The Bruins obtained one ahead again, however misplaced one other one of their 2-1 additional time loss to the Devils on the Prudential Middle on Saturday.
Ondrej Kase was attempting to fish out a puck in a second-period scrum within the nook behind the Bruins internet when Miles Wooden appeared to inadvertently hit him up excessive. Kase, who has a historical past of concussion points, skated off beneath his personal energy whereas placing his glove to his face as if he had suffered some form of facial harm.
However as he was sitting on the bench being attended to by trainers, he appeared to get woozy after which wanted some help to get down the runway to the locker room. He didn’t return. Coach Bruce Cassidy didn’t have an replace apart from to say it was an “higher physique” harm.
Although Kase has but to have his offensive presents bloom absolutely, any prolonged absence would put the B’s proper again to a spot from which they thought they’d escaped after they obtained the previous Anaheim Duck — in perpetual seek for David Krejci’s proper wing.
The B’s did see Craig Smith‘s debut, however they have been already with out David Pastrnak (anticipated again in early February after hip surgical procedure) and are at the moment in a scramble to discover a short-term substitute for him. On Saturday, Anders Bjork obtained a primary crack at it whereas Jack Studnicka was a wholesome scratch.
However when Kase was damage, the entire operation was thrown into turmoil. Even Krejci and fellow centerman Charlie Coyle (22:23 of ice time) obtained shifts on the Patrice Bergeron line. Aside from Kase, Bjork noticed the least quantity of ice time among the many forwards (10:58).
“With Pasta already out, you’re restricted to who can go up in that prime spot. We’re attempting to make it work until Pasta comes again. With Smitty coming again after lacking a recreation, you need to watch out with how a lot you placed on his plate,” stated Cassidy.
• The B’s at the moment are two video games into the season and have but to attain a five-on-five aim. One space wherein Cassidy needs to see enchancment is net-front presence, which requires innate talent, energy and old school will.
“In case you ever watch (Bergeron), a refined factor he does is when he’s going to the web by means of middle lane drive, he will get to concerning the hash marks and he form of turns his bottom to the D and faces the puck and also you’re very robust to maneuver then,” stated Cassidy. “You’re virtually backing into the center low submit on the prime of the crease. He does it pretty much as good as anyone and he does as he’s transferring so it’s harder to maneuver him out of there. After which there’s the danger of interference calls. We’ve proven that to guys. After which the following a part of it’s will. You’ve obtained to be keen to get in there. And there’s the bodily facet of the 2. The opposite day, Jack was attempting to get in there and he simply obtained pushed out from a much bigger, stronger man, so it’s important to reside with that as properly. These three issues come into play … We’d like extra of it to enhance our five-on-five scoring.”
Smith, whose power stage actually began to indicate up within the second interval, created some site visitors in entrance to permit a Matt Grzelcyk shot to get previous Mackenzie Blackwood. It was waved off for incidental contact with the goalie, however it seems that Smith will be capable of assist on this division.
• Trent Frederic is taking to his fourth-line position properly. He was within the opposition’s face for many of his 14:11 of ice time, particularly PK Subban. It regarded like he was providing to combat Subban at one level, however regardless of a variety of speaking from the Satan, the gloves by no means got here off. Subban, nonetheless, was known as for a forearm shiver to Frederic behind the Jersey internet within the third interval, however the B’s couldn’t money in. Frederic additionally had scoring probability late in regulation, one of many uncommon instances Blackwood was compelled to make save.
“He did a pleasant job,” stated Cassidy. “He was in individuals’s faces by way of being bodily, had an actual good look late, defending some pucks. We’ll take a look at it nearer for the element a part of the sport. However the eye check says that he was concerned. He’s a younger man who’s nonetheless discovering his manner and we would like him concerned each evening. I believed he did job with that.”
• A lot of the speak heading into the sport was about how the Devils, particularly Wooden, took runs at Tuukka Rask within the season-opener. Positive sufficient, Kevan Miller challenged him on the primary shift and Wooden obliged. Wooden obtained the gloves off first however Miller landed a few photographs and ended it with a takedown.
“I respect Kevan loads and I most likely would have accomplished the identical factor,” stated Wooden throughout a tv interview within the first intermission.
The combat didn’t precisely make the previous Boston School participant a shy man, nonetheless. He scored on a tip from the highest of the crease later within the interval. And in additional time, he made an amazing diving defensive play to interrupt up a Coyle breakaway.
• For the second straight recreation, Jakub Zboril performed over 19 minutes and in all conditions. This time round, he appears to be like prepared for his alternative.
