B’s to face off with ‘underrated’ Canucks
Division leaders to square off tonight
The Bruins drew a tough opponent for their first home game since the winter break.
After securing impressive weekend road wins at Winnipeg and Minnesota, the Bruins will host the Vancouver Canucks in a battle of divisional leaders tonight at the TD Garden. The Bruins (31-10-12) rule the Atlantic Division while the Canucks (30-18-5) are tops in the Pacific Division.
“They are playing really well but I haven’t seen them this year,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy following team practice on Monday at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton.
“They have taken a step from where they were last year. They are a playoff team and I thought they added some character guys and (J.T.) Miller has really helped their team. They have done some good things with their lineup and those young guys are a year older and a year better. They are probably a little bit underrated right now but they have always played us well.”
The Canucks have two quality lines. Bo Horvat leads the first line flanked by Tanner Pearson and former Bruin Loui Eriksson. Miller skates left wing on the second with center Elias Pettersson, the team’s leading scorer with 55 points, and Jake Virtanen.
Rookie Quinn Hughes is seventh in the NHL among scoring defensemen with eight goals and 31 assists. Hughes has helped elevate the Canucks power play, which is seventh in the league with a 23.0% success rate.
“They have got a young team with a lot skill and their guys did pretty well in the All-Star game,” said Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. “They are a pretty fun to watch and they always play well against us so we have to be ready to come out and play. They are in a tough race in the West and we are well aware of that and we want to be playing well going into the playoffs.”
Beanpot time
Boston University was the only participant in Monday night’s 68th annual Beanpot Hockey Tournament semifinals at the TD Garden with a presence in the Bruins locker room. Grzelcyk, fellow blue liner Charlie McAvoy and center Charlie Coyle are all Terriers-turned-Bruins.
Bruins had a better Beanpot
representation on last year’s roster with former Boston College forward Brian Gionta and Harvard right wing Ryan Donato. The Bruins swelled the BU ranks when they traded Donato to Minnesota for Coyle.
“It seems like all four teams are pretty evenly matched and playing well coming in so it should be fun to watch,” said Grzelcyk.
Super Bowl squares
Cassidy attended a Super Bowl party on Sunday and drew favorable numerical squares that the victorious Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers failed to deliver on.
“I’m happy for (Chiefs’ coach) Andy Reid and it was an entertaining game,” said Cassidy. “But the problem at being at a party is you are always watching for your numbers and I didn’t win either.
“I had good numbers. I had three and zero and seven and six and came up with nothing.”