The Boston Bruins don’t need Derek Forbort to be the second coming of Chris Pronger, but they need more than what they got from him Saturday night.
Forbort was among a few players called out by Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy following a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs that featured far too many listless showings from various Bruins.
In the second period, the Leafs got a power play opportunity with the game tied at one. John Tavares received a pass at the left point, which he quickly knocked to Mitch Marner. The pass went a little long, so Forbort took a swat at it with one hand. That basically just knocked the puck back to Marner, who was able to zip a pass to a wide-open Auston Matthews, who scored on his second chance.
It was a breakdown on many levels for the Bruins, but the Forbort gaffe loomed particularly large.
“The entry was just soft in the middle of the ice. I mean, one hand on the stick…” Cassidy said. “You just can’t do that. You gotta be hard in those areas. A lot of talent on the other side — and any team you play against — you can’t clear pucks with one hand on your stick. That’s on us.”
Forbort is at his best when playing a heavy game and protecting the net. He hasn’t been doing that consistently enough so far.
“100 percent (he needs to be harder to go against),” Cassidy said. “That’s what he’s here for, right? He’s here to be a hard defender and be physical and make a good first pass. On that one, he just has to be harder.”
Forbort and the Bruins will have an opportunity to get back on track Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators.
