McDonald: A heavier third line for the Bruins could make all the difference in the Stanley Cup playoffs

Forget the fact that Jake DeBrusk returned to the lineup and scored two goals after he missed the previous eight games with an injury. Forget the fact that the Bruins defeated the Florida Panthers 5-1 on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden to regain the top spot in the Atlantic Division over the idle Tampa Bay Lightning.

Here’s what DeBrusk’s return, along with Ryan Donato’s continued success could mean for the Bruins once puck drops on the Stanley Cup playoffs in just over a week: Maybe, just maybe, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy could decide to keep this line in tact, and once Rick Nash is healthy and returns to the lineup, put him with Riley Nash and David Backes.

Think about it for a second. Without using names, let’s break it down like this:



First line: Three superstars.

Second line: Electric speed.

Third line: Fast and heavy.

Fourth line: Relentless grit.

A coach's ability to roll out four consistent lines successfully in the postseason can result in a deep run and possibly end with a team hoisting the Stanley Cup. We've seen that first-hand in Boston.

The Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships because opponents couldn’t find a matchup for Pittsburgh’s third line. Dealing with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin was tough enough, so trying to shut down a trio of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel proved to be a daunting task in 2016 and 2017.

Fast forward to 2018, and the possible Stanley Cup playoffs lineup for the Bruins. A lot depends on matchups and opponent. With Rick Nash out with an upper-body injury and still not skating, it was a good time for Cassidy to experiment with a younger, quicker second line. It was on display on Saturday.

DeBrusk finished with three points, Donato was on the ice for all six goals in the game and Krejci finished with three assists.

“Wow,” said one NHL scout in attendance. “They’re (expletive) good.”

Yes, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney acquired Rick Nash to play with Krejci. And the veteran forward is at his best when he’s playing with a power forward, similar to what it was like when Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton and Jarome Iginla were all linemates at different times with Krejci. So, having DeBrusk, Krejci and Rick Nash as a line could no doubt be a dangerous and effective trio in the postseason.

Cassidy really likes that line too. The coach also is impressed with his bottom-six units as well.

"Anything is possible, right?" Cassidy said. "We’re going to play the guys in the best spots. I liked Rick with Krejci on the right side. I have no issue with it. Health is the reason he is not there right now. And I liked Jake on the other side. With Ryan Donato coming into the mix, we didn’t know what we were getting, so one comes in, the other one goes out almost, it seems. That’s the luxury of getting these looks, but it’s also taking away from developing chemistry with these injuries.

"Could Rick go down and play with Nash and Backes if it all worked out up top? Absolutely. I think he’s going to find his scoring opportunities no matter who he plays with. But I liked him with (Krejci). I don’t always want to go down that road in 10 days, but that would be our plan. But, let’s see where we are then."

Count Backes as one who would welcome a heavier presence. Adding Rick Nash, along with center Riley Nash, could also be a dangerous line and one that would be extremely tough to defend.

"That's going to be a tough call for Butch,'' Backes said of the head coach. "But with the way we're set up, if we can negate one of the other teams top lines and play solid defensively, hold pucks in the offensive zone, tire them out, get some momentum and tire the defensive pair out, maybe get offensive-zone faceoffs at the end of our shifts, which means we're setting up our top lines for offensive success. With the way they're producing right now, it's a good recipe."

The trick is having a veteran player like Nash accept a bottom-six role. But if it makes a difference to win a Stanley Cup, maybe he would accept it and produce. With Donato, yes, it's still a small sample size. But his willingness to go to the dirty areas has made a strong impression. At Harvard, he was the guy, right? So he wanted the puck on his stick and almost played with tunnel vision. With the Bruins, he's not afraid to shoot the puck and his ability to pass has been crucial too. His pass from behind the net to DeBrusk on his second goal was pretty darn nifty.

Even though Cassidy said he's focused on the final five games of the regular season, you can bet he's already sketching out his lines for the Stanley Cup playoffs in his mind. If Rick Nash is healthy to start the postseason, it appears he'll be reunited with Krejci and DeBrusk. But, the image of a heavy and potent third line could almost be too tempting to ignore.