The great outdoors
B’s back to routine after Tahoe getaway
The NHL Outdoors was a needed escape from what has become a repetitive but combative routine for the Bruins.
BRUINS NOTEBOOK
The getaway to the Edgewood Tahoe Resort on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nev., for an openair game against the Philadelphia Flyers proved to be a fun and productive endeavor. The Bruins exited the majesty of the Sierra Nevada on Sunday evening with a 7-3 victory over the Flyers and the best record (11-3-2) in the NHL’s pandemic-realigned East Division.
The Bruins went back to work at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton on Tuesday preparing for Thursday night’s game at the New York Islanders.
They will be facing the Islanders for the third time at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where they lost the previous two. The Bruins will then travel to Manhattan for their second two-game series against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
In their opening 16 games, the Bruins have played the Flyers five times and won them all. David Pastrnak has added some excitement to the redundancy by recording a pair of hat tricks, including one Sunday. The Bruins and the Buffalo Sabres are the two imports from the Atlantic Division and they don’t play each other until March 18. The Bruins have played New Jersey three times and Washington and Pittsburgh twice.
“I think we’ve developed more of a rivalry and these back-to-back games have been good,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “I think there has been some bad blood and I think it makes our team better when there is energy in the game.
“I just feel that we are a better team when there is a little physicality, a little more chirping on each side. There has been more intensity than just getting the game over with. You are trying to get that from the get-go and it’s nice when it carries over.”
Captain Patrice Bergeron does miss competing against all the NHL teams over a full 82-game schedule, but he is on the same page with Cassidy when it comes to forging rivalries inside a closed division.
“This year is a little unique where we are playing teams that usually are not in our division and now, we get there a little more often,” said Bergeron. “It’s great, we are creating new rivalries.
“It’s always nice to play those teams and I feel our division is very competitive. There is not one team you can take a night off and it’s been a great challenge so far. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. It’s been going well and it’s been a lot of fun.”
The differences are stark; the 2019-20 Bruins’ opening 16 games exemplified the expanse and variety of the NHL. The Bruins opened on the road with stops at Dallas, Arizona, Las Vegas and Colorado. They returned to the Garden for three games against New Jersey, Anaheim and Tampa Bay. After a home-and-home with Toronto, the Bruins faced the Blues, Rangers, Sharks, Senators, Penguins, Canadiens and Red Wings. The Bruins were 113-2 after their first 16 games.
“Do I miss playing the Tampas and Torontos and the teams that really test you and Montreal and the Bruins history, of course I do?” said Cassidy. “I don’t know how it will play out next year but I assume it will get back to that.
“You have to embrace what is in front of you but you do miss playing against some of the other stars in the league.”
Back in the day
The Bruins enjoyed competing in their reverse retro game jerseys against the Flyers. The reverse retro jersey was solid gold with black and gold stripes featuring the standard six-spoke B in the chest and a goofy bear logo on the shoulder. The NHL outdoor game seemed the best venue to break out the retro look once worn by Bruins president Cam Neely and Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque. “That was the first time wearing the reverse retro jersey and that jersey was based on the 80s but also like the early 90s jerseys that Cam and Ray wore,” said Bergeron. “The idea was for us to kind of dress like we were playing in the 80s and 90s and there was a 90s theme.
“The guys went all out on it and I was excited by it.”
Stand-up guy
Left wing Nick Ritchie has become the Bruins’ net presence in the dirty areas and he’s doing a good job of it. Ritchie redirected a John Moore slapper from the left point for the Bruins’ sixth goal against the Flyers.
Ritchie set up shop outside the Flyers’ crease, creating screens and battling for rebounds on the second line with Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith. He performed a similar function on the Bruins’ first power play with Bergeron, Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy. Ritchie has six goals and seven assists and is tied with McAvoy (13 points) for fourth in scoring.
“He is making plays in tight spaces at a higher pace and just different things like that that can help his individual game,” said Cassidy. “He is receptive to what we are trying to do as a team in terms of structure and position.”
Odds and ends
Cassidy said that defensemen Jakub Zboril (upper body) and Kevan Miller (maintenance) both skated and their availability for the Islanders is day-to-day. Matt Grzelcyk (lower body) was on the ice before practice with skills coach Kim Brandvold. Center David Krejci (lower body) did not skate . ...
The NHL made three schedule changes involving the Bruins. Philly’s game at Boston on March 7 has been moved to April 5. Boston’s game at Philly on April 5 has been moved to April 10. The New York Islanders game at Boston on April 14 has been moved to April 15.