B’s need response in NJ
when asked if he thought there was someone from Providence who could help fix the under-performing middle six of the lineup, Cassidy expressed confidence in what the team has.
“I still think the guys have had success in this league. Craig Smith (0-0-0, minus-7 in eight games) for example. He’s a guy that typically will put up his numbers. He’s been playing through some injuries, he’s off-net with his shots because I think he’s pressing. He wants to score a goal so bad, he’s trying to squeeze it through there instead of forcing the goalie to stop it,” said Cassidy, who will give Jeremy Swayman the start today. “Some of it is some newness with certain guys. But we are in mid-november, so I can’t use that as a crutch all the time and neither should they. We’ve practiced together for a while. But it is reality. It’s not like our top line that’s been together for years. I certainly believe those guys will come around. How they come around is our job, and that’s what we’re trying to do, encourage them to put it on net, go for 2for-1s, create a rebound goal situation when they’re not going in otherwise with plays. That will snowball and give them some confidence.”
One of those new guys is Erik Haula, who has just one assist in 11 games and is minus-6. It is not what was expected, especially after Haula had as good a preseason as any Bruin. Cassidy believes he’s a bit snake-bitten, and shouldn’t drastically change what he’s doing.
“It’s one of those things where you have to stay with it and help the team win, and stick with your details until it does,” said Cassidy.
Haula concurred with Cassidy’s assessment.
“Chance-wise, the numbers are up there,” said Haula. “The puck’s not going in and that’s obviously the worst feeling for a player. It’s frustrating. But I come to the rink today, try to smile a little bit, work hard, go to the next game and keep on going.”
Cassidy did make one notable tweak, putting Nick Foligno at net-font on the first power-play unit and dropping Taylor Hall to the second unit.
“At the end of the day, I think it needs to function better,” said Cassidy. “Sometimes it functions better with competition and with Hall being on the other unit, it gives a shooter to that other group as well. There’s a little bit of that that goes into it. Now we have another guy who is used to driving a power play on the other group. … Maybe it will balance things out a little bit that way in terms of having two units that can be a threat. That’s on me. Typically, I play the top group more for obvious reasons. I think they have been successful.”
A potential ancillary benefit from that move would be to get Hall’s 5-on-5 game going. He has just one 5-on-5 goal, which came in the second game of the season.
“I think most power-play guys will tell you if they handle it more it always makes them feel better as the game goes along, they feel it a little more, or they’re getting their shot off or making plays so, yeah, you hope it would,” said Cassidy. “Maybe this will help him get back to coming down the wing and ripping some shots instead of trying to look for plays that haven’t materialized yet.”
Whether you want to classify it as a Big One or not, today’s matinee should be telling.