Another week down for the Boston Bruins. It was a busier week than last, but they’ve made the most of it. They went 3-1-0 over the four-game stretch. They beat the teams they were supposed to beat, but also got smothered by a strong New Jersey Devils team. Here are the key takes from this past week of games.
The Kids Are Impacting the Game
The kids really are okay after all. Defenseman Mason Lohrei has been with the team all season long. However, since Charlie McAvoy has gone down with an injury, Lohrei has relished the opportunity being given to him.
Related: Bruins Defenseman Mason Lohrei Making Most of His Increased Opportunity
Lohrei has been stable on defense for the Bruins. He looks better and better with the increased time on ice and he’s really emerged as a threat on the back end. Lohrei is creative and is doing well in transition. He is quarterbacking the power play well and his long skating strides have allowed him to make good plays defensively. Individually, he only has one point, but he is impacting the game in a big way.
Despite the Bruins averaging 2.11 goals per game this week, Lohrei has done his part. They are outscoring the opposition 6-2 with Lohrei on the ice. He has the best expected goals for percentage (xGF%) at 75.88. The scoring chances are very much in their favor and he is dominating the high-danger areas of the ice.
There is belief in Lohrei and he is doing great with his increased role. In addition, center Matthew Poitras has been great since being recalled.
Matthew Poitras Is What They Needed
The Bruins needed an influx of offense and they certainly got it. Poitras was a near point-per-game player with the Providence Bruins and that success immediately translated to the NHL.
Poitras has only two assists this week, but they came at a very crucial time. He was instrumental in the Bruins’ comeback against the San Jose Sharks (Jan. 19) and his ability to make plays was on full display.
The first goal was a phenomenal puck-cycling shift by the line of Poitras, Charlie Coyle, and Brad Marchand. Poitras with his head up fed a pass to Coyle who made no mistake burying it. The second goal by Coyle was capitalizing off a turnover, where Poitras made the great heads-up play to find Coyle.
Poitras is a patient player with the puck. He is smart and is always making the heads-up play. The Bruins have needed a center like him to help get the puck over to their goal scorers.
David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie Monstrous January Continues
Do not look now, but the best player in the month of January has been Bruins superstar winger David Pastrnak. He leads all skaters in goals (11) and points (22) and has been stellar for the Bruins in their recent stretch of four games.
Pastrnak in this week of games has three goals and eight points. He has been a primary playmaker, with all of his assists being primary. Offensively, the Bruins have not been a goal-scoring machine, but Pastrnak is doing his part to provide production.
His assists have been really strong heads-up plays. His line of Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie, and himself capitalized off a turnover and scored the team’s first goal of the game against the New Jersey Devils (Jan. 22). Against the Ottawa Senators (Jan. 23), he made a great heads up play to find Geekie for the first goal of the game. He has been impacting the game in big ways and it’s great to see the team reap the benefits from it.
Pastrnak has been an impactful player when on the ice. With him on the ice, the Bruins have a Corsi for percentage of 62.43, which is a team-best. The Bruins are outshooting the opposition and they have an 8-2 goal differential. Pastrnak has the second most expected goals for percentage of any Bruins skater, so the offensive impacts are evident.
Pastrnak has been a gem in January, and this week, but so has his linemate Geekie. Together, they’ve connected on four goals in the last three games. Geekie has five goals in the month of January, which is more than guys like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. He leads the Bruins in goals this week (four) and has scored at key moments of the game. The connection between Geekie and Pastrnak has been instrumental to the Bruins’ success and played a pivotal role in the victory over the Colorado Avalanche. They’ve developed great chemistry and it’s showing.
Another Week Down, Another to Go
It was a busier week for the Bruins than the week prior. Playing four games in six days is never an easy thing, but the grind is part of being a hockey player. The Bruins at times looked slow and saw teams like the Devils and Avalanche skate circles around them. The brighter notes are that the kids are making a big impact and their high-end star has been their best player. The Bruins have three games this upcoming week, with the Winnipeg Jets being the featured team.
