Brad Marchand Believes Bruins Found Necessary Playing Style

The Boston Bruins have needed a performance to re-energize themselves after a prolonged stretch of overtime defeats.

That began on Monday with a win in Toronto over the Maple Leafs. The teams met again on Thursday with plenty of energy at TD Garden. With champions in the building for the final “Eras Night” of the season, the Bruins and Maple Leafs engaged in another battle of the recent rivalry.

Between several fights and scrums after the whistle, the Bruins burst out with a convincing 4-1 victory in the Original Six matchup. Throughout the evening, the Bruins embraced physicality and stepped up to defend their teammates as a cohesive unit. That stood out to Boston captain Brad Marchand as a sign of what the Bruins will need down the stretch.

“Yeah, it really was (awesome),” Bruins forward Brad Marchand told NESN’s Andrew Raycroft after the win. “The last three games, we really dialed it in and had a lot of emotion. … We’ve had a great week so far. That’s the way we need to play to have success moving forward. When you start to see momentum and the type of way you can win, it’s awesome to see from the guys.”

Statement wins are important at any time of the season. For the Bruins to do so in front of former champions meant that much more for Marchand.

“It’s been so much fun to be part of,” Marchand added. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity. Tonight was extremely special.”

The Bruins look to carry momentum to Saturday when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. ET. The game will air on ABC and ESPN+.