Boston Bruins: Strong First Periods Set the Tone in the Perfect Homestand

A team can set the tone for any game by starting out strong. The Boston Bruins found that out first hand in the last week.

Boston just completed their season-opening homestand against the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins, two teams they will face eight times each in the new realigned divisions for the 2021 season.

Both of those teams are just like the Bruins, contenders that hope to be one of the four teams that make the playoffs in the East Division. The Black and Gold was able to impressively sweep all four games against the two Pennsylvania teams with one common theme, strong first periods.

Bruins set the tone against both the Flyers and Penguins in the opening 20 minutes.

The most dominating first period numbers wise was on Jan. 21 in their home opener against the Flyers. Boston outshot Philly by a 14-3 margin, only to come away scoreless against Carter Hart. Boston didn’t get frustrated, instead bounced back with four third-period goals for a wild 5-4 come-from-behind shootout victory.

Two nights later, the Bruins once again came out on fire and had 10 shots against Hart, while Philadelphia had just four on Jaroslav Halak. Patrice Bergeron had a first-period power play goal that set the tone for a six-goal outburst in a 6-1 romp.

Tuesday night, the Bruins outshot the Penguins 11-6 in the opening 20 minutes and came away with a 1-0 lead at the intermission on the strength of a shorthanded goal from Brad Marchand. Boston ended up winning the game 3-2 in overtime.

In the final game of the homestand Thursday night, Boston once again held a 9-6 shot advantage over the Pens after the first period and this time used goals from Chris Wagner and Sean Kuraly for a 2-1 lead on their way to a 4-1 victory.

Boston is missing some key offensive pieces with David Pastrnak still recovering from hip surgery in September, but his return could be closer than the Bruins through of his original mid-February time frame. Jake DeBrusk was out Thursday with a lower-body injury and Ondrej Kase has been missing since the second game of the season against the Devils in New Jersey.

Setting the tone early in games can go a long way in helping a team end the night with a victory. The Bruins fast starts at home paved the way for a perfect 4-0 homestand. Boston needs to continue their fast starts in the opening 20 minutes on the upcoming road trip, beginning Saturday night in Washington against the Capitals.