The Boston Bruins' performance on Sunday evening looked like a team that was on the third day of learning a new system under a rookie head coach. Marco Sturm started implementing a new system for the Bruins over the past couple of days, which isn't easy after playing under Jim Montgomery and Joe Sacco for the past number of seasons. You can expect growing pains.
Many Bruins fans looked at the roster that Sturm rolled out for the first preseason game and thought that a solid performance was in the cards. He featured a veteran heavy lineup that won't stray too far from the opening night lineup when the Bruins and Washington Capitals face off again on October 8.
Defensive breakdowns were a product of rust and new systems
Sturm is looking to start playing a style that features alot of counterattacking and 200-foot play. He wants to go in straight, simple lines, from defense to offense, and keep the attacking fairly straightforward in the offensive zone. It's a bit of a switch-up from the free-wheeling style that Montgomery favored, but it's a system that could work for a team that will need to rely on their defense.
Some of the defensive breakdowns were ugly, especially from Nikita Zadorov, who should be a leader on the team. He gifted Sonny Milano the Capitals' first goal, shortly after Morgan Geekie made it a 1-0 game.
Zadorov was also on the ice for the second goal, when newcomer Victor Soderstrom had a turnover of his own that easily made it's way into the back of the net. The pairing didn't have the cleanest debut together in the first period, and while they settled in along the way, it didn't help Soderstrom's case to be the team's seventh defenseman.
Fans shouldn't worry about this pair being a source of the team's troubles, as it took awhile for Zadorov to settle in last season too, and Soderstrom might just be a risk that doesn't pan out. As the group learns the new systems, Zadorov will be better than he was Sunday evening.
Michael Dipietro isn't Jeremy Swayman
The first period failure wasn't all Michael Dipietro's fault, but there were some stops he needed to have. While this first performance didn't help any of the claims that he could dethrone Joonas Koripisalo for the backup spot, it isn't the end of the world if he doesn't have a great preseason. The worry about Dipietro not clearing waivers in the event of a send-down could solve itself if he isn't worthy of getting claimed.
If Jeremy Swayman started this game and put forth that performance, fans would have every right to panic. However, Dipietro showed in this game why he hasn't been allowed to play in the NHL on a full-time basis. While the NHL roster players didn't perform in front of Dipietro, the four-goal onslaught in the first period likely wouldn't have happened with a rejuvenated Swayman or even Korpisalo in goal.
It's Game 1 of 6
The preseason is long, and one game isn't going to define the Bruins. Social media was ablaze during the first period while the Capitals were scoring four goals. It's going to be a long, tumultuous season; let's not put a bow on the season because of a loss in the first preseason game. There were plenty of reasons to feel optimistic.