Boston Bruins Report Card: Grading the Offense Against the Flyers
By Scott Roche
Through the first six periods of the regular season, the Boston Bruins offense was nowhere to be found. Aside from two power play goals and a shorthanded goal in their first two games against the New Jersey Devils, the offense was frustrated by Mackenzie Blackwood.
Things did not better in Game 3 against the New York Islanders when they were shutout by Semyon Varlamov and then Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, Carter Hart held the Bruins scoreless through the first two periods.
Boston finally broke through in the third period against Hart by exploding for four goals on their way to a 5-4 shootout victory. The Bruins were hoping to carry over the offensive momentum into Saturday night’s game and boy did they.
Bruins offense picked up where it left off two nights earlier.
The Bruins offense continued their shooting gallery on Hart early and often in the second game of the current four-game homestand. The Bruins fired 26 shots at Hart and scored one goal in the first period, two in the second, and put the game away with three more in the third.
The two biggest contributions came from the Bruins’ first and third lines. Patrice Bergeron (assist) had two power play goals, while first-line linemate Brad Marchand (assist) had two in the third period, four minutes apart. Both of Bergy’s goals came on the power play, as did Marchand’s second tally of the night.
The Bruins third line of Craig Smith, Charlie Coyle, and Trent Frederic found their way onto the scoresheet as well. Smith scored his first goal as a member of the Bruins in the second period to break a 1-1 tie. At the end of the period, Coyle doubled the Black and Gold’s lead when he redirected a Frederic shot over the shoulder of Hart and under the crossbar for a 3-1 lead.
Not only did the Bruins forwards find the back of the net six times, but they also produced constant pressure on Hart and the Flyers.
Marchand, Bergeron, and Jake DeBrusk combined for 11 shots on net, with Marchand and Bergeron each recording five. The Smith, Coyle, and Frederic line was second with seven shots net, with the rookie Frederic leading the trio with three.
Next. Bruins: 3 takeaways from dominant 6-1 win over PHI. dark
After struggling through the first 11 periods of the season, the Boston offense woke up and dominated the Flyers the last two games. Remember, this is all being down without David Pastrnak, who is getting closer to making his season debut in the future. Then things could get really fun.