Jake DeBrusk is playing some of his best hockey of the season, and timing really couldn’t be better.
The second-year winger scored his 17th goal of the season and added an assist Saturday in the Boston Bruins’ 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.
DeBrusk has recorded a goal In the three games since David Pastrnak went down with his thumb surgery. With secondary scoring hard to come by all season, it was clear someone was going to need to step up in a big way once Pastrnak went down, and DeBrusk has been up to the challenge.
Last season, DeBrusk burst onto the scene as a rookie due to his willingness to go to the messy areas of the ice and use his physical style of play to score goals. But it was a different side of his game that led to his two points against the Kings.
He scored in the opening period thanks to some quick hands, as Paul LaDue got a blade on a pass from Peter Cehlarik that was intended for DeBrusk. Although the deflection slightly altered the path of the puck, DeBrusk was able to handle it and finish with composure to get the Bruins on the board first.
Then in the waning moments of the third with the game tied, DeBrusk received a pass at the far end of the circle from Charlie McAvoy. DeBrusk had the vision to hold the puck for a moment, then feed the defenseman right back as he crashed to the net. McAvoy buried the go-ahead goal as a result.
Whether it is serving as the scorer or the facilitator, the Bruins need the best version of DeBrusk down the stretch, but especially now with Pastrnak out. Boston’s been receiving that lately, and the results have been clear.
Here are some other notes from Saturday’s Bruins-Kings game:
— His 23 saves may not be eye-popping, but the performance of Tuukka Rask, especially in the second period, shouldn’t be ignored.
The Bruins netminder made a number of key saves, be it his breakaway stop on Anze Kopitar while Boston was on the man advantage, or this magnificent play on Alex Iafallo:
We are not worthy. pic.twitter.com/XBplBrgoTe
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) February 17, 2019
Rask has been a rock lately, and the point streak he has to show for it now sits at 13.
— Karson Kuhlman made his NHL debut Saturday, skating on the fourth line with Joakim Nordstrom Trent Frederic.
Over 18 shifts, the 23-year-old logged 9:47 ice time, 1:10 of which came on the penalty kill.
— After a four-game absence due to a lower-body injury, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk made his return to the ice.
The 25-year-old was eased back into things a little bit, playing the fewest minutes of any Bruins defenseman (17:17). Of that time, though, 1:11 was spent at his usual spot quarterbacking the second power play unit, while an additional 27 seconds were with the B’s shorthanded.
Grzelcyk finished his night with three shots.
— Thanks to the victory, the Bruins leapfrogged the Toronto Maple Leafs in the standings and now own sole possession of second place in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins have 76 points on the season, while Toronto has 75. The Leafs do have a game in hand.
