March to the Playoffs: Bruins Will be Tested
The Boston Bruins set up currently with a home ice playoff opening position which would be a great scenario for the end of the season, but have a huge march to the playoffs upcoming. The Bruins have 15 games coming up over the last 27 days of the season starting with a road match-up in Carolina on Tuesday with the Hurricanes.
The B’s play 7 of the next 8 games on the road and will be the biggest stretch of the season as the injuries have mounted up and forcing Boston Bruins Coach Cassidy to be creative with his lines. The loss of the top 2-way player in the game today, star center Patrice Bergeron, who is on every top line from any scenario even-strength, power play or penalty killing has all the lines needed to be shuffled.
Star starting goalie Tuukka Rask seems to have made it through whatever injury was nagging him and that is great news for the bruins as him along with very solid back-up goaltender Anton Khudobin was be the keys to a long playoff run. Another gigantic loss to injury recently struck the B’s as the young superstar of the future, defenseman Charlie McAvoy, to a sprained MCL.
The loss of McAvoy will lead to even more pressure on the defense which now as it seems to do for the past several seasons all fall onto Zdeno Chara. The 40-year old ageless wonder is having yet another terrific season anchoring the blue line for the B’s and has been lined up with McAvoy this season. That kind of mentoring is invaluable for the development of a young player and we have already seem how bright his future is and definitely and wisdom Chara is passing on is highly beneficial. However, we are going to have to wait for the torch to be past from Big Z to McAvoy as an MCL issue was an unlucky break. For now, Big Z is still the man and may have to increase his already team high 23+ minutes of ice time and the B’s better hope his amazing durability continues.
Fortunately to help overcome these injuries the Bruins management of Don Sweeney and Cam Neely did a terrific job with key moves at the trade deadline to acquire additional talent and have mixed in well. All players have already made contributions to their new teams as Rick Nash, Brian Gionta, Nick Holden and Tommy Wingels have all fit in nicely.
David Backes will be a nice boast back into the lineup tomorrow as he will return from his 3 game suspension. time for the Bruins to get some more points and use their game in hands to their advantage in the standings and hold onto a opening round home game. Buckle up for a wild finish with 15 games in 27 days!!