Light at the end of tunnel for tough stretch
Just 11 games into the season, it’s difficult to make any for-certain statement about any hockey team.
BRUINS NOTEBOOK
But with only two games left in October before turning the page to the second month of the season, the Bruins have passed most of the tests sent their way so far.
They’ll close October with their toughest stretch of the season, with the Rangers Sunday night right after hosting the Blues, then a game against the Sharks at home after two with Toronto and a game with Tampa. It’s a bit more challenging than the slate of games out West to start the season only because of the extra feelings and familiarity with the teams they faced in the second half of the schedule.
But, the schedule lets up considerably deep into November.
After the Sharks game, the Bruins face Ottawa and Pittsburgh, head to Montreal and Detroit, before hosting Philadelphia and Florida before heading to Toronto and then hosting the Capitals. Those final two games might be their next true measuring stick.
And that’s fine; if we learned anything from the Blues’ run last season, it’s that autumn hockey might not tell us all too much anyways.
“You feel about that and they’re probably measuring themselves against us as well,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said earlier in the week. “So I think it’s a bit of a three-headed thing going on from the last couple of years. But now all of a sudden if you look at our division you’ve got Buffalo in the mix, Florida is starting to play well and Montreal. We’re measuring ourselves against these teams that we’ve seen in the past, but we’re also in the present now. Our next challenge will be to see what Buffalo is all about, and Florida, in our division.” Over the course of a season, playing competitive, tough teams in emotion-filled bouts give the best indicator of where a team is at. But so does beating the teams you’re supposed to beat; the Bruins have done that so far, beating Dallas, Arizona, Anaheim, and New Jersey.
The schedule doesn’t look too bad for a while, so maybe it’s a chance for the Bruins to accumulate, after they’re done measuring themselves up.
Krejci getting closer
David Krejci missed his fourth straight game on Saturday, and he won’t travel for Sunday’s game with the Rangers in New York, but Cassidy said the center is targeting a Tuesday return when the Sharks are in town.
“Krejci is out and he won’t travel,” Cassidy said on Saturday. “Tuesday is looking good for him, but we’ll have a better idea on Monday. But right now he’s on track (for Tuesday). I still think he’s going to be a little behind. How much is to be determined, but I think that’s just the way it works when you miss almost a month now. He’s played games where he’s been in and out, but he hasn’t really strung anything together since training camp. Hopefully, it’s not a long process.”
Miller, Moore ‘on schedule’
John Moore (shoulder) has been skating and is still projected for his originally scheduled mid-November return.
Kevan Miller (knee) could join the group as soon as next week, according to Cassidy.
“They’re on schedule.”