BSJ Game Report: Bruins 5, Devils 1 - Top line dominates in B’s 3rd straight win taken at Prudential Center (Bruins)

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Bruins

BSJ Game Report: Bruins 5, Devils 1 - Top line dominates in B’s 3rd straight win

By Conor Ryan

Mar 21, 2019 • 11:00 pm

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NEWARK — Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 5-1 win over the Devils in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis…

Box Score

HEADLINES

Top line hasn’t lost a step: With Marcus Johansson likely set to return to the B’s lineup at some point this week, Bruce Cassidy will have some interesting choices to make when it comes to sorting out his forward groups going into the postseason. While Boston’s top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak has logged over 400 minutes of 5v5 TOI this season, Cassidy has been willing to tinker with his three big guns up front if it generates more balanced scoring across the rest of the lineup.

At the time of Pastrnak’s injury in mid-February, he was earning reps on a second line with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk, while Danton Heinen hit the ground running up top with Bergeron and Marchand. With Johansson potentially forming a potent bottom-six group with Charlie Coyle, Boston could find some equilibrium in its top-six if it breaks up its go-to trio and puts Pastrnak back down with Krejci. But so far, the reunited Marchand-Bergeron-Marchand line is doing its best to avoid another breakup.

That grouping combined for three goals and eight total points in Thursday’s 5-1 win over the Devils, with Pastrnak tallying his first goal since his 16-game absence due to thumb surgery. With a pair of goals, Bergeron surpassed 30 in a season for the fifth time in his career — as well as the 70-point mark for the first time since back in 2006-07. Marchand is also now at 90 points this season — standing as the first Bruins player to reach that milestone since Marc Savard in 2006-07. Ho hum.

Sean Kuraly steps up, pays price: While Boston’s remaining injured skaters are expected to rejoin the club for practice down in Florida this weekend, the B’s might be without their third-line center for the time being, as Sean Kuraly exited the game in the first minute of the third period after blocking a Steve Santini slap shot with his hand. The blocked attempt started a sequence that led to Danton Heinen’s 10th goal of the season, but Kuraly paid the price for getting in front of the offering — as he returned briefly before sitting out the remainder of the game.

 




While Cassidy did not have an official update on Kuraly’s condition postgame, it’d be a tough loss for Boston is the versatile forward is forced to miss time. A speedy skater that has helped form one of the top fourth lines in the NHL, Kuraly has also been able to slot up in the lineup when need be and is a key weapon on the penalty kill.


FOUR UP


David Pastrnak:
Let’s be honest, we could include all of Boston’s top line in this section tonight, but we’ll single out Pastrnak for his return to form. A few giveaways and general rust were still present at times for him in just his second game back from injury, but the results speak for themselves. Along with the slick, cross-slot feed to set up Bergeron’s goal at 18:34 in the first — Pastrnak buried his first tally since Feb. 6 midway through the middle stanza. Boston is going to need to get No. 88 back up to speed with playoff hockey just a little over two weeks away. So far, so good.


Tuukka Rask:
While his shutout streak was finally snapped at a little over 94 minutes, Rask was once again stout in net on Thursday — turning aside Grade-A chances from
Blake Coleman 
 
Eric Tangradi
to keep New Jersey off the board for the first 30 minutes of regulation. With the 21-save win, Rask improves to 18-2-3 over his last 24 appearances.


Charlie McAvoy:
While one fumble in the B’s zone led to a great chance for Tangradi, McAvoy was dominant for most of the night, starting numerous breakouts for Boston while posting a Corsi For Percentage of 89.29 — meaning that the Bruins held a 25-3 edge in shot attempts during the 17:12 of 5v5 TOI that McAvoy logged in the win.


Danton Heinen:
Heinen made the most of his opportunity just 29 seconds into the third period, going top shelf on
Cory Schneider
for his first goal since Feb. 12. He hasn’t lit the lamp too often as of late, but the winger is still up to 18 points in last 21 games played.


TWO DOWN


Jake DeBrusk
: Rask wasn’t a happy camper after a lazy turnover by DeBrusk and Krejci
 
was picked off by the Devils’ in Boston zone, with
Drew Stafford
firing home a rebound just seconds later to put New Jersey on the board. DeBrusk finished the night with an even 50.00 CF%. 


Power Play:
Even with Pastrnak back in the fold, Boston’s man advantage labored for most of Thursday night — going 0-for-3 while struggling to generate clean entries due to mishandles around New Jersey’s blue line. Boston did generate a good look when a shot from
Steven Kampfer
pinged off the post in the third period, but otherwise it was a pretty listless night for Boston on the power play.


PLAY OF THE GAME


Fair to say, the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line really hasn’t missed much of a step since their reunion earlier this week:




PARTING THOUGHT


Sigh. Also, “Tom Brady" as a funny Boston term? Really?




LOOKING AHEAD


The Bruins will continue their four-game road trip on Saturday when they head down to Florida to take on the Panthers. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk, Marcus Johansson
and
Kevan Miller
are all expected to rejoin the team down in Sunshine, although it’s unclear if any will be allowed to return on Saturday.

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