The Boston Bruins brought victory to New England this week, extending their point streak to eight. A large contributor was the protection from Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin, in net. Third and fourth line goal scorers like Danton Heinen and Austin Czarnik took over during Brad Marchand’s suspension.
McAvoy returns
Charlie McAvoy returned to the ice to face Toronto on Saturday after missing four games due to his recovery from an ablation to correct an abnormal heart rhythm.
“I’m going to do the best I can to help this team keep going, keep trending in the right direction. They’re playing great. They were playing really well without me.” McAvoy told NHL.com prior to the 4-1 win against Toronto. “Gotta come back and make sure I’m a positive part of the lineup.”
His first game back, however, was a bit deflating. The eager defenseman accidentally tipped in Toronto’s only goal off a slap from Leafs’ winger Mitch Marner. Despite the unfortunate play, Rask continued to provide on-ice encouragement towards McAvoy, demonstrating a camaraderie amongst the team that Bruins’ Head Coach Bruce Cassidy attributes to their recent success.
“It’s just another sign of what you’re seeing inside of our club, and in that particular case outside, but there’s a lot of that going on,” Cassidy told NHL.com. “Guys are working hard for one another, have each other’s backs.”
The rookie was able to gain his edges after the mishap, and still upheld a game of productive play.
“Overall it was a good game and when you come out on top against a division rival like that it’s awesome,” McAvoy told NHL.com. “We’re really happy in here.”
McQuaid on the penalty kill
Adam McQuaid has upheld his reputation as the team’s primary enforcer on the ice. A well-rounded player, the defenseman played a large role in Boston’s success on their recent penalty kills.
A broken fibula early in the season caused a three-month hiatus for McQuaid when the defenseman jumped in front of a slapshot in early October to block it and ended up paying the consequences.
Back on the ice now, McQuaid has regained his role on the penalty kill and has continued to step in front of these crucial shots.
“I think any guy in that situation, you’re not thinking about it,” McQuaid told NHL.com. “I guess if you are you’re probably not doing it…it’s just playing and reacting more so than thinking.”
Weekly recap
The Boston Bruins dominated the St. Louis Blues, leading them to a 3-1 victory, Thursday in Boston. Rask continues to carry the team by assisting a 4-1 win against Toronto Friday with some crucial saves in the third period. Boston’s point streak hit eight Tuesday with a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. With Khudobin in net, Boston’s leading scorers led the team in a 6-1 win over the New York Rangers.
Next 7 days at a glance:
Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7pm vs. Buffalo Sabres
Sunday, Feb. 11 at 7pm vs. New Jersey Devils
Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 7pm vs. Calgary Flames
