Bruce Cassidy Notes How Offensive Depth Has Bruins Feeling ‘Dangerous’
Boston received production from three lines in a 6-3 win
The offensive depth of the Bruins took another gigantic step forward Saturday as Boston hosted the New York Islanders and scored four second-period goals en route to a 6-3 victory in which three lines recorded one or more goals.
David Pastrnak (goal, assist) and Taylor Hall (goal, two assists) combined for five points on the second line while center Erik Haula continued his stellar play with two points (goal, assist). Third-line winger Craig Smith kept that group rolling with the game’s first goal while the top line welcomed Patrice Bergeron (assist) back with Brad Marchand (goal, two assists) and Jake DeBrusk (goal) also recording points.
That is quite the output, and Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy knows the potential it holds going forward.
“Listen, they’re good players. They’re gonna have stretches where it goes well for them, pucks are going to in and other times it’s not. But when it doesn’t last long, that’s a good sign,” Cassidy said after the game, per a team-provided video. “That’s been a lot of (Pastrnak’s) second half of the year, right? Now Marchand in a bit of a funk and he’s come out of it now. So now you got two lines and all of a sudden the Coyle line, which to me has been very consistent for what seems like a long time, so three different lines that can score? That gets dangerous.”
Hall, who scored on a power-play goal on a tip in front of the net, an aspect of the game he has took on and ran with, explained the mindset of the group during the recent stretch. Boston, of note, is 14-2-1 in its last 17 games.
“I think every night we expect to win; doesn’t matter who were playing, where we’re playing, and it’s a really fun feeling to have,” Hall said after the win. “Every line is contributing. I think you’ve seen a lot of balance with the four lines and whoever’s hopping over the boards it’s your responsibility to make something good happen, to leave something good for the line that comes after. And I feel like, you know, it’s nice to see pucks go in. You get confidence as a line doing that and all the lines are feeling it that way.”
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Boston will look to keep it going Tuesday when the Bruins host the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden.
