The Boston Bruins saw Jake DeBrusk make his long-awaited return Saturday, with his insertion into the lineup paying immediate dividends.
DeBrusk opened up the scoring in an eventual 6-2 rout of the New York Islanders, sliding a shot past Semyon Varlamov just 2:19 into the game. It was the perfect start after a 47-day absence, though it didn’t come without some uneasy feelings from the man himself.
“It was a really weird feeling, actually, before the game,” DeBrusk admitted postgame. “I was obviously focused and determined, but I’ve been waiting on this day for a while. I just wanted to get a goal.
“… Even after the goal, it felt a little weird to be out there for a while. It’s one of those things where the game of hockey is (played) at such a high pace that it took a while to feel out some things. It was a good win for sure, though.
If DeBrusk did have nerves entering the game, they didn’t show — for fans or Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery.
“I felt terrific (about the way DeBrusk got reacclimated),” Montgomery said postgame. “That’s a big-time play that he made. … The poise, in and around the net, he’s got it.”
The Bruins, who hold the best record in the NHL at 42-8-5, will have a target on their backs as they progress toward the playoffs. The Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs have each made big-time acquisitions prior to the NHL trade deadline, but few could argue they’ve made an acquisition as impactful as DeBrusk continues to be for the Bruins.
