After losing some key contributors over the offseason, the Boston Bruins in 2023-24 are going to need different players to step up on a nightly basis and contribute. That has been the case through the first 11 games and on Thursday night (Nov. 9) it continued against the New York Islanders.
Veteran Charlie Coyle recorded his first career hat trick and the Bruins used two power-play goals to beat the Islanders, 5-2, at the TD Garden. Here are three takeaways after the Black and Gold improved to an NHL-best 11-1-1.
Bruins Second Line Was Their Best Line
Over the past couple of seasons, Coyle and Trent Frederic have formed a very good connection. Their linemates have changed, but if there has been one thing that hasn’t, it’s that whoever is there, the line continues to produce and they were the best line against the Islanders all night.
Boston’s second line accounted for four of the five goals, with Coyle getting three of them and Frederic adding one with the game’s first goal in the first period. Coyle scored all three of his goals in the final 40 minutes. He scored on the power play in the second period for a 2-1 Bruins lead, then he scored off a nice pass from James van Riemsdyk in the third period, before adding his third into an empty net.
van Riemsdyk collected two assists, Frederic had a goal and an assist and Coyle had an assist with his three goals. The trio also accounted for 11 shots on the net, with Coyle landing six. Head coach Jim Montgomery can rotate players out on the left wing, but if it’s not broken, don’t fix it and there is no need to break up Frederic and Coyle right now.
Turnovers, Turnovers, Turnovers
If there is one thing that has been an issue for the Bruins so far this season, it’s been puck management. It’s not just in one zone, it’s been in all three zones. Against the Islanders, it played a big part in the game and set up the two New York goals.
Latest THW Headlines
In the first period and the Islanders on the power play, the Bruins had a chance not once, but twice to clear the puck out of the zone and failed both times and the puck ended up in the back of the net. Brandon Carlo’s backhanded attempt didn’t get to center ice and Noah Dobson’s shot deflected up in the air and Brock Nelson was able to bat it out of the air to tie the game 1-1. In the third period, Brad Marchand stopped a clearing attempt at the offensive blueline when Boston was on the power play, but the puck went to Jean-Gabriel Pageau and he set up Simon Holmstrom for a shorthanded goal to tie the game 2-2.
Related: Bruins’ 3 Up, 3 Down: Swayman, Beecher, Lohrei, Coyle & More
There were several other instances where poor puck management hurt the Bruins, but they were not hurt as Linus Ullmark made several big saves. Puck management has to get better for the Black and Gold in all three zones.
Ullmark Rebounds From Detroit Loss
In his last outing, Ullmark allowed three third-period goals in four minutes in a 5-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 4, but as good goalies do, the Vezina Trophy winner from last season rebounded impressively against the Islanders.
Ullmark finished with 27 saves on the 29 shots he faced, but he made timely saves against New York, especially in the second period after Coyle’s power-play goal gave the Bruins the lead. Twice he stopped Scott Mayfield in close and then in the third period, he made two reactionary saves with the Black and Gold holding a 3-2 lead. If Montgomery continues to rotate his two netminders, his next start will be on Nov. 14 against his former team, the Buffalo Sabres.
Bruins Quick Takeaways
- Pastrnak’s power-play goal was a big one and came just 43 seconds after the Islanders tied it. His shot broke through New York goalie Ilya Sorokin and just crossed the goal line. It was Pastrnak’s 10th goal of the season.
- Morgan Geekie is week-to-week with an injury according to Montgomery and that moved around the lines and also brought Patrick Brown back into the lineup on the fourth line with Oskar Steen and John Beecher.
- Charlie McAvoy’s four-game suspension is over and the Bruins went 3-1-0 in his absence against four good teams that are expected to be in the playoffs.
- Mason Lohrei logged 18:26 in time on ice and had three shots on the net. McAvoy is eligible to come back from his suspension on Saturday night (Nov. 11) against the Montreal Canadiens and Montgomery will be faced with a decision as to who the odd blueliner out is.
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Bruins were able to get the job done against an Islanders team that is tough to play against and always plays Boston tough. Two weeks from U.S. Thanksgiving and who had the Bruins with the best record in the NHL? It’s still early, but through 14 games, they continue to be the surprise of the league.
