Boston Bruins: Key matchup to win against the Coyotes
By jc
Arizona poses a new challenge for the Boston Bruins top forwards. Will they be up to the task?
The Boston Bruins visit Arizona to take on the Coyotes on Saturday night. This is the second game of the season for both teams.
Arizona lost its first game of the season against Anaheim. Derek Stepan had the only goal for the Coyotes. Boston comes off an opening night victory against the Dallas Stars.
The Bruins struggled at times against Dallas’s high-end forwards. Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn generated plenty of chances in the second and third periods. The Coyotes feature a strong group of forwards, but it’s the defense that poses a threat to Boston.
More from Bruins News
- Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
- Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
- The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
- NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
- The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci
Bergeron, Marchand, Pastrnak vs. Oliver Ekman-Larsson
The biggest matchup in the game with Arizona is between the Bergeron line and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Ekman-Larsson flies under the radar because he plays in a small market, but he’s one of the best defensemen in the league.
Ekman-Larsson has a big 6’2” frame, and he skates well for someone his size. He is also incredibly durable. Ekman-Larsson averaged 23:38 TOI last season, and he only missed 13 games in his last eight seasons.
Expect Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet to match Ekman-Larsson up with the Bergeron line any chance he gets. Ekman-Larsson can handle the speed of Marchand and Pastrnak, and he has the reach and strength to win puck battles against Bergeron.
Plus, Ekman-Larsson can force turnovers and help lead the breakout. Marchand and Pastrnak therefore need to make sure they take care of the puck in the offensive zone. All Ekman-Larsson needs is a little space to get the puck to his talented forwards.
This becomes more important because Arizona is now deeper up front. Phil Kessel poses the biggest goal-scoring threat. The Bruins cannot make a mistake with Ekman-Larsson and Kessel on the ice. They’ll be fishing the puck out of the net in a matter of seconds.
Bergeron and Marchand need to watch out for Ekman-Larsson when shorthanded, too. Ekman-Larsson averaged 3:33 TOI on the power play last season, and he had 19 power play points. Bergeron and Marchand are two of the best penalty killers in the league. Ekman-Larsson, however, still remains a threat.
Bruins vs Coyotes streaming and TV info. dark. Next
Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak need to bounceback and win the matchup against Ekman-Larsson. Boston’s top line struggled against Dallas; the trio only generated five shots on goal and had no high danger chances. Things will only get more difficult against Arizona.