BSJ Game Report: Bruins 5, Devils 1 - Grzelcyk, Pastrnak pace offense as B’s get back on track

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

Box Score

TOP TAKEAWAYS

B’s open favorable stretch with a convincing win: Even if the B’s did receive some reinforcements up front on Tuesday in the form of Jake DeBrusk and Brett Ritchie, this shorthanded B’s roster is still missing a number of key cogs — headlined by Torey Krug and Patrice Bergeron, who was a late scratch against New Jersey due to a lingering lower-body injury after initially being tabbed as a game-time decision. 

Still, even with the injury bug still decimating Boston’s lineup, the B’s didn’t have much of an issue throwing their weight around against a Devils’ club currently sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division, with Boston posting its second regulation win in three games with a 5-1 victory over New Jersey. 

While New Jersey managed to tilt the ice in its favor for a brief stretch in the second period, a pair of goals from Matt Grzelcyk and David Pastrnak just 14 seconds apart in the opening stanza gave Boston a lead it would not relinquish. Add in goals in the final period from Pastrnak (2), Grzelcyk (2) and Connor Clifton — and for the first time in a while, the Bruins could breathe easy as the final seconds ticked off the clock. 

The last couple of weeks haven’t been kind to the Bruins as far as injuries and results have gone, but this upcoming stretch presents a great opportunity for Boston to get back on a roll against some lesser competition. After tonight's victory, the B’s will welcome a Sabres team with just one regulation win this month to town on Thursday, followed by a Wild club on Saturday that is 4-10-0 on the road this year. Time for this club to start piling on the points again. 

Matt Grzelcyk picks up the slack: Boston might still be missing Torey Krug, who hasn’t played since Nov. 10 against the Flyers, but the B’s have been able to replicate some of that 5v5 production from the blue line in the form of Grzelcyk, who has primarily taken Krug’s spot as both D partner to Brandon Carlo and as a contributor on the PP1 unit.

While Boston’s man advantage has taken a bit of a hit as of late without No. 47 operating up high and along the half wall, Grzelcyk has



performed well with increased usage, averaging over 21 minutes of ice time in the last four games while posting three points. 

Grzelcyk’s showing on Tuesday was particularly impressive, with the BU product using his quick feet and a much-improved shot to beat Mackenzie Blackwood twice on the night. While Krug’s return should help get Boston’s power play back on track, it’s rather evident that Grzelcyk has yet to reach his ceiling when it comes to his offensive potential.

FIVE UP

David Pastrnak: Pastrnak was at it again on Tuesday night, scoring his league-leading 18th and 19th goals of the season off of a bullet from his office at the left circle and a point hammer from the blue line. His strike in the first period was the 150th of his career — achieved in just 341 career games. The only Bruin to reach that scoring milestone in a shorter amount of time was Barry Pederson (316 GP).

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Matt Grzelcyk: Grzelcyk recorded the first two-goal game of his regular-season career — both generated off of shots launched from within 30 feet of the Devils’ net. Not bad for a guy that only had 37.5% of his faceoffs come in the offensive zone on Tuesday. 

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Connor Clifton: It was good to see the New Jersey native light the lamp in Newark on Tuesday, but the rookie defenseman also made a number of other great plays, such as jumping up from the blue line and playing a puck that allowed Boston to regain possession and eventually score on Grzelcyk’s first tally of the night. In 15:18 of ice time, Clifton also recorded three blocked shots. 

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Penalty Kill: While Boston’s PK has only posted a 75% success rate away from TD Garden this season, the special-teams unit locked things down on Tuesday — going 2-for-2 on the night while holding the Devils to just one shot on goal. 

Lindholm Line: A hodgepodge line featuring Lindholm centering a pair of returnees in Jake DeBrusk and Brett Ritchie actually fared pretty well on Tuesday, with DeBrusk finding his legs early and generating quality looks down low. In 11:40 of 5v5 ice time together, that trio led Boston with three high-danger scoring chances generated. 

ONE DOWN:

Charlie McAvoy: After a dominant showing on Saturday against Washington, McAvoy was tagged for a goal against on a sequence that he’d like to have back, as he allowed Blake Coleman to get inside and fire one past Tuukka Rask to put New Jersey on the board at 18:11 in the second. 

PLAY OF THE GAME

P.K. Subban — yikes, man. 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1196975801750761472

PARTING THOUGHT

After trading punches with the Capitals for most of Saturday’s game, McAvoy didn’t get much of a reprieve from the officials at the Prudential Center on Tuesday. 

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LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will now return home for a pair of matchups against a pair of slumping teams in the Sabres and Wild. First up is the Sabres on Thursday, who have only posted one win in its last nine games.