After starting the new year on a winning note, the Boston Bruins will try to sustain the momentum.
Doing so will be easier if the Bruins positively answer the "one big question" ESPN's Kristen Shilton posed about them Wednesday in a "power rankings" column on ESPN.com.
Shilton reckons a host of circumstances combined to prevent the Bruins from playing their best hockey in the opening stages of the 2021-22 campaign, but their long pause offered a chance to reset for the coming months of action.
"Can the Bruins build back an identity?" Shilton asked about Boston. "It has been a weird season in Boston, from early injuries to sporadic illnesses to a COVID-19 pause. The Bruins weren't striking their usual balance of bruising physicality with top-notch skill. Boston has looked more like itself, though, as 2022 begins, with an uptick in secondary scoring and terrific blue-line play from Charlie McAvoy."
The Bruins demonstrated impressive resolve in each of the three games they've played so far in 2022: victories over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday and the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.
With three players and four staff members in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol, the Bruins certainly aren't out of the woods of disruption yet. Head coach Bruce Cassidy will continue to patch together lines and pairings as the Bruins look to build consistency and restore the identity that served them so well in previous years.
