Dirty work for DeBrusk
B’s left wing brings grit to power play
The power play is a glamour assignment with a gritty underside.
Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk knows all about that, because he works there.
DeBrusk patrols the left boards and behind the net on the Bruins 1-3-1 first unit power play and his many contributions to one of the NHL’s elite units aren’t always reflected in the scoring summary.
DeBrusk will take his usual turns on second line and work the power play when the Bruins host the Vegas Golden Knights tonight at the TD Garden.
The NHL goes into hibernation for five days for the All-Star break, and the Bruins take nine days off with their built in bye week, resuming play at Winnipeg on Jan. 31.
“We ask him to do some of that (gritty work) for sure and puck recovery,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said following Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton. “Usually there is someone on your hip all the time when you are in that position, especially if you are first to the puck behind the net and the D are bearing down on you with bigger bodies.
“That’s a challenge for anybody we put in there and we are asking him to be around net for tips, second chances, deflections and anything like that. That’s his role and we don’t stray very much from that as a net front guy.”
DeBrusk is seldom in position to accept tape-to-tape feeds from defenseman Torey Krug, who serves as the rainmaker on the power play.
That job is primarily reserved for All-Star rightwing David Pastrnak, who routinely sets up shop at the dot in the left circle. Pastrnak leads the league in goals (37) and power-play goals (16).
Center Patrice Bergeron (eight power-play goals) and right-wing Brad Marchand (4) are also the beneficiaries of Krug’s largess, but five of DeBrusk’s 14 goals have been on the power play. Krug is fourth in the league with 18 power play assists.
“Mostly just recover pucks is the biggest thing,” said DeBrusk. “I think they use my quickness and speed to get to those loose pucks and give it to the big guys. But there’s more net front and just kind of battling and taking away sticks from lanes and seams in the O-zone so that certain things open up. It depends on how they kill and sometimes they leave me open for tips but I haven’ been too lucky around there. No luck at all actually, but at this time of year that is going to change.”
The Bruins are currently third in the league on the power play with 42 goals on 160 situations for a 26.2% success rate. They trail Edmonton (29.7%) and Tampa Bay (26.2%).
The Bruins have been at or near the top since the start of the season because of the steady consistent play of the first unit.
“For the majority of the year we have been pretty consistent in that aspect of getting momentum and goals and things like that,” said DeBrusk. “Obviously there are going to be breakdowns and things that we don’t want to have happen, but you kind of have to be aware of certain teams that play really aggressive up front.”