McAvoy growing his game
B’s know defenseman still has another gear
Three straight shootout losses at home is enough to frustrate any team.
That’s what the Bruins are dealing with right now, after blowing two third-period leads in the past week at home before succumbing in the skills competition. Against the Capitals on Saturday night, it was a goal with 58 seconds remaining in regulation that did them in.
Given the team’s injury predicament, there are some positives in just getting a point, and accumulating so many of them to date. One of those positives against the Capitals was Charlie McAvoy.
“He was terrific (Saturday night),” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “Level of competition tends to bring out the best in Charlie, we certainly saw that (against the Capitals). We needed it against a heavier group. I think he took the challenge head on. It’s a tougher game for the (Connor) Cliftons and the (Matt) Grzelcyks of the world. Played a lot of minutes, and Charlie was real good in that way, both ends of the ice. So yes, I thought he was excellent.”
Saturday was one of the 21-year-old’s best performances of the season. He hasn’t had a rough start, per se, but the Bruins are hoping there’s still another gear he can reach.
They’ve seen it before in big moments, and he does seem to thrive against the most challenging matchups, even though he sees a challenge almost every night.
“He gets top lines every night,” said Cassidy. “We’ll go back 24 hours, he’s got (Maple Leafs forwards) John Tavares or he’s got (Auston)
Matthews, it’s one or the other all night, those are good lines. But (against the Capitals), maybe with a heavier opponent — I can’t really say why, because he is tasked with defending against excellent forwards in this league every night. I can’t say they’re all older because it is a young league, but definitely high-end players. But for (Saturday night), he just, he had it.”
Torey Krug’s absence changes the dynamics of not only the blue line, but just how the defense pushes the puck up ice, and even the power-play rotation.
McAvoy’s a player the Bruins hope to rely on. He’s had flashes this season, but hasn’t locked into exactly who they hope he can be quite yet.
Saturday was a step in that direction.
“With Charlie, it’s just, he’s got to stay in the moment, that’s when he plays his best hockey,” said Cassidy. “So we’re not in there feeding him, it’s not information overload for that particular type of player. It’s protect the middle of the ice, be assertive with the puck when you see ice, make good decisions when to go, and I thought (Saturday) a lot of it fell into place. He was up the ice at the right time, defending at the right time, not being vulnerable to a serious counterattack from a team that can finish. He wasn’t putting himself in bad spots. I thought that was the best part. As much as he was involved in the game, there wasn’t much risk.
“That’s a sign of a guy that’s growing.”