The Bruins have the fortune of defensive depth. With John Moore and Steven Kampfer waiting in the wings, should the Bruins lose a defenseman, either become serviceable replacements.
After taking a big hit from Blues’ forward Oskar Sundqvist in the first period of Game 2, the Bruins will be without defenseman Matt Grzelcyk for Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. But it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he was done for the remainder of the series.
The Blues will be without Sundqvist in Game 3 after he was issued a one-game suspension by the Department of Player Safety on Thursday.
“I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game, I think it’s from behind, elevated in to his head into the glass,… former Blues’ captain David Backes said. “If that’s a two-minute penalty, there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it.…
Grzelcyk spent Wednesday night in a local Boston hospital, but as Charlie McAvoy revealed on Thursday, Grzelcyk is in good spirits as he remains in the NHL’s concussion protocol.
“I talked to him last night and a little bit this morning,… McAvoy said. “I think he’s in good spirits. Obviously he was in our prayers last night. We weren’t sure how he was feeling. Just in talking to him a little bit I think he’s in good spirits and obviously we’re looking for him to rejoin us as quick as possible.…
Because of how early the Bruins were forced to play with five defensemen in Game 2, the remaining defenseman all logged heavy minutes. McAvoy, (27:00) Torey Krug, (26:00) and Zdeno Chara (25:58) all logged over 25 minutes, while Brandon Carlo (22:58) and Connor Clifton (16:47) trailed them.
“It’s a lot of work, but nothing we can’t get through,… Carlo said of the extra workload. “We’ve had that happen throughout the year. So just have to adjust and continue to play on. You know, no matter what diversity you face, you just have to keep going.…
Obviously not happy with the hit, head coach Bruce Cassidy was also upset with his team’s response to the hit on Grzelcyk.
“On some situations we want to, you know the hit on Griz [Grzelcyk], that’s when you want to score. You want to send a message,… said Cassidy. “The hits on Tuukka [Rask], right? So, we let opportunities slip away. That’s frustrating for a coach when guys are paying a price to draw a penalty and then you don’t at least generate momentum. So shame on us on those.…
Frustration certainly grew as the game went along, as the Blues were the much better team. Sloppiness and fatigue crept in, eventually leading to Carl Gunnarsson’s overtime winner.
Knowing the Bruins would be playing two plus periods with just five defenseman, the Blues made sure they paid for it. Getting pucks behind the Bruins defense, and making them earn the puck with big hits wore down the Bruins defense. The Blues finished Game 2 with 50 hits, including a game-high eight from Brayden Schenn.
The Bruins didn’t stand much of a chance in the overtime period. In the 3:51 of overtime hockey, the Blues held the advantage in shot attempts 8-0 and shots on goal 4-0.
“Some of it was fatigue. I don’t know if they were out there for a long time, the defensemen might have been but the forward line I think had gotten out,… added Cassidy. “The breakdown to me was before that. Obviously we didn’t manage the puck well, even the shift before, we just weren’t able to get it out, change type of mentality and it snowballed on us.…
Grzelcyk is certainly not the Bruins top weapon on defense, but the undersized defenseman is a very important part of the Bruins breakout. With the Blues presenting a heavy forecheck, Grzelcyk’s presence will be missed.
As Conor Ryan of the Boston Sports Journal points out, only two defensemen have carried or passed the puck out of their defensive zone better than Grzelcyk’s 49.4 percent.
“Losing the 16 minutes of Grzelcyk’s time, good puck mover, guy that can break down a forecheck when he’s on, and that was clearly a strength of theirs tonight and a weakness of ours breaking pucks out,… Cassidy said Wednesday night.
“So that’s where we missed him the most I felt like. Getting back on pucks, he’s pretty good at quick skate move. A good clean pass. Get our forwards going through the neutral zone is a strength of our game; so, we lost some of that element and I think it showed.…
With their top choice for zone exits out of the lineup, Patrice Bergeron knows the forwards need to be better in Game 3 at getting back into the zone and helping their defense execute cleaner exits.
“I think any time there's a guy that goes down, obviously it's not easy. As a forward group, you need to get back and try to help,… Bergeron said. “In this particular series, they're coming fast and hard on the forecheck. You need to buy some time for the D. Obviously, you play together, you play as a team.…
Cassidy would not reveal if it would be Moore or Kampfer who slots in for the injured Grzelcyk. Each veteran provides the Bruins with a different skillset on the blueline.
Moore seems like the more likely candidate to get the call for Game 3. Like Grzelcyk, Moore is a left-handed defenseman. With Moore, the Bruins will get a heavier body as they try to match the physicality the Blues bring.
Similar in size and style of play, Kampfer would be a replacement that his a little more skill then Moore when it comes to zone exits. But I think if Bergeron and the rest of the forward groups can get back and help the defense with time and space as Bergeron mentioned, they can survive with Moore.
We should get a better idea Friday afternoon when the Bruins hit the ice in St. Louis as to which of the two defensemen will draw into the lineup.
NHL Champions for Charity Playoff Edition
In what has started to become a Hockeybuzz tradition, Blues Hockeybuzz writer Jason Millen and I have placed a wager on the series. If the Blues win, I will make a donation to the Gateway Area Multiple Sclerosis Society (@mssociety on twitter) whose mission is help each person affected by MS in St. Louis address the challenges of living with MS. They help by raising funds for cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education and providing programs and services that empower people with MS and their families to move their lives forward. Jason picked this charity to honor Blues anthem singer, Charles Glenn.
If the Bruins win, Jason will donate to the JDRF (@JDRF on twitter) whose mission is improve lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. A charity I selected as my younger sister has been living with Type 1 Diabetes since the age of five.
Either way a great cause gets a great donation!