BOSTON — The Bruins have a new identity under head coach Jim Montgomery as an offensive-minded squad that plays with speed at all levels.
That has been on display in the first six games of the season, where Boston have scored three or more goals in five of six contests. Taylor Hall, who scored the game-winning goal in the Bruins’ 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, has played for five teams in his 13-year career, and he was asked postgame if the Black and Gold are the fastest he’s ever played with.
“I think so, and it’s all a credit to our (defense) and the way that we’re moving the puck up the ice and just being connected up the ice,” Hall said. “There’s a lot of teams that have a lot of fast guys, but they don’t play fast. I think there’s a big difference between speed and playing fast and letting the puck do the work, and you’re seeing that tonight. We trapped two guys, and we’re gone. Our D are jumping up. There’s a lot of layers to our offense, especially off the rush, and it’s a lot of fun to play like that, especially, like I said, the schedule — I don’t think everyone had their legs tonight, but we were still able to catch them in transition a lot.”
The aggression and speed on offense has led to some miscues on defense, but Hall explained why the B’s style of play is a benefit and not a hindrance.
“Yeah, it does, but that speed also allows you to get back when it breaks down, and you’re seeing that a lot,” Hall said. “There wasn’t a ton of odd man rushes for them, where it was tic tac toe, and they beat us. We’re skating well, and we’re gonna have to continue to do that.”
Hall scored one goal and assisted on two others Saturday as the Bruins hope to earn three wins in a row when they play the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
