The Boston Bruins are 3-0 to start the regular season for the first time in 18 years. Is that a good sign?
Well, many fans will split in the opinion on this one. We already know (hi Tampa) that winning in the regular season doesn’t guarantee you the postseason success. However, a 3-0 start is a great thing.
Firstly, let’s start with the Bruins injury concerns. Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk left the game versus the Vegas Golden Knights from Tuesday after blocking a shot in the first period. Despite this injury scare, he returned in the third period. Grzelcyk finished the night with 11:43 of the ice-time. The Bruins appeared to catch a huge break there. It’s believed Grzelcyk will suit up for the game on Thursday in Colorado.
Tuukka Rask literally put everything he had into assuring a victory in last night’s game. When the final horn sounded, Rask appeared to scramble down in the pain and had to be helped off the ice.
“It was the heat. Not used to it,” Rask said in the post-game interview. Fortunately for the Bruins, Rask seemed wobbly right after the game was finished, not before it. The truth is that the few final minutes were intense. Nevertheless, don’t worry, Rask should be okay and Jaroslav Halak should start in Colorado.
What about this early-season showing is the sign of the future Stanley Cup Final series? As of right now, the Golden Knights seem to be the best team in the Western Conference, not unbeatable though (saw the game last night). The Bruins are 3-0 to commence the season.
“It’d be fun. I’d be wearing a few more ice bags,” said Torey Krug of a potential Stanley Cup Final preview. Krug had a quality game himself, two points offensively, and steady defensively.
Brad Marchand was quiet in his first two games if the season, as the whole top line was. Despite the game-winner in Arizona versus the Coyotes, Marchand was just finding his game. In Vegas, he found it in a major way. Firstly, stripping the puck and setting up David Pastrnak for the first Bruins goal of the night to cut the lead at the half.
Secondly, tying it all up himself on the power play. Thirdly, sprinting at the start of the second period to snipe one in against Fleury. That was one heck of a game for Marchand, who already counts four points to begin the regular campaign. Last year, Marchand had 100 points and finished fifth in the Hart Trophy voting. Simply elite.
Ultimately, we take a look at the Bruins’ special teams. The power play was criticized in the first two games, but they were firing on all cylinders on their first attempt of the night in Vegas. After Marchand missed the wide-open cage, he corrected and got one through Fleury. The next two power-play tries weren’t that great for the B’s. On the penalty kill, after a 5-for-5 perfect start to the season, the Bruins surrendered twice on three Golden Knights’ power plays.
