How Mason Lohrei Boosted Bruins’ Defense In NHL Debut

The Boston Bruins needed a spark on Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs without three of their primary defensemen.

To fill the void, Mason Lohrei made his NHL debut against a quality division opponent. The debut marked significance as the Louisiana native became the first player to represent the state in an NHL game, per NHL PR.

The 2020 second-round pick jumped right into the action, earning his first career assist when he helped set up Pavel Zacha for the team’s first goal of the night.

Lohrei also stepped up on a solid group with the penalty kill, adding production to a short-handed position group to keep Boston unbeaten in regulation.

The Bruins ultimately bested Toronto in a shootout for a 3-2 victory at TD Garden to cap off a successful debut for the 22-year-old.

“He played really well,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after the game. “His poise with the puck in all three zones was very noticeable. He made a lot of intelligent hockey plays.”

“You could see in training camp, he’s gifted,” Bruins captain Brad Marchand told reporters. “Big kid. Skates well. Smart with the puck. I think what I liked about his game tonight is he didn’t try to do too much. I think that’s where you can get in trouble a little bit. … He made strong plays. He competed hard. He took what was in front of him. Really good game.”

Lohrei relied on the veteran experience on his teammates and found a groove after the initial minutes of his debut.

“Use my poise and make plays when I can,” Lohrei said after his debut. “They make it so easy.”

Lohrei tallied over 21 minutes on the ice and grew more confident with each shift.

“It feels great,” Lohrei added. “You get pretty comfortable. It’s good for your confidence when they keep calling your number to go back out there.”

The young defender looks to help the Bruins continue a franchise-record point streak to start the season after improving to 9-0-1.