it’s the greatest in all sports. Some will argue that the rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees holds the title, but I disagree. It all began December 8 1924. A 4-3 come-from-behind win for the Canadiens. Pffft. Now you might ask: what makes a rivalry? Well let me tell ya!

These two teams have met a total of 915 times. The all time record is 466–338–103–8 (MTL). Yuck. They have met in the playoffs 34 times. They have faced each other nine times in Game 7 of the playoffs. That’s more than any other two NHL teams. I’d say that’s enough for a rivalry!

Through the Ages

On the night of March 13 1955 in Boston, Maurice Richard got into a stick swing altercation with Bruins’ defenseman Hal Laycoe. Both ended up bloody. Boston Police tried to go to the Canadiens dressing room and arrest Richard. After all said and done Richard got a match penalty and an automatic $100 fine. Laycoe got a 5 min major and a 10 min misconduct, which came with a $25 fine for the high stick. This is what started the Richard Riot. Clarence Campbell called a meeting on March 16 and suspended Richard for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. The longest ever in Campbell’s 31 years as President! Habs fans were calling for his head issuing death threats to Campbell. The suspension cost ‘Rocket’ the scoring title that year. Yup, there were some unhappy people in Montreal!

Between 1965 and 1979 the Bruins and Canadiens made up 16 of a possible 30 Stanley Cup finals. They went head-to-head in 1977 and 1978 Stanley Cup finals. Montreal won 4-0 (1977) and 4-2 (1978). In 1979 they met in the semi finals. I really hate reliving this next part. In Game 7 the Bruins were winning with 4 mins left when they got the infamous penalty for too many men on the ice. Then came the non-call for offside. In the end that marked the last game with Mr. Don Cherry behind the bench.

Heating It Up

Let’s jump ahead to the 90’s. The Bruins knocked out the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs in 1994 in seven games. You might remember this series. Patrick Roy was diagnosed with appendicitis and missed Game 3. He convinced doctors to let him play in Game 4. Canadiens fans will argue that made the difference in the series. Any excuse will do I guess!

In 2000 and 2001 both teams missed the playoffs. Then in 2002 and 2004 the Canadiens defeated the Bruins in the first round both times. In the 2004 playoffs the Bruins held a 3-1 series lead with the Canadiens coming from behind to win. That was the first time the Canadiens had won a series when trailing 3-1!

During the summer of 2007 the Bruins hired former Habs coach Claude Julien. That year the Canadiens won every meeting between the two teams. During that regular season Steve Begin crosschecked Marc Savard from behind resulting in a broken bone in the back.

Now you all should remember the 2010-2011 season. Montreal won four of six meetings that year. Feb 9 had a brawl with two all-star goalies squaring off at center ice. The bigger Carey Price manhandled the hot-headed Tim Thomas. Now this next one is a real sore spot for Canadiens fans. March 8 of the same season the Canadiens won the game 4-1 but this is the game where the mighty Chara rode Pacioretty into the turnbuckle. His head hit one of the metal uprights and he was knocked unconscious. Chara wasn’t fined or suspended for the hit but received an interference major and a game misconduct. Habs players and fans wanted a suspension and the Montreal police even conducted a criminal investigation into the hit.

The Cup

Again they met in the first round of the playoffs that season. The Bruins lost the first two games at home after finally winning the series in 7 games on a 2nd OT goal by Nathon Horton. The Bruins became the first team to win a 7 game series without scoring a power-play goal. During Game 4 of the series the rivalry got heated up just a bit more if that’s even possible. Hometown favorite Andrew Ferrence made the famous obscene gesture to the Canadiens fans and was fined $2500 by the league. No suspension. And in Game 6 Milan Lucic got a 5 min major and a game misconduct for boarding hit on Jaroslav Spacek.

This was season was my absolute favorite! The Bruins made it to Stanley Cup finals defeating the Canucks in 7 games! First time I got to see them hoist the cup. They won it all in 1972. I was born in 1973. It was the first time the Bruins beat the Habs on route to a cup win since 1929.

Current Day

The Bruins fired Julien. The Habs rehired Julien. Bruins have a rookie coach. Habs are having trouble getting above .500 hockey. Bruins are having injury troubles. And they will meet for the first time this season on Jan 13 2018. Me and a friend have some wobbly pops on the line for this meeting. This is a much-anticipated meeting. It always is. Am I looking forward to this game? YES! My best friend is a Habs fan and we usually don’t speak to each other for at least a couple of days after games. I have lost $100 to my brother betting on the Bruins against the Habs. It never ends and I can’t wait!

Until next time….Keep Your Head Up

Ice Wars: The Return of Darth Quaider

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October 19, 2017

The last game Adam McQuaid played in before going down with an injury.

What looked like a routine block shot turned out to be a broken leg. Thanks Canucks. Now anyone who knows me knows that I dislike the Canucks. Even being a Canadian I have a couple of teams north of the border that I will not cheer for.

I am originally from New Brunswick, so anytime a player from the east coast is in the NHL, especially in the Bruins line-up, he draws my attention. Brad Marchand is the best player to come out of Nova Scotia! Now Quaider (as he is known to teammates) is from PEI and plays for the Bruins. He is a defenseman, which is my favorite position, and one of my favorite players on the team. He plays with grit and stands up for teammates. And he is a pretty good defenseman. He has an average TOI of 14:42 this season, with 16:20 for his career.

