Hot: Brandon Carlo
Throughout Boston’s first two games, Brandon Carlo was the team’s most reliable defender. Carlo had strong games and rarely made any mistakes.
Carlo was a rock in the opener against the Stars. He played over 19 minutes and finished with one blocked shot and one takeaway. He also made a few aggressive pinches in the neutral zone to win the puck.
Carlo elevated his game on the penalty kill. He led the Bruins in shorthanded time on ice with 2:23. This was almost a minute more than the next player.
Although the Bruins were on their heels at times against the Coyotes, Carlo looked calm. He even contributed some offense with two shots on goal.
Again, Carlo led the Bruins in shorthanded time on ice, and he was one of the best penalty killers. In the third period, for example, he didn’t panic with the puck behind the net, assessed his surroundings, and then found space for a clearance.
Carlo won’t be an offensive dynamo on Boston’s backend. He does, however, do things that don’t show up on the scoresheet. He had a great start to this season, and he looks set to be a shutdown defenseman for the Bruins.