Boston Bruins: Bruce Cassidy’s Adjustment Paying Off

Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy is one of the better coaches in the National Hockey League at not being afraid to adjustments during the course of a game.

The Jack Adams Award winner from last season has made an adjustment to the Bruins vaunted power play and the move has paid off. Actually, it has paid off so well, the Boston bench boss should consider using it more this season.

Losing Torey Krug in free agency and his 26 power play assists last season is a blow to the NHL’s second-ranked unit from the 2019-20 season. Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy have been used as the defensemen on the man advantage, but a move Cassidy made over the weekend is one that should be used more times in 2021.

Bruins coach goes with five forwards on the power play and it’s actually a good move.

Grzelcyk has been in and out of the Boston lineup early in the season as he has dealt with three injuries. When he was in the lineup, Grzelcyk was used as the defensemen in Krug’s spot on the man advantage.

Saturday night against the Washington Capitals and the Bruins trailing 3-0 in the second period, Cassidy went with five forwards on the power play. He used Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Nick Ritchie, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak as the five-man grouping.

The experiment paid off with a goal 51 seconds into the power play when Krejci’s shot from the point deflected off of Ritchie’s leg and into the net.

That was not the only time Cassidy went to the same five on the power play in the game, but it didn’t have the success it had in the second period. Monday night against the Caps it was not successful, but the five-man unit got a different result Wednesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The same five forward power play unit scored in the third period on Pastrnak’s first of two man-advantage goals. On Pasta’s game-tying goal, McAvoy on the ice with the five forwards after the Bruins pulled goalie Tuukka Rask in favor of the extra skater.

In overtime, Krejci, Pastrnak, Marchand, and Bergeron were on the 4-on-3 advantage that resulted in Bergy’s game-winning goal.

Don’t get me wrong, the only reason this works is because Pastrnak is back in the lineup. Without him, it would not be possible to put a fifth forward on the grouping. When Grzelcyk returns, it will be interesting to see what Cassidy does with the unit.

Of course, once Boston gives up a shorthanded goal, it will look like a decision that might not have been the smartest. However, the group has been dominating time in the offensive zone when they are out there and have shown to be very productive.

All coaches make decisions that work out and some that don’t. This is one that has been proven to successful for the Bruins and Cassidy is not afraid to try anything. The lethal Bruins power play just got more dangerous with Cassidy’s adjustment.