Third pairing continued strong play in Game 1

One of the big questions the Bruins had to answer down the stretch was, with eight NHL defensemen on the roster after the acquisitions of Hampus Lindholm and Josh Brown, just who would be the odd men out.

Coach Bruce Cassidy made it clear that the top four was pretty much set with Lindholm, Charlie Mcavoy, Matt Grzelcyk and Brandon Carlo, however they were going to be paired up. That created a competition among four men for the two spots on the third pairing. In the end, Derek Forbort and Connor Clifton won out over Mike Reilly and Brown.

Much like it is for fourth liners, the third-pairing players are often only as good as their last game. But among the bright spots in the B’s 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes was the play of the Forbort-clifton pairing. They moved the puck out of their zone efficiently, and both of them jumped into the play at the appropriate times.

As they headed into Wednesday’s Game 2 at PNC Arena, the key was for them to maintain that level of play.

“Efficient puck movement, first and foremost,” said Cassidy on what’s most important for the pairing. “When they’re moving it out of their zone crisp and clean. It doesn’t always have to be tape to tape, but somewhere where we can go pursue it and get on the forecheck. I find that when they get stuck in their own end, because of maybe some lack of execution, that’s where I find they get running around a little bit, trying to correct their problem or put out the fire that they started. When they’re cleaner, everything comes easier for them. Because they’re good defenders. Cliffy will play hard, he’ll finish hard. Forby has a good stick and he’ll be physical when he needs to. He’ll block shots. But that takes its toll if you’re doing it over and over. So I think when they’re clean, that’s when I’ve always noticed they’ve had their best games.”