With four Selke Trophies already on his loaded resume, Patrice Bergeron is no stranger in going toe-to-toe with some of the most dynamic lines in the NHL — with the B’s center often tasked with taking draws against the likes of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, John Tavares and Auston Matthews while shutting down some potent forward trios.
It’s that two-way ability that has lifted Boston’s top line of Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak into the conversation as the best forward group in the league, with the trio just as prone to lighting up an opposing defense as it is stymieing scoring chances down the other end of the ice.
Wednesday will mark the latest challenge for the Bergeron line — with the group poised to go up against an Avalanche trio that’s doing its best to steal the spotlight from the Boston’s top forwards.
Anchored at the pivot by Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado’s top line has the speed and size to find twine early and often, and they have the numbers to prove it.
So far this season, the Avs’ line of MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen have tallied 28 goals and 69 points through 17 games — with the Bergeron line following suit with 31 goals and 68 points.
Wednesday’s tilt at the Pepsi Center will feature plenty of firepower, with all six forwards ranking in the top 25 in scoring in the NHL — headlined by Rantanen (26 points - tied for 1st) and Bergeron (25 points - 3rd).
"They're an amazing line, they're playing with amazing pace and tempo, but also making great plays," Bergeron said Tuesday. "Obviously they have a good team over there, playing hard. We saw that last year against them. They're young with lots of energy, so it's going to be a tough matchup, for sure.”
He added: "They seem to be making a lot of plays in tight, a lot of bang-bang, tic-tac-toes, and stuff like that. “Obviously they get open for one another and seem to find each other pretty well.”
With both lines expected to earn heavy minutes against one another on Wednesday, which trio has the edge when it comes to staking the claim as the top triumvirate in the league?
Tale of the tape
While both the Bergeron and MacKinnon line have similar production in terms of scoring, both groups measure out very differently when it comes to size, especially off the wing.
Next to McDavid and speedsters like Dylan Larkin and Carl Hagelin, there may not be a fastest skater in the NHL than MacKinnon, who can explode through the middle of the ice and catching opposing blue liners flat-footed very easily.
But MacKinnon also benefits from some big bodies to his left and right, with Rantanen and Landeskog measuring out at 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-1, respectively. With their size, both wingers can muck up the slot with ease, while the 22-year-old Rantanen has made strides in his play on the boards, especially in terms of retrieving pucks and feeding it back out to MacKinnon.
While Marchand is more than capable of creating separation and winning puck battles along the boards, Bruce Cassidy did note that size is obviously an advantage for Colorado, with Marchand and Pastrnak measuring out at 5-foot-9 and 6-foot-0, respectively.
“They’re bigger than ours,” Cassidy said of the MacKinnon line. “I think they can all makes plays and score like our guys. I think our guys are a little more experienced and quicker. I shouldn’t say that — they can all skate very well. The element — I’d say that ours is a little more dynamic and theirs is bigger.
"Our trio isn’t as big, but they have plenty of courage that makes up for that. Those guys have plenty of size and they make enough good plays.”
Of course, any highlight reel involving Marchand proves that size isn’t the ultimate determinant in terms of who wins a puck battle along the boards or in the corner, with the pesky winger using his strength to maintain possession of the puck, especially while shooting through the neutral zone.
Much like Marchand, Pastrnak has made strides in his game thanks in large part to his added strength both on and off the puck — with Cassidy noting that the 22-year-old winger has elevated his play to another level thanks to his ability to rifle home shots from outside of his usual comfort area, while also creating space for himself with ease.
Sure, Pastrnak still has the wheels and skills with the puck on his stick to make defensemen and goalies look foolish off the rush, but the winger’s new willingness to open up space, fight off opposing skaters and create open ice for Bergeron and Marchand to cause havoc down low has added a new element to the line.
.@pastrnak96 can dish it, too. ? pic.twitter.com/REjvLqvc0o
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 11, 2018