The excellent news is that the harm suffered by the Bruins’ prime defenseman Charlie McAvoy on Thursday night time on the Garden doesn’t look like severe and isn’t a head harm, mentioned coach Jim Montgomery. Montgomery, in reality, didn’t rule out McAvoy for Saturday’s matinee towards the upstart Arizona Coyotes. He’s “hopeful,” in reality, that McAvoy can play.
That is a really promising improvement after McAvoy left the sport after showing dazed from J.J. Peterka’s reverse hit.
But what remained unsettling is that the B’s had been nicely on their solution to delivering the stinker earlier than McAvoy acquired hut, and it gave the impression to be a direct carryover from yesterday’s torpid observe.
It is not any coincidence that that observe was one which was lacking captain Brad Marchand, who was again dwelling in Nova Scotia to attend the funeral of his grandmother. Marchand has lengthy been a catalyst to ignite the B’s, whether or not it was in a sport or in a dull observe. That was true lengthy earlier than the “C” was placed on his chest.
But he’s by no means needed to do it by himself, and a few nights it feels as if the B’s are missing within the esprit de corps division. Not on each night time, thoughts you. They’ve nonetheless received 17 out of 25 video games. But the losses by which it seems like they wouldn’t/couldn’t beat anyone/anyplace – the L to Buffalo, the one in Columbus, the Black Friday defeat to Detroit – are beginning to accumulate.
Simply put, they want extra guys to pull the group into the struggle, because the hockey saying goes.
“That’s why he’s our captain. And we do (need that). That’s something that we’ve talked. We need more energy, and it’s a collective energy,” mentioned Montgomery after Friday’s observe. “I don’t personally love the penalty that Marchand takes (in the third period), but he’ trying to drag the team into the fight. A little more of that earlier in the game from a lot of people makes a difference. I had guests at the game (Thursday) and they were surprised at the lack of energy in the building. I said ‘We didn’t give them any reason to have energy.’”
The key losses from final season’s roster are apparent and what most individuals rightfully give attention to – the three centermen, together with two foundational gamers in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Underrated are the losses of gamers like Nick Foligno, who may maintain teammates targeted in each sport days and off days, and Connor Clifton, who was able to energizing the group and Garden crowd with a well-timed hit.
The B’s had been too tight towards the cap to afford to maintain these gamers, so the cost of power goes to have to come back from completely different sources. It can be a problem. They presently have three rookies within the lineup (Matt Poitras, John Beecher, Mason Lohrei) who’re attempting to simply set up themselves as NHLers. There are couple of seasoned veterans who’re on one-year offers of their first years with the B’s (James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Shattenkirk). And they’ve an necessary participant in a contract 12 months who’s struggling to seek out his scoring (Jake DeBrusk).
But whereas it could be a transitional 12 months with the way in which the roster is constructed, this group has confirmed already that it beat good groups (Los Angeles, Dallas, Florida). They simply want extra gamers tending the tradition that’s been re-built during the last 15-plus years on a extra common foundation.
“I think we’re all starting to learn as leaders. I wasn’t here last year, but when you have a veteran team, if you have a bad practice like that (they had on Wednesday), guys know how to correct themselves and get ready in a game. Maybe we have some younger guys here where maybe we need to say ‘Listen, that wasn’t good enough. Let’s make sure we’re sharp tomorrow,’” mentioned Shattenkirk. “Again, it’s a learning experience for everyone. I think us as leaders…(know) that it can’t all come from Brad. It’s got to be from us setting the example and then not being afraid to voice our opinions as well.”
There was a group assembly on Friday earlier than the gamers took to the ice for what Shattenkirk termed an “awesome” observe at Warrior Ice Arena.
What was the message to the group?
“It’s more about the standard that we expect here,” mentioned Montgomery. “We know we’re going to lose games, but you don’t want to lose because of a listless effort. That’s the standard that we’re not going to accept. We just talk about it openly and honestly and we move forward.”….
Jeremy Swayman, who was sick on Thursday and has to avoid the group, practiced on Friday and Montgomery mentioned he might be an choice for Saturday’s sport….
Without McAvoy working towards on Friday, the defensive pairings had been Hampus Lindholm-Ian Mitchell, Matt Grzelcyk-Brandon Carlo and Lohrei-Shattenkirk.
Montgomery additionally loaded up on a prime line with Marchand, Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak once more.
“I’ve always liked that line. We’re going back to it just because we’re looking for a spark, right? Didn’t like the last little while with the offense that we generated. Part of the reason we split that line up was the matchups of who we were playing against,” mentioned Montgomery.
Source: www.bostonherald.com