BOSTON — If you’ve been a Bruins fan for a while, you know the problems they’ve had when it comes to secondary scoring.
Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case through the first six games for Boston.
Nick Foligno added a goal and Hampus Lindholm had one of his own in the Bruins’ 4-3 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden. Foligno has been an asset to the bottom six and can be a big part in helping them form an identity, while Lindholm is doing everything he can, especially in the absence of Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy.
Secondary scoring has plagued the Bruins the last few seasons in particular, but it’s what’s helped them get off to a strong start with Foligno and A.J. Greer having the second-most goals on the team with three.
“I think I’m just excited about contributing, any way you can. I think last year, obviously was different, but this year it’s trying to contribute on the scoresheet but also just the way I play, how I’m trying to help drive the bottom six here and make sure we have an identity every night,” Foligno said after the game. “And that’s the reason we’re having success as a team is everyone’s contributing, not just myself. There’s so many guys that made really good plays throughout the start of the season.
“Overall, that is exactly how we want to play. We were dominant in a lot of ways; just way we forechecked, the way we kept pucks out of our danger areas and really didn’t five them a lot of life until we got into that penalty trouble. … I think guys are really excited once you start seeing it and how effective it is and how good we felt doing it too. Every line was going over and doing the same thing. It makes it pretty fun to play hockey.”
There still is a lot of hockey left to be played, but if the bottom six can continue to play strong games, win puck battles and be strong on the forecheck — all without Brad Marchand in the lineup — this Bruins team has the chance to very, very dangerous all season.
