Bruce Cassidy Praises Bruins’ Third Line After Performance Vs. Jets
Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk and Oskar Steen made valuable contributions in the 3-2 win
BOSTON — Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy was quite complementary of the production from Boston’s third line of Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk and Oskar Steen after Saturday’s 3-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets, and for good reason.
Coyle broke a nine-game streak in which he didn’t record a point by recording two points on an assist and game-tying goal. DeBrusk played with a pace that not many can match, recording an assist and making contributions on each of the first two goals. Steen, who was a healthy scratch Thursday, bounced back to score Boston’s first goal of the game in the opening period.
All in all, it was an impressive effort from the Coyle line.
“Well, I mean, if you want to be a good team you need contributions from everyone and tonight they did their job and then some,” Cassidy said of the third line during a postgame video conference after the 3-2 win. “Offensively, nice goal from Steener (Oskar Steen). But it starts with, you know, forecheck turnover, playing the right way. Because the first period we didn’t as a group, or certain lines did.
“But they were a line that knew that they had to play a certain way and they did,” Cassidy added. “A little man-to-man in D zone helps a guy like Charlie Coyle separate and other guys get open. So I liked all three. Big part of our win. Again, that’s always good for team building and for success is when different lines contribute and they were certainly, I would say, our best tonight.”
David Pastrnak scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Bruins while Brad Marchand returned to the lineup despite Thursday’s upper-body injury.
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The Bruins, who now have won 10 of their last 12 games, will host the Anaheim Ducks on Monday at TD Garden.
