Be sure to 'like' Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
Boston Bruins forward Ryan Spooner admitted that there are areas of the rink where he has almost no clue what to do as a winger. It makes sense. After all, Spooner noted that he has not played even 20 games at wing in his entire pro career, and that while it is something he would like to improve on, being a complete rookie -- at least at such a position -- will come its bumps in the road.
But coach Claude Julien undoubtedly appears to appreciate the lineup flexibility it gives him.
“I think it’s a great option to have. It doesn’t mean he’s not going to play center again,… Julien said of Spooner’s shift to the wing. “But I like the fact that instead of maybe moving [Joonas] Kemppainen up against certain teams because they’re a heavy game, and we need maybe a little bit more late in the game, then I know I can move him to the wing and he’s still going to be a helpful player, instead of just necessarily leaving him on the bench and waiting for the next power play. There’s some things you can do with Ryan, and it’s nice to see that he’s embraced that challenge on the wing at times, so we can utilize him. It’s his advantage. He’s not just a centerman, now he’s a centerman and a winger.…
This is how Julien likes to roll an NHL roster, too. If given the choice, Julien would have two centermen on every bottom-six line just for the versatile and different looks he can give that line on any given shift. It was the case when the Bruins were at the height of their success from 2009 to 2013.
And this move may have as much to do with jumpstarting Spooner, who admitted that he’s had some rough games this season, as it does rewarding Joonas Kemppainen for his budding confidence as an NHL center in just his first season on North American ice, especially in the attacking zone.
“Kemper [Joonas Kemppainen]’s been really strong in the middle, and also I find he’s starting to get his confidence offensively, making plays and holding on to the puck a little longer, and all those kind of things,… said Julien. “And Spoons has really done a good job on the left wing there, adapting to it and using his speed, and a lot more involved in the last two games, and that’s what we need out of Ryan. And that’s a sign of a young player really who’s getting it. He wants to be better, so kudos to him.…
Put them with a capable secondary scoring presence in Brett Connolly and you have yourself a solid third line. And with the B’s first and second lines clicking, that’s an obvious goal for the club.
“Thought we were good defensively, we had some good chances,… Connolly said on Saturday. “When you’re getting chances it’s good. When you’re not getting chances then you should be worried. Offensively you got to stick with it, it’s a tough league to score. You got to stick with it.…
The newly formed Kemppainen line will get another chance at breaking through with tangible results in a Monday night showdown with the Toronto Maple Leafs as the scene shifts to the Air Canada Centre.
The Bruins took this past Saturday’s head-to-head with the Leafs by a 2-0 final by way of Zdeno Chara’s slap shot bomb through James Reimer with less than four minutes to play in the third period (and Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal late). This while the B’s defense held the Toronto attack to just 22 shots -- including zero from Nazem Kadri, who entered the game third in the league in shots -- behind a three-zone effort and Tuukka Rask’s second shutout of the year.
But even though the Leafs remain a last-place club, the Black and Gold can see more structure within Toronto’s game, something that comes back to the teachings of Mike Babcock.
“They collapse a lot, and that’s why I think we had a lot of shots from the blue line tonight. Lots of shots, but for the most part, they were doing a good job by either blocking them, or at least taking away their rebound if there was one, by being down low,… Julien said of the Leafs on Saturday. “So we had to work hard to get those goals tonight, or that goal, and obviously the empty netter, but I thought our team did a good job of staying focused with what we were supposed to do, and not get frustrated.…
This will be the second meeting of the season between the two Original Six rivals.
Following his 22-save shutout on Saturday, Julien is expected to turn back to Tuukka Rask for this one. Although it’s been a bumpy ride to begin the 2015-16 season for Rask, I think the 28-year-old has certainly shown the signs that he’s coming around for the Black and Gold, and his knack for timely saves is on the incline. Rask has been lights out on the road this season, with three wins and a .934 save percentage in four games this year, and comes into tonight’s affair with terrific splits against the Leafs, headlined by an impressive 12 wins (two shutouts) and .938 save percentage in 16 starts.
Unsurprisingly, Reimer will once again get the nod for Babcock’s Leafs. Reimer did literally everything but win on Saturday night. He stopped 36-of-37 shots against, and was tracking the puck extremely well. This is nothing new for the 27-year-old, who is currently riding perhaps the best hot streak of his NHL career, with five wins and a .962 save percentage in his last six starts. And though he comes into action with just five wins in 12 career starts against the B’s, his play has never really been an issue, as the Manitoba-born goalie has posted a .933 save percentage against Boston over that stretch.
Other news and notes
New Bruin Landon Ferraro did not take part in any line rushes during Boston’s morning skate, so it’d be a little bit of a surprise to see if in the lineup tonight. Ferraro, who will wear No. 29 with the Bruins, has undoubtedly been brought in an attempt to shore up Boston’s woeful penalty-kill.
A speedy presence with an ability to play center or wing, Ferraro really only ended up on waivers because of the presence of guys like Drew Miller and Luke Glendening already on the Wings’ roster.
The 24-year-old has one goal and nine minutes in penalties in 17 career NHL games.
Joe Morrow is the other expected healthy scratch for the Bruins.
First-year pro Frankie Vatrano (upper-body) appears to be a gametime decision, while Kevan Miller (upper-body) and David Pastrnak (foot) remain out of action.
Ty Anderson has been covering the National Hockey League for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, has been a member of the Boston Chapter of the Pro Hockey Writers Association since 2013, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com.