Patrice Bergeron knew precisely what the Bruins have been up in opposition to to start the season. Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk have been all beginning the season on the shelf.
But whereas the challenges have been clear, the B’s captain framed the scenario extra as a possibility, one for another gamers to step into the void and make a mark that they won’t have been anticipated to make if the workforce was at full energy. It’s what everybody says each time a big harm happens, however there appeared to be extra gravity to Bergeron’s phrases this time.
And as was evidenced by the workforce’s uncommon celebration of Bergeron’s 1,000th profession level within the B’s 5-3 win in Tampa on Tuesday, this workforce follows the place its captain leads. The B’s bought off to the most popular begin in workforce historical past not a lot regardless of these points as due to them. Thanks to the tone Bergeron set, the B’s entered the month of October with an unusual focus that not solely helped them overcome the absence of their first-line left wing and two top-four defensemen however noticed them by means of the rising pains of some pretty important system tweaks. When these gamers returned sooner than anticipated, it solely added to the B’s historic begin.
A robust tradition had already been in place, however you’d be hard-pressed to seek out any actual passengers within the B’s 17-2 begin heading into Wednesday’s sport in Sunrise in opposition to the Panthers (7 p.m., NESN). This group has coalesced as a workforce, in each sense of the phrase. Within such teams, you’ll inevitably discover some particular person performances which might be eye-popping. They might not essentially be over-achievements, however you simply didn’t see them coming.
Here are 5 of them.
Linus Ullmark. We anticipated that some mixture of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman would give the B’s ok goaltending to win greater than they misplaced and finally make it into the playoffs. We didn’t see Ullmark grabbing the reins and turning into an old school, workhorse No. 1 goalie. Part of that was as a result of harm that saved Swayman out for 3 weeks, however most of it may be attributed to Ullmark’s efficiency. He leads the league in GAA at 1.96, he’s tied with Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck in save share (.935) and leads the league in wins (13). Ullmark hasn’t essentially stolen video games, however he has undoubtedly stolen intervals. A working example was Monday’s win in Tampa when the Bruins allowed the primary 9 photographs on internet and have been outshot 15-7 however one way or the other got here out of it tied 1-1. As of this second, Ullmark is the frontrunner for the Vezina Trophy.
Nick Foligno. Raise your hand in case you thought this revered veteran was all performed. Guilty as charged right here. He got here into coaching camp with the identical optimistic angle that you’d anticipate from him and he vowed that this season was going to be totally different for him after a wholesome summer time that allowed him to coach how he wished. Then got here the preseason and he appeared rather a lot like the identical participant from a 12 months in the past – loads of hustle and grit and nothing to indicate for it. He was even waived firstly of the season, although B’s administration certainly didn’t anticipate to lose him along with his $3.8 million price ticket. There needs to be just a few groups kicking themselves now. Foligno has performed a pivotal function, making the fourth line an influence unit whereas additionally contributing along with his internet entrance presence on the second power-play unit. With 4-7-11 totals in 19 video games, he’s already scored extra objectives and is 2 factors shy of 64-game output final 12 months. Foligno is an early favourite for the Masterton.
Jake DeBrusk. The typical knowledge on DeBrusk’s sport mentioned that if he’s not scoring objectives, he’s not doing a lot to assist the workforce. That has been removed from the reality this 12 months. He’s fourth on the workforce in scoring (7-8-15) however that doesn’t inform the story of the influence he’s had. He’s studying to make use of his lengthy attain on puck retrievals and battles and his legs are nearly at all times churning. It can be straightforward to chalk all of it as much as the teaching change, however one thing clicked in DeBrusk in the course of final season when a commerce request grew to become public. With the route of his profession on the road, he weeded out many of the inconsistency in his sport. Now it appears like GM Don Sweeney’s refusal to take pennies on the greenback in a commerce for the winger might need been one in all his finest choices in constructing this workforce.
Connor Clifton. It ought to have come as no shock that when a problem was issued, Clifton took a step ahead. It is a part of the New Jersey native’s DNA. But few noticed Clifton able to taking the enormous step ahead that he did. With McAvoy on the sidelines, Clifton grew to become a legit high 4 defenseman and helped Hampus Lindholm enter the Norris Trophy dialog. He’s averaging just below 21 minues a sport, nearly 4 minutes greater than his profession common. Just 19 video games in with 2-6-8 totals, he’s two factors shy of a profession excessive in factors and his 5-foot-11, 190-pound body is deceiving. He can pack a wallop, as Milan Lucic realized when the Flames have been on the town.
Coach Jim Montgomery. With their first teaching change, Sweeney and workforce president Cam Neely waited too lengthy to finish Claude Julien’s nice run behind the bench. When they whacked Bruce Cassidy final summer time, it felt like they pulled the set off too quickly. Now it appears like they could have gotten this one excellent. Cassidy is a wonderful coach and he’s proving it once more in Vegas. But generally a workforce simply wants a brand new messenger. Montgomery has not solely offered a distinct voice, however the message itself has been modified. His aggressive attacking system has been a boon for offensive-minded defensemen like Hampus Lindholm and McAvoy and it has has turned the B’s into an offensive juggernaut. While sustaining their stingy objectives in opposition to (a league-leading 2.11, for which Ullmark has performed a giant function), the B’s lead the league in objectives, scoring at a 4.18 clip. They are additionally ranked second within the penalty kill and third in PP.
That, of us, is a successful mixture.
Source: www.bostonherald.com