Grzelcyk makes up for lost time
B’s blueliner tries to put injuries in rear-view
Bruins’ defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is satisfying his immediate obligations to the blue line while cautiously intent on staying healthy for an extended run in the playoffs.
Grzelcyk (upper body) returned from his second stint on the injury report in Tuesday night’s 2- 0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center. Grzelcyk resumed his place on the first unit with Charlie McAvoy and logged 21:06 minutes with two shots on goal.
Grzelcyk skated but did not practice with the team on Wednesday at the KeyBank Center as the Bruins prepared for consecutive games against the Sabres tonight and Friday in Buffalo.
“Obviously I have missed more time that I wanted to, especially as we are kind of geared up for the playoffs,” said Grzelcyk. “I want to make sure I’m getting the necessary touches on the ice and feeling a little more comfortable and not just coming back to feel the game out.
“I want to come back and contribute right away and be a factor in the season. I feel I have a good amount of time to do that and obviously our schedule has been pretty hectic and it’s not getting easier down the stretch.
“So, I think just picking and choosing your spots and try to be smart and making sure your body is in a good place as we get later in the season.”
Grzelcyk has been hit hard by injuries this season, a byproduct of being an undersized defenseman playing long minutes, often against the opponent’s top lines. Grzelcyk missed 13 of 15 games during a stretch that began on Jan. 23 and ran to Feb. 28.
The blueliner’s latest down period lasted five games at a time when the Bruins were hemorrhaging defenseman, a list that in
cluded Kevan Miller, Brandon Carlo, Jakub Zboril and McAvoy for a short time. Grzelcyk said hitting the restart button can take a toll on a player’s psyche even when the pain is starting to recede.
“I try to listen to my body and I’ve played a couple of years so I know when I am able to go and when I am not,” said Grzelcyk. “It has been a little challenging obviously because you just want to be out on the ice, especially as we are gearing up for the playoffs.
“It’s an uncomfortable spot to be in when you have no control of the situation. But I am just trying to stay as positive as I can and making sure I’m doing the right things in order to stay healthy the rest of the way, which is my main focus now.”
Grzelcyk inherited the job of table setter on the Bruins’ power play when Torey Krug decamped for the St. Louis Blues. Grzelcyk was back directing traffic from the point on the power play against the Sabres, logging a team high 3:10 minutes.
Tuukka time
Goalie Tuukka Rask has been the Bruins’ backbone in three starts after missing 11 straight games with an upper body injury. Rask notched his 300th career win with a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders on April