The Bruins didn’t miss a beat coming off the three-day holiday break despite being down two defensemen.
Boston, without Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy, shut out the Buffalo Sabres 3-0 on Friday night on the strength of Patrice Bergeron’s two-goal night, Jaroslav Halak’s 50th career shutout and a strong game from Brandon Carlo.
The Bruins’ blueliner led his team with 26:22 of ice time and had one of his best games this season between his defensive plays and potting an empty-net goal in the third.
Sealing the deal.@1996_Carlo | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/90NhozLd0i
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 28, 2019
It certainly must have been refreshing for the Bruins to see the 23-year-old step up in the absence of Krug and McAvoy, and head coach Bruce Cassidy had high praise for Carlo after the game.
“I thought it was by far his best game of the year,” he said on NESN’s Bruins postgame coverage. “And maybe some of that was with Charlie being out he kind of wanted to step up and take on more responsibility as the top guy on the right side. That’d be great if that competition happened all the time where they push each other. We’ve said that all long when guys are fighting for their ice time and pushing other guys and ready to step in if guys are having an off night or an injury in this case, then we’re gonna be a better hockey team in the end.”
It’s unknown when Krug and McAvoy will return to the ice, but it appears Carlo will be ready to prove to the Bruins he’s ready to step up while they’re shorthanded.
Here are some other notes from Friday’s Bruins-Sabres game:
— Halak stonewalled the Sabres, stopping all 26 shots sent his way for his third shutout of the season. He’s now tied for the league lead in shutouts.
The outcome of the game may have ended differently had Halak not made an impressive stop on old friend Marcus Johansson late in the first.
No, no, JoJo.#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/4h1QmZIzf8
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 28, 2019
— Bergeron’s two goals marked his third straight game with multiple tallies, becoming the first Bruins player to do so since the 1988-89 season when Cam Neely accomplished the feat, according to NHL Public Relations.
That's three straight games with a multi-goal outing for Patrice Bergeron. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/UlqtBZirRy
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 28, 2019
“The Bergy goal toward the end of the second period, I thought it was very timely and just the way they scored it probably deflated their group a little bit,” Cassidy said on NESN’s postgame coverage.
— The Bruins now have won back-to-back games and have scored 10 goals over their last two contests.
“Everyone was contributing,” Bergeron told NESN’s Sophia Jurksztowicz after the game. “Good layers defensively. … Offensively we created some good plays … and got the win.”
“We found our legs in the first period (and) stayed in the game,” Cassidy said on NESN’s postgame coverage. “Played the right way as it went along. …”
— Connor Clifton also had a strong game, even getting tangled up with Sam Reinhart in front of Boston’s net.
“Cliffy, as the game went on, took on more of a physical role,” Cassidy said. “He’s certainly willing and capable to do so. … That’s when he plays some of his best hockey.”
