Bruins' Noel Acciari ready to resume hard-hitting ways

There’s a distinct sound when Noel Acciari unleashes one of his teeth-shattering body checks on an opponent. Every time he hits someone, the heavy thud can be heard, and it’s easily recognizable throughout the arena.

Next time you’re attending a Bruins game, as soon as No. 55 jumps over the boards for a shift, close your eyes and listen. Guaranteed you’ll be able to tell when Acciari plants an opponent into the boards.

Opposing defensemen and wingers around the NHL are now well aware of his presence. He has the ability to track the play and understands the perfect time to finish a hit. It’s not dirty, either. He has the reputation as a clean player, but opponents still fear the end result of his 5-foot-10, 208-pound frame.

“I think the word’s out – absolutely,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “He’s going to finish it and finish it clean and hard. He doesn’t have a penalty minute, which is amazing for a guy that plays that hard. He has a reputation of being a clean, hard hitter, amongst other things.”



That distinct sound you hear when he finishes a check is a combination of speed, strength and proper positioning. He doesn’t slow down. In fact, he gains speed before he applies contact.

“It hurts when someone comes at you that hard and that fast,” admitted teammate Patrice Bergeron, who added it’s not fun to get hit by Acciari during practices either.

“Yeah, I’m trying to avoid that,” Bergeron said with a smile. “He’s definitely comes at you pretty hard and he definitely doesn’t try to slow down when he hits someone. You can tell when he’s coming. You can feel it and you can hear it when he wants to go after somebody. It’s something you notice right away when he’s on the ice.”

A native of Johnston, R.I., Acciari honed his craft during his four years at Providence College. He captained the Friars his senior year and guided them to a Frozen Four championship. His relentless style and physical play caught the attention of the Bruins, who signed him as a free agent. Acciari is a perfect fit for the team’s identity.

“In college, that was one of the things I was good at, just being strong and tough on the forecheck and that’s what helped me get picked up by Boston,” Acciari said. “I wasn’t going to change my game and everything’s been working out, so I’m going to stick to it. I won’t change anything.”

Acciari has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury, but was finally cleared to participate in the team’s full practice on Friday at Warrior Ice Arena. He will be a game-time decision when the Bruins host the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m. on Saturday at TD Garden.

“Each day it’s feeling a lot better,” Acciari said. “For a couple of months it was just tough being able to skate. I just tried to fight through it as best I could until we found a solution and have some time off. It definitely affected my game.”

Normally, Acciari wants to be first on pucks and sustain a forecheck. Because his injury limited his strengths, he was forced to think the game differently. He had to think defense first, read the play and try to put himself in a position to still be effective. Instead of winning puck battles behind the net, in the corners and along the walls, he would position himself higher in the offensive zone to get a jump on the backcheck when needed.

Acciari has a high tolerance for pain. He broke his jaw after taking a slap shot off the face during his first pro season with the P-Bruins in 2015. He’s played through numerous bumps and bruises and missed 13 games earlier this season after breaking his finger while blocking a shot.

During a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders at Barclays Center on Jan. 18, Acciari suffered his latest lower-body injury after blocking a shot. He finished the game, but it was obvious that he was having trouble skating. He played the next two games before it was decided to shut him down in order to give him some time to heal.

“Skating in general was pretty tough,” admitted Acciari.

He’s on the verge of returning to the lineup and when he does there’s a number on his stats line that impressive – 0. In 32 games this season, Acciari has zero penalties. That’s almost unbelievable with the style he plays, but it’s just another indication how clean he plays.

“I don’t think about it,” Acciari said. “I will get my penalty this year; it will happen. It’s just the way I play. I’m not trying to hurt anyone. I always want to make sure I’m in a good position where I don’t have to take a penalty. I always keep my hands down when I throw a hit. It will happen. It’s tough not to have a penalty all year. When it happens, it happens but I promise it won’t be a bad penalty. It might be a close one, but it won’t be bad.”

When he does return, he’ll have to focus again on protecting the puck in scoring areas, because he’s going to get knocked around in those dirty areas. This season, he’s shown more composure with the puck in those areas, which is why he has career-high six goals.

“Match the skill with the will around the net, and some of that is repetition, some of it is comfort level,” Cassidy said. “Noel has figured out, ‘ok, I’m in tight in the crease, so got to get it up a lot, instead of just shoveling it at the goalie.’ That’s the growth in his scoring.”

Many of the most talented players in the NHL respect Acciari’s style of play. Opponents also don’t mind when he’s not in the lineup, because it’s one less bruise they’ll suffer against the Bruins. There’s no diminishing Acciari’s fourth-line role with the Bruins and it’s noticeable when he’s not in the lineup.

“He plays hard. He hits hard, but he’s an honest guy,” Bergeron said.