Now if you ask me, that is enough to help take some of the work load off Chara, who turns 41 in March. He needs all the help that he can get. Father time is catching up with Chara. He is not quite the presence he once was, but I still would not want to meet him in the corner! If we make the playoffs, which I am saying we will, we are going to need a rested Chara. That is where the return of McQuaid will be a huge help. I am tired of seeing the Bruins limp into the playoffs.

Back in Action

McQuaid was a game-time decision on December 23 against the Red Wings. Guess the powers-that-be decided he needs the Christmas beak. The next game is on December 27 against the Senators. That is a division rival! I for one would love to see him in the lineup for that one. He is definitely the on-ice presence we need to help keep some of the top line guys safe. No more injuries please. Man, it’s been a tough start-injury-wise. Luckily some of the young studs have stepped up.

That leads to the next dilemma. Who do we send down to make room for McQuaid? That young baby face guy… What’s his name? Oh yeah… Charlie McAvoy. NOPE!!! Carlo or Miller? No and no. Krug? Well if you ask the masses they might say dump him. I read a post on Twitter this morning that said he is an absolute joke of a defenseman. Too small. Blah blah blah. Personally I like the guy. Yeah he is a bit small to defend some of the bigger guys, but he is quick and can move the puck up the ice fast. And speed is the name of today’s game. And he has a laser from the point.

The obvious choice for me is Matt Grzelcyk. So far this year with the big team he has played in 16 games. 3 points and a plus 7. Not bad for a young d-man. But we need to make room. We need the physical play that Darth Quaider can bring. Ask anyone, one big hit can turn the momentum of a game. And that’s what he can do for team riddled with injuries.

That Guy from PEI

Now the stats of McQuaid are nothing to write home about, but I say leave the blue line scoring to Krug and that youngster McAvoy. But he will definitely be a welcome addition. I for one am excited to see the team injury-free and a team that nobody wants to play. I still think the team needs a tough guy up front. But for right now the lineup that we have is great. A healthy lineup. Oh yeah, there is still that Krejci guy. He was placed on IR and can sure use the break to get rested up. Who makes room for him? That’s for another day.

Adam McQuaid; he’s an easterner. He’s that guy from PEI. Tough as nails. Mean as a junkyard dog. Plays with intensity. Puts fear into forwards heading into his zone. Super nice guy. What does his return mean? Everything to a team that looks playoff bound!

Until next time…. Keep Your Head Up!

Keys to Bruins’ Recent Surge

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Charlie McAvoy may only be 20 years old but he is still winning games for the Boston Bruins. In the fourth round of the shootout last night at TD Garden, McAvoy picked the puck up and skated right down the ice ripping a shot low blocker side to beat Connor Hellebuyck. The rookie’s birthday heroics secured the Bruins two points and improved their record to 12-3-1 in their last 16 games. A record that should catch the eyes of opposing teams. As the Bruins seem to have found a perfect mixture of players that gel perfectly together. But three things have been the keys to the Bruins’ recent surge:

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Tuukka Rask

The first of the three keys is none other than Tuukka Rask. When Rask was struggling early on everyone pointed it out and killed him for it. Now we have to give him his due because Tuukka has been brilliant as of late. In Rask’s last eight starts the net minder has led the team to an impressive 7-0-1 record, and has made timely stops that saved the Bruins’ two points. Last night when the Bruins got engaged in a defensive grind-it-out hockey game and needed their number one goalie to step up, Tuukka did that and more. Rask survived the onslaught of chances the Winnipeg Jets had in overtime to get the Bruins to the shootout, where McAvoy won for the team.

Tuukka’s play has noticeably inspired confidence in the players around him. The defensemen of the Bruins have been more willing to make offensive plays and close out on the shooters. Rask has proven he can make the big stop when called upon. If Tuukka continues this level of play then the Eastern Conference better watch out.

Adaptability

Bruce Cassidy deserves credit for the Bruins’ ability to not only adapt from game to game but from period to period. After an offensive explosion against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Cassidy was able to refocus his team and win against the Buffalo Sabers 3-0 on the second night of a back-to-back. Then to finish it off the Bruins were able to play a high paced game against the Jets last night where they needed to be clutch down the stretch. Three different wins in three different games that is not a common occurrence in the NHL. But the Bruins seem to have bought into the system. As a result they can play whatever style of game the opponent throws at them.

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Young Talent

it seems like writing a Bruins article without mentioning the young players at this point is unheard of. But they deserve to be mentioned here and for good reason. In back to back wins one of the Bruins’ rookies had the game winning goal. In Buffalo Jake Debrusk scored the first goal of the game on a filthy snipe in a game the Bruins won 3-0. Also last night McAvoy scored the game winner in the shootout. A pattern has started to develop with this team they win games when their rookies are making plays.

Teams playing the Bruins now cannot key in on Marchand, Bergeron, and Pastranak. Because the Bruins have layers to their forward group that present a daunting task to opponents. Heinen has NHL caliber offensive ability and has displayed it on multiple occasions. While Debrusk and Bjork still have room for improvement both have demonstrated an ability to put the puck in the net.

Up to now the Bruins have been able to ride these things to success. But time will tell how far these keys can take them this season.