Kuraly is having no problem winging it

Sean Kuraly has been a center for most of his hockey life, but a funny thing has happened this season for the Bruin forward. Whenever he’s been slotted at left wing, he’s flourished, playing a high energy game that has been very noticeable.

He played several games recently on the left wing of Charlie Coyle and looked very good. Now he’s doing the same on a fourth line with Par Lindholm as the center.

“He seems to be on the puck a little more, able to make a few more plays and chase down pucks,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “When you’re a centerman, you’re always worried if you get behind the other team’s goal line you have 180 feet to go to get back to the top of your crease where you’ve got some responsibility, especially in our system in the D zone. The centermen have to be freed up to move around. A little bit of that comes into play. But still, as a centerman, he’s made plays before but sometimes you’re in more of a confined space so you’re limited to maybe what you can do. Sometimes that can work to his advantage. Sometimes with less options, just play straight line and all of a sudden he finds himself behind the D with the puck because of his foot speed and his ability to play north-south.”

Many natural centermen balk when asked to move over to play the wing, but Kuraly seems like he’s living his best life right now.

“It’s just that you start a couple of strides closer to the offensive end and you don’t have to cover as much ice, so I feel like I’ve got a little more freedom to think about offense and think about skating when I get it,” said Kuraly.

Kuraly has had his moments as the fourth line center with Joakim Nordstrom and Chris Wagner on the wings, but Cassidy hasn’t seen enough consistency to want to keep it together for long. But Kuraly hasn’t given up on playing center, nor is Cassidy about to forfeit that option.

But for now, he’s got no qualms playing on the left side.

“I don’t choose where I play so it’s not like I’m giving it up. When I come in and I’m on the left side, I’m on the left side,” said Kuraly. “I don’t think this means I’m going to be a left wing for the rest of my career, but it’s where I’m the best use for the team right now.”

D pairs remain same

Cassidy expects to go with the same defense cops for Saturday’s game against the Islanders. Connor Clifton, who hasn’t played since December 27 when he suffered an upper body injury, has been healthy for a while now but Cassidy has liked what Jeremy Lauzon has brought with his size on the right side.

“I wish I could tell you I have a set plan for when he’s going in, but I don’t,” Cassidy said. “We’re going to stick with the same six D (Saturday) and then we have Tampa, so you have to have as close to the lineup you think you might have going forward. (Lauzon) hasn’t played against (the Lightning) this year so that would be a good challenge for him as well. But injuries could always derail that.”

Also, John Moore has not played since February 12.

Ice chips

Chris Wagner, who suffered an upper body injury when he jumped to David Krejci’s defense late in the second period on Thursday, was termed day-to-day by Cassidy but did not travel with the team to Long Island…

Tuukka Rask will look to snap a two-game regulation losing streak when the B’s play the Islanders. His longest losing streak this year is four games in December (0-2-2).