B’s heading north of the border
Team set to visit Toronto for first time since 2019
We are not completely back to what you would call normal. In truth, it feels at times like life as it was pre-pandemic may never fully return.
But on Saturday, the Bruins will take a welcome step back to what life was like for them when they head north of the border to the hotbed of hockey that is Toronto and resume their rivalry with the Maple Leafs that was interrupted by Covid.
The last time they traveled to Toronto was nearly two full years ago, when they went to Scotiabank Arena and beat the Leafs, 4-2 on November 15, 2019, a time when none of us knew what lay ahead.
Ottawa-born Bruce Cassidy is as steeped in Canadian hockey lore as much as anyone and he was looking forward to the quick trip.
“I am and I assume the players will be,too, once we get there,” said Cassidy. “It’s always a good market. There’s always a little bit of a buzz around town. Now the Leafs are winning again, so there’s some positive vibes in there. It’ll be a good hockey game. The last two games have been better for us as well,so, yeah, I am (looking forward to it), being Canadian as well. Growing up, those games were always Montreal or Toronto and, if the Bruins were on, it always made it better.”
While the soap opera that is the Leafs continues to revolve, they have turned it around since getting off to a slow start after their stunning loss to the Montreal Canadiens last spring (again in the first round), they’ve won their last four, including solid wins over Vegas and Tampa Bay this week.
William Nylander and John Tavares, both with nine points in 11 games, are off to hot starts while Auston Matthews is two years older and presumably wiser since the last time the B’s saw. He’s got 3-3-6 totals in eight games. Jack Campbell, who replaced Freddy Andersen as the Leafs’ No. 1 netminder, has embraced the challenge of playing in Toronto and been very good, posting a 5-2-1 record with a 1.86 goals against average and .932 save percentage.
It should be both a fun and interesting one as the B’s measure themselves up against a team they should be battling against for playoff position.
“Saturday night, Hockey Night in Canada! That’s what I grew up watching. It’s fun. You miss these games,” said Curtis Lazar, who is enjoying the more varied schedule after last year’s division-only slate. “Especially playing a team like Detroit (placed temporarily in a different division last year) Thursday night. We haven’t seen them in so long. It’s fun getting familiar with guys around the league and what’s out there. Playing in this division last year in Buffalo and here, playing the same teams over and over, it is what is. You’re truly blessed to play in this league. But it is fun to get out and about and I’m excited to get back home in Canada.”
Lazar making himself useful
Since returning from an elbow injury he suffered in the final preseason game, Lazar has helped to stabilize the third line with Jake Debrusk and Erik Haula and has proven to be a good jack of all trades. His shorthanded rush that resulted in Mike Reilly’s goal on Thursday in the third period effectively ended the game after the Wings had just scored a powerplay goal.
“You know me, you know I like those guys you can move around and hopefully not lose much to your attack,” said Cassidy of the former first rounder. “I think Curtis is a guy that... may look around and say ‘I could find a home here. He’s a guy that’s bounced around. His draft team (Ottawa) would have given him the best opportunity, but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way and sometimes you go through some hard knocks or some ups and downs and realize ‘Hey, I could carve out a niche for myself and give this lineup what it needs.’
“Maybe that’s not how he drew it up as a 15-year-old kid. But at the end of the day, those guys usually have a nice career if they figure it out and realize, ‘OK, this is where I need to be. I need to attack the net, I need to be hard, I need to finish all my checks, I need to win key draws.’ That’s an area I think he’s improved on as well. Good for Curtis. He’s a great kid, always has a smile on his face and is willing to work. It’s just where does he fit? And I think he’s maybe found a home where he feels he’s comfortable and he can do what it takes to get his minutes. So that’s what I’ve seen from him.”
Bergeron regains touch
In the wake of 36-year-old Patrice Bergeron’s four-goal performance, Cassidy was asked if he could see any similarity to Tom
Brady in his later years. He didn’t quite take that cheese, but the coach did see some parallels.
“I don’t want to go with the Brady comparisons because I’ve never been in a room with Tom Brady. But I’ve watched him a lot. And I do see a high, high intelligence and another guy who has been able to take care of himself so when these years come, he’s prepared for it. So yes, I’d put them in the same category in that regard,” said Cassidy. “Guys who last a long time typically do have to be high IQ guys because everything slows down as you get older. That’s just nature. That’s how those guys play a little longer than most. They know the game well and understand. They play within themselves, don’t try to be something they’re not. I saw part of his interview about his experience and knowing that he can’t press, can’t change things. That’s the other part of it. I’m sure if Brady has a game that doesn’t go well, he doesn’t decide to reinvent himself the next day. That’s a key for those veteran guys as well.” ....
Nick Foligno and Anton Blidh (both out with an upper body) both practiced on Friday while wearing non-contact red jerseys. Neither players was scheduled to travel to Toronto.