Boston Bruins
“Once I really feel like I did right now, I do know I can do a variety of issues.”
The Bruins rolled out a lineup with loads of NHL expertise on Monday night time at TD Backyard.
However even with a number of lineup stalwarts like David Pastrnak and Jeremy Swayman making their preseason debuts, it wasn’t sufficient for Boston to come back away with a win — because the Bruins fell to the Flyers 3-2 in a shootout.
Sean Kuraly and Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins, whereas Swayman stopped 20 of the 22 photographs that got here his method within the shootout defeat.
Listed here are three takeaways from Boston’s newest preseason outing:
Boston’s high gamers get some heavy run
In what may very nicely stand as Boston’s “gown rehearsal” sport previous to the beginning of regular-season motion on Oct. 8, Marco Sturm rolled out a lineup that was solely lacking a couple of NHL regulars on the TD Backyard ice.
Right here’s a take a look at Boston’s traces for Monday’s matchup:
Geekie-Lindholm-Pastrnak
Zacha-Mittelstadt-Arvidsson
Blumel-Minten-Poitras
Jeannot-Kuraly-Steeves
Zadorov-McAvoy
Lindholm-Peeke
Brunet-Sweezey
Swayman
Whereas a lot of the give attention to preseason play revolves round youthful gamers and skaters on the roster bubble, a majority of Boston’s high gamers had been as marketed on Monday.
Pastrnak — making his preseason debut after lacking the primary few days of camp with knee tendinitis — appeared no worse for put on towards the Flyers. The Bruins winger arrange Sean Kuraly’s second-period tally shortly after exiting the penalty field, whereas additionally doling out 4 hits over 19:35 of ice time.
Pastrnak shouldn’t be an influence ahead by any means. Nevertheless it was encouraging to see Boston’s high participant go full-tilt in what may very well be his lone preseason tune-up earlier than regular-season motion begins.
“It’s been an extended summer time, so right now was an ideal reminder of how a lot I really like the sport and revel in it,” Pastrnak mentioned. “Once I really feel like I did right now, I do know I can do a variety of issues.”
Boston’s high ahead line generated the entire staff’s offense, as Geekie later cashed in on a 2-on-1 bid by way of a saucer feed from Elias Lindholm.
Swayman additionally made his preseason debut, dealing with simply 22 whole photographs on the loss. The Bruins’ 26-year-old netminder had a rocky displaying within the second interval, as his turnover behind the online led to a tally from Noah Cates at 13:38 within the second interval.
However Marco Sturm discovered promise in Swayman’s play down the stretch, with the netminder stopping the ultimate 13 photographs that he confronted within the third interval and time beyond regulation.
“It was not straightforward for [Swayman], I gotta say,” Sturm mentioned. “To start with, we’re in week two [of the preseason] and he nonetheless didn’t play a sport but. First one is at all times the hardest one. Within the third, he received higher, particularly in time beyond regulation, he received extra snug. So he’s simply gonna get higher.”
For Swayman, who missed all of coaching camp final 12 months amid a contract dispute, Monday introduced the optimum runway to additional shake off the rust.
“Wonderful. It’s good to get again on the ice. Good to be right here,” Swayman mentioned. “A 12 months in the past right now was a bit of totally different, so I really feel nice being with the fellows — ramping this factor up and preparing for opening day.”
Some rising pains with new methods
Because the Bruins proceed to overtake their methods and techniques below Sturm, there have been some good and unhealthy to attract from Monday’s preseason motion.
The great? Boston’s penalty kill was stingy towards an admittedly underwhelming Flyers ahead grouping — negating all 4 power-play bids on the night time. Nikita Zadorov specifically was sturdy down the stretch, recording a pair of key blocks throughout a 4-on-3 Philly man benefit in time beyond regulation.
The Bruins’ transition sport was additionally stable, particularly with each Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm ferrying the puck out of hazard and thru the impartial zone. Boston’s roster continues to be rife with query marks, however Lindholm’s sturdy play by means of two preseason video games — particularly after struggling such a extreme knee damage final 12 months — is a really welcome sight.
“It’s simply so good to have him,” Sturm mentioned of Lindholm. “Can’t think about [us] with out him. Not simply on the ice, however off the ice, too. Within the room, he’s a man who likes to speak rather a lot and become involved in a variety of issues, and desires to be the distinction and desires to get higher … So I used to be actually pleased that he’s wholesome to begin with, and he performed each video games very stable.”
The unhealthy information? Boston’s energy play has continued to be uneven, with the Bruins failing to strike on each of their bids towards the Flyers.
It’s encouraging to see Pastrnak function as extra of a rover on the person benefit as Boston tries to brew up extra unpredictability for opposing PK models, however there nonetheless isn’t a complete lot of cohesion down low in relation to feeding pucks again as much as the blue line.
“Energy play needs to be a lot better,” Pastrnak mentioned. “Sport one — first sport as a gaggle. We’ve and we’re going to be a lot better than that. And like I mentioned, I really feel like we’re getting there. It’s received to start out with breakouts. I believe we had good breakouts, and spent a while within the O-zone. So an excellent first step.”
Boston additionally continues to position a premium on placing pucks on internet, with Sturm’s staff trying 60 photographs on Monday — versus simply 39 for the Flyers. However the Bruins proceed to labor with really hitting the online, as Boston missed a whopping 23 photographs, headlined by 5 makes an attempt that both sailed extensive or excessive from Pavel Zacha.
Wanting extra from the youngsters
Regardless of rolling with near a full squad on Monday, Sturm additionally put aside a 3rd line that primarily featured three unproven youthful gamers in Fraser Minten, Matej Blumel, and Matt Poitras skating on the wing.
Regardless that Sturm opted to flip Poitras and Viktor Arvidsson (who landed zero photographs on purpose over 14:54 of ice time) within the middle-six grouping, Boston’s head coach mentioned that the trio nonetheless has some work to do as they attempt to discover their footing this fall.
“All of them had three video games up to now,” Sturm mentioned of Minten, Blumel, and Poitras. “They may find yourself with another sport. However I believe they actually observe so arduous and so nicely the entire time, and I really feel like in video games, they assume an excessive amount of.
“So I received to get them out of that. Simply don’t assume, simply play the sport. It’s a tricky league, nevertheless it’s even more durable when there’s rather a lot going up in your mind. So I need him simply to play free and simply play and have enjoyable.”
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