Boston Bruins: How will they handle Ondrej Kase against the Ducks?
The Boston Bruins and the Anaheim Ducks meet in a rare weekday matinee on Monday at TD Garden.
Both the Boston Bruins and Ducks started the season with four wins in their first five games. Like Boston, Anaheim benefits from strong goaltending and defense. So far, the Ducks only conceded six goals in five games.
When it comes to the offense, Anaheim has a new leader in town.
For years, the Ducks lived and died by their two franchise forwards: Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. Perry moved on to Dallas, and Getzlaf, while still in Anaheim, isn’t the same player he used to be.
Now, the Ducks hand over the keys to Ondrej Kase.
Kase is only 23, but this is already his fourth NHL season. He burst onto the scene two years ago, when he scored 20 goals for Anaheim.
Last year, Kase got off to a really strong start. He had 11 goals and 9 assists in his first 30 games. Kase, however, missed the next 52 games after a shoulder injury.
Kase enters this season with high expectations. The Ducks need him to assert himself and become the go-to scorer. He’s delivered thus far.
Through the first five games, Kase has one goal and three assists. All four points came at even strength.
If the Boston Bruins want to beat Anaheim on Monday, they’ll need to stop Kase.
How the Boston Bruins match up with Kase
Kase is an exciting young player who has the talent to take over any game. The Boston Bruins defense will need to know where he is on the ice at all times.
Kase is a great skater, and he has a really quick first step. He’s always one of the fastest guys on the ice, so he can be quite the handful for opposing defenders.
Although he is incredibly fast, Kase often showcases great patience. He’s not reckless out there; instead, he waits for the play to come to him. Then, he finds an opening and pounces.
Look at this goal he scored in 2017 against Ottawa. Kase cuts in front of the net, outwaits the goalie, and then finishes upstairs.
What really makes Kase dangerous, however, is his creativity. He likes to take on defenders and try out new moves. Plus, he combines creativity with vision to set up his teammates. It’s no surprise he already has three assists this year.
Kase plays on Anaheim’s first line with Getzlaf and Max Comtois. As a result, he’ll see a lot of Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy.
Chara and McAvoy must be wear of Kase any time he’s on the ice. The Boston Bruins defenders must realize that Kase, and not Getzlaf, is Anaheim’s most important player.
Chara needs to use his length to take away Kase’s space and to clog up passing lanes. The last thing Chara wants to do is chase Kase around the ice all day. Instead, Chara must dictate play.
The best thing the Bruins can do is make Kase play defense. He’s not the most reliable player in his defensive zone. Boston’s first line can take Kase out of the game if it maintains possession in the attacking zone.
Next. Grading Boston through five games. dark
The Ducks only have 11 goals in their first five games. Kase factored in to four of these goals. The Bruins can shut down Anaheim’s attack if they limit Kase. If not, Kase could steal the game away from Boston.