The Boston Bruins are finally starting to display the physicality they had been lacking.
The Boston Bruins have undoubtedly been lacking a physical presence to their game all season. But on Friday the Bruins played good old-fashioned hard-hitting hockey. The Bruins had three fights on Friday’s game versus the Winnipeg Jets which helped set a tone for the rest of the game.
The Bruins, before Friday, hadn’t been standing up for their teammates when they took a bad hit.
For example, when Tuukka Rask was served an elbow to the head right before the All-Star break not a single Bruins player stepped up to defend their goaltender. They hadn’t been setting a physical tone and were letting teams take advantage of them every game.
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But Friday night the Bruins stepped up physically and continued that physical play into Saturday’s game versus the Minnesota Wild. The Bruins won both of those games with a big help from their physical play. Their physical play contributed largely to winning puck battles and causing turnovers.
You only need look at Charlie McAvoy‘s response to someone taking liberties with his goalie against the Vancouver Canucks to see that it’s something the team have all committed to improving upon.
If the Bruins can continue this physical play, I believe they can consistently be one of those teams that good teams are afraid to face.
I believe physicality is so important especially in today’s era of hockey because there are so many good teams and good players that you need to have something that can set you apart.
Physicality is one of those things that can make a good team even better and is something that is so simple it’s sometimes overlooked.
Physicality leads to more turnovers and can cause a team to win more puck battles as I said before which can give a team a leg up both offensively and defensively. If the Bruins can consistently play a physical game they will always have a slight advantage over their opponent.
The Boston Bruins are already a good team and do well pretty consistently but continuing this physical play will make them even better.