Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Bruce Cassidy shakes up lineup; Bruins enter break on a high note

January 22, 2020, 12:38 PM ET [13 Comments]
Anthony Travalgia
Boston Bruins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
A change was needed.

Despite sitting pretty in the Eastern Conference standings, the Bruins were far from playing their best hockey, something I believe they’ve yet to do.

When the Bruins waived veterans Brett Ritchie and David Backes last week, it was clear a shakeup of the Bruins lineup was the change management thought would be the best fit.

For one night at least, it was.

Out was John Moore, Joakim Nordstrom and Par Lindholm.

In was Jeremy Lauzon, Anton Blidh and a returning David Krejci.

With a little bit of young blood inserted into the lineup, the Bruins put forth one of their better efforts and more importantly one of their better third periods, beating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 at TD Garden.

For as long as general manager Don Sweeney and head coach Bruce Cassidy have sat at the head of the Bruins table, they’ve emphasized the importance of internal competition.

By waiving Ritchie and Backes, and adding youth like Karson Kuhlman, Lauzon and Blidh to the lineup, they’ve done just that.

“What we’re trying to do, again, I’ll be very open, is we decided a couple of weeks ago or whatever it was that we needed a little more internal competition. Usually, that starts from the bottom up. We identified some guys in Providence that were playing well,” Cassidy said following the victory.

With what started with Kuhlman and continued again last night, the Bruins have gotten the production they are looking for from their newly inserted young blood.

Kuhlman has three points in the three games he’s played since returning from a leg injury.

Lauzon opened the scoring Tuesday night with his second career NHL goal in just 18 games. And despite failing to find his name on the score sheet, Blidh was a nice fit on a fourth line with Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner.

“I thought he played hard, competes all over the ice. We’ve seen that before, so we expected that. Scores a goal. Obviously, in a one-goal game, that matters. And did it in the right way, didn’t overthink it,” Cassidy said of Lauzon.

“But all-in-all had good composure, didn’t seem fazed by anything. We’ll always go back and look at it, there will be some details that we’ll talk about, but I liked his game. I thought he brought what we needed.”

What I liked most about what Cassidy decided to do Tuesday night was leaving his newly designed second line intact. With Krejci sidelined for both games against the Pittsburgh Penguins last week, Charlie Coyle centered Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork on the second line.

With Krejci back last night, Cassidy wanted to see more of the Coyle line, opting to slide Krejci to the third line, centering Kuhlman and Danton Heinen.

“Well, he [Krejci] was going to be a game-time decision first and foremost, so we just plugged him in where Lindholm was, that’s one reason. And then we were going to evaluate as the game went on, how we was playing,” Cassidy said of what factored into keeping Coyle on the second line.

“He’s playing with Kuhlman before and Heinen, so it wasn’t too strange, so to speak. And I liked Coyle’s line in Pittsburgh a lot, I thought they did a real good job. So I just kind of kept things the way they were.”

It was a move that worked out well for Cassidy and the Bruins as both the second and third lines provided the Bruins with key goals. The game-tying goal off the stick of Jake DeBrusk and the game-winning goal by David Krejci.

The Bruins win over Vegas sends them into the break with an eight point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic division. Combining their bye week into the All-Star break, the Bruins won’t return to action until January 31st in Winnipeg.

While David Pastrnak heads to St. Louis to represent the Bruins during All-Star weekend, the rest of his teammates will get away from the rink for a much-needed break.

“The state of the team is I think we’re in a solid position. I don’t think anything has been given to us. I do believe there’s room for growth for that 60-minute effort from start to finish. Health wise, we’re trending well. Tuukka [Rask] skated today, looks like he is going to be fine, so that’s very important,” added Cassidy.

“Now, you’ve got a couple of young guys that we feel is pushing the group. I’ve always said here since I got the job that it would be good to have some of that to keep everyone on their toes in the right way. So, that part I like about the team, that we have some depth down there. That probably sums it up.”
Join the Discussion: » 13 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Anthony Travalgia
» The End of an Era?
» Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman in Game 7?
» Home Not So Sweet Home
» Bruins Depth On Full Display In Sunrise Sweep
» Bruins Drop Game 2 After Ugly Performance