Bruins use two Terrier blueline
Cassidy plans to continue pairing Grzelcyk, McAvoy
Whether you apply the old-fashioned eye test or run some basic, hard numbers, the defensive pairing of Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk has been excellent.
Here are just a few numbers for the Terrier 2.0 tandem, according to the website Natural Stat Trick: in 141:15 of 5-on-5 ice time with the McAvoy-Grzelcyk tandem, the B’s are outshooting opponents 96-35 and outscoring them, 7-1, going into Sunday’s game against the Devils. It’s tough to argue with that success.
The proficiency of the pairing has coach Bruce Cassidy rethinking a bit the original plan for his defense corps once it gets close to healthy again. Jeremy Lauzon, who returned to action Saturday after missing five weeks with a broken hand, was originally McAvoy’s regular partner and the pairing was jelling pretty well. Cassidy said once Lauzon gets up to speed, he’ll see some time with McAvoy again. But it will be on a case-by-case basis.
“(McAvoy and Grzelcyk) have done well together. I think it will be matchup dependent,” Cassidy said Sunday morning. “Some of the bigger lineups, Lauzy and Charlie will be a better pair. Right now, we’re OK with the way it’s worked out. Different teams, like Jersey, has bigger bodies so a different pair will see them. Pittsburgh I think is a team that would be good for Charlie and Grizz. But then when you get to, say, a Washington, then Grizz and Charlie against an (Alexander) Ovechkin and (Tom) Wilson, is that the best or are you better with Lauzon? So like I said, we’re going to let it play out depending on the opponent and depending on how those individuals are playing. Right now, we want to get Lauzy reps and games. There’s a lot on the schedule coming up so that shouldn’t be an issue, getting him back up to speed. We’ll probably toggle it as we see fit.”
In his return to the lineup on Saturday, Lauzon saw 18:32 of ice time with one shot on net and three blocked shots. Cassidy expects it will take time for Lauzon to get up to speed.
“He cramped up at the end, so obviously not used to the game situations. I don’t know if it was that warm, nobody else had issues so it might have been just his first game back and he didn’t hydrate enough,” said Cassidy. “I thought he was fine, played hard, played his game. It’s going to take him a while. He’s a bigger body and the way he plays the game maybe less natural for lack of a better word than some other guys who come right back into a lineup. We’re going to allow him the necessary time to get his timing back with the puck and the feel for the game. We do like his hardness, his difficulty to play against, his PK work, those things. I thought he was fine, helped us get two points and he’ll continue to get better.”
Cassidy looking for more from Zboril
Cassidy conceded that Jakub Zboril‘s game has slipped a bit and needs to pick it up.
“Just be assertive with puck play. I find there’s more offense there. He sees the ice well, he’s got a good shot but he’s not getting it through to the net at all, he’s not finding lanes for himself in the O-zone,” said Cassidy. “He probably has some opportunities to get up the ice. He did once (Saturday) and made a nice play. … A little more of that when it’s his turn to go. We’re not putting limits on him there. Push the pace a little bit. That’s where Jakub’s game’s got to grow. The competitive part, defending, and I’ve said this before, as long as he’s showing second effort on plays … then we’re going to allow him to play through mistakes just like every other player would here. And I think he’s done that for the most part. Where we’ve had some (issues) with Jakub, too, is some of these back-to-backs. Is the energy going to be there? So manage your shift length and mentally challenge yourself to be the best pair.”
Cassidy planned to tweak his second and third pairings, moving Zboril to a pair with Steven Kampfer and Lauzon with Connor Clifton. Cassidy thought Kampfer would better replicate the pairing Zboril had with the injured Kevan Miller, with whom Zboril played his best hockey.
“But the onus is on him. He’s been in the league now for a number of months, so he’s got to know how to manage his game as well,” said Cassidy.
Marchand out again
Brad Marchand remained on the COVID protocol list, missing his second straight game. Jake DeBrusk and Sean Kuraly also remained in the list.
Cassidy made a couple of moves on the fourth line, inserting Karson Kuhlman and Anton Blidh to play with center Jack Studnicka and scratching Greg McKegg and Chris Wagner. McKegg, whose line with Studnicka and Wagner was on the ice for the only 5-on-5 goal against in the B’s 3-2 over the Sabres, played only 4:04 in Saturday.
Blidh was called up from Providence. Kuhlman’s availability was a surprise after he took a shot of his hand/wrist area on Thursday, but an MRI taken Friday revealed no structural damage and Cassidy said it had improved enough from Saturday to Sunday for him to play.
Schedule changes
The NHL announced a series of schedule changes and it should come as no surprise that the Bruins feature heavily in this latest batch.
April 20 vs. Washington
■ has been moved to April 11.
March 20 at Buffalo
■ will be played on April 20.
March 23 vs. N.Y.
■
Islanders rescheduled for May 10.
April 11 at Washington
■ is now May 11.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. for all four games.