Cale Makar plays for the first time in Boston. Can the Bruins stop the Avalanche defenseman?
Offense will be front and center tonight when the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche meet. However, Colorado also comes to town with one of the NHL’s best young defenseman: Cale Makar.
Makar made an impact with the the Avalanche right away last year. He finished up at the University of Massachusetts and jumped into the NHL playoffs with six points in two series.
This year, Makar followed up his impressive postseason with more fireworks. So far, he’s second on the team in scoring with 28 points in 28 games. Those are insane numbers for any defenseman, let along one who is only 21.
The Makar the Bruins will see on Saturday night is much different than the one they first saw in early October.
Makar had an assist in that first game against Boston, but he only saw 17:27 of ice time. He certainly showcased his skills, but the Avalanche coaches still had to ease him in on the defensive side.
Now, Makar is more reliably defensively, so he consistently sees over 20 minutes every night. In fact, he logged over 44 combined minutes in his last two games against Toronto and Montreal.
How can the Bruins stop Makar on Saturday?
1. Bruins need to make Makar play in his own zone
Makar is not quite a defensive stalwart. He has a sub-50% CF, and the team’s save percentage at even strength when he’s on the ice is only 0.904. Don’t expect him to see a lot of Boston’s top line tonight.
The Bruins need to keep possession in the offensive zone when Makar’s on the ice. They need to cycle the puck and be physical to really make Makar work out there.
2. Bruins must win faceoffs in the defensive zone
Faceoffs will be huge for the Bruins. Makar sees over 60% of his starts in the offensive zone. More often than not, he takes advantage when the Avalanche retain possession in the attacking zone.
As such, the Bruins need to be extra-sure they dominate at the dot in their own zone. David Krejci is the only center right now with a faceoff percentage above 50%, so he’ll come in handy.
3. Bruins need to stay out of the penalty box
Special teams will be another big factor against the Avalanche. Colorado’s power play is only a little above average, but Makar is far from average. He has two goals and 10 assists on the power play this year.
The best way to limit Makar on the power play is to not give the Avalanche power play opportunities in the first place. The Bruins need to play a clean, mistake-free game to stay out of the box.
4. Bruins can’t fall behind on the scoreboard
For whatever reason, the Bruins like to fall behind in games and battle back in the third period. While they have the offensive firepower to do this, it’s certainly not a sustainable way to play. This is especially the case against Makar and the Avalanche.
Makar plays better when he’s team has a lead. The game opens up and he benefits from all that extra space. The Bruins need to put Makar on the defensive all night. Get an early lead and make Makar and his teammates come from behind.
We’ll see loads of talent when the Bruins and Avalanche meet Saturday night in Boston. Makar is only one of Colorado’s studs, but if the Bruins can stop him, they’ll be in a great position to take two points.