Veteran still itching to play after scratches
Shattenkirk expected to lead top power-play unit
Just a couple of weeks ago, Kevin Shattenkirk was watching more hockey than playing it. With the addition of rightshot defenseman Andrew Peeke at the trade deadline, the veteran D-man was scratched for eight of 12 games as the Bruins’ coaching staff tried to figure out the right mix on the blue line.
But now, thanks in large part to Shattenkirk’s talent on the power play, he’ll be in the lineup for Game 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night at the Garden when the B’s begin yet another quest for a Stanley Cup.
No player wants to sit, but he handled it as best as he could.
“I’ve been impressed with him throughout the year,” said coach Jim Montgomery. “It’s not easy to sit veteran players that have had tremendous careers. I think his communication and our communication to him, we’ve never left him in the dark and he’s always been a true pro. He’s been great at not only keeping himself ready but getting other players ready that have been sitting out with him. He’s been tremendous that way. And every time he’s come back in the lineup, he’s played better.”
After being in the lineup in Nashville on April 2 when the B’s blanked the red hot Predators, he was scratched for the next three games, two against Carolina and one against Florida, but he was in the lineup for the final three games of the season.
“Monty talked to me and told me that it was going to be a matchup decision with Carolina and I kind of knew that I didn’t play against Florida before that, so I prepared myself for it and just worked hard and stay ready,” said the 35-yearold Shattenkirk. “I figured that I would get at least some of those games down the stretch, but not really knowing where I would fit going into Game 1. But I just tried to stay ready and be ready for the power play and whatever it may be. And I’m just happy with how things turned out and I’m excited to get into Game 1.”
Shattenkirk credited the coaching staff for helping him recharge whenever he’s been on the outside looking in.
“I’ve had great talks with the coaches, reassuring what I’m doing well but also harping on what I need to do better,” said Shattenkirk. “Everyone knows my game. I’m more comfortable on the offensive side of things but the work they’ve done with me this year defensively, the small details that they preach around here, they’re always great reminders. It keeps me sharp and allows me to stay aggressive on pucks and in puck battles. That’s what they want to see out of me. They want to see me winning puck battles and they kind of allow me to do the other things that I do well and take it from there. Sometimes
it can be good to get that reset and have that fresh mind going into games.”
The right-shooting Shattenkirk has been paired with Peeke and he’s had to get accustomed to playing the left side.
“The more repetitions the better, but without a doubt, I’m getting used to that, getting used to playing with Andrew, all those things. It takes time. But more than anything, I’ve just been focused on playing simple over there and not got too crafty or do anything too silly with the puck,” said Shattenkirk.
He returned to the lineup in the 6-4 win over Pittsburgh in which he scored a goal. But it’s what happened when he was on the bench that perhaps cemented his spot in Saturday’s lineup. With a chance to put the hammer down with a third period power play, the B’s instead coughed up a shorthanded goal that made the win more difficult than it had to be.
After that game, Montgomery changed his power play units, moving Charlie McAvoy and Brad Marchand off the top unit and putting Shattenkirk up top and Danton Heinen on the right elbow. They didn’t get a single PP in the next game in Washington, but in the season finale, Shattenkirk picked up a helper on the first PP chance that they got in the third period.
It’s a small sample size, to be sure, but Montgomery is happy with the early results.
“I always think you leave your top unit together, but it was too much of a prolonged time where they were stale mentally,” said Montgomery. “It didn’t matter who had the puck, there was no movement and no purpose to what we were doing. We were fading away from the net instead of converging toward the net. And both units today were converging toward the net, so I’m just happy with the pace of the power play.”
Off the Matt
There was a slight scare at Bruins practice when Matt Grzelcyk went down after taking a shot on the knee. After a brief time down on the ice, he was able to skate it off and remain in practice.
“If he was a Black Bear he’d have got up right away. But he’s a Terrier so he sat on the ice a little while,” cracked Montgomery, the former UMaine star.
Loose pucks
As expected, John Beecher and Mason Lohrei were called up form Providence. While it looks like Lohrei will be a scratch, Beecher was inserted on the fourth line with Jesper Boqvist and Pat Maroon….
A surprise absence from Leafs practice was that of 40-goal scorer William Nylander, who played all 82 games this year. There was little information coming from Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe on Nylander and injured wing Bobby McMann other than to say “both are possibilities” for Game 1 … No surprise, but neither Montgomery or Keefe announced their starting goalie for Game 1.
“Welcome to the playoffs,” said Toronto forward Max Domi.