ESPN Reports: “To save money on the salary cap, the Bruins are going to let go of five players, including their…
The Boston Bruins’s dismal power play performance has dogged them more than anything else this season. Boston is presently 30th and has been either near or at the bottom of the league all season. Its conversion on just 13 percent of its power play chances thus far.
From tweaks to their approach and staff, the Bruins have experimented with several concepts in search of some kind of spark on the man advantage. But they are lacking fresh ideas as they start the New Year. Resigned to their reality, the Bruins will recycle the same groups that have looked uninspired and, occasionally, inept tonight against the New York Rangers.
Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco told reporters this morning in New York, “I’m pretty confident that we’re going to get a turn around with that group.” “You have to make some adjustments if things are not going the way you want them to. You cannot stand still; so, our aim is to be in motion.
Over the past few games, the Bruins have experimented with some various power play alignments; nevertheless, they took a seeming impossible step backwards with a terrible performance Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.
Boston’s best unit will now once more consist of David Pastrnak accompanying Brad Marchand, Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, and Charlie Mcavoy. “We have work to do today,” remarked Pastrnak. We have to grab advantage of the power play. Although you don’t have to score every time, we want to make sure we provide our team momentum.
All year the top unit has kept the Bruins under control. Its five players have combined eight goals. Pastrnak has donated half of them. Though it’s not a high bar to clear, even with less ice time the second unit—which tonight consists of Charlie Coyle, Morgan Geekie, Justin Brazeau, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Mason Lohrei—has been far more dependable.
With just three of those goals coming from the top unit, the Bruins scored nine times on the power play in the 23 games until Sacco upended the units last Saturday.That top unit had just three goals in the twenty-three games before Sacco rearranged the units on Saturday. During the same period, the second unit scored six.
All year the gang has appeared absolutely fragmented. For them right now, simply breaking the puck cleanly into the attacking zone marks progress. Even yet, it is unusual that they create any kind of ongoing pressure. The Bruins’ opportunities and confidence are only being limited by opposing penalty kills, which are keeping them to the outside far too readily and therefore aggravating the more general problem.
“You are there for a purpose, on the power play, and you got to make plays,” Pastrnak said. “We have to shoot more so the killers are going to kill some plays; you have to make sure you’re still there to make plays and avoid pushing anything and rushing the shot. Indeed, we do, but you cannot hurry it; so, after you shoot, you really must recover the pucks. Surely, the first is confidence to make a play.
McAvoy expressed a similar opinion after the Bruins defeated Tuesday in Washington.
For many guys, it has been a cause of irritation for the whole year. McAvoy remarked. Not allowing it influence the five-on- five play, it has been like riding a roller coaster. Here is our current situation, nevertheless. We developed professionalism. We must ensure that we are treating ourselves with great standards. All we need is one game when we receive looks and then we are simply playing. Confidence is a weird thing. A tiny bit of it adds a great deal.
The Bruins must have as much of it as they can acquire.
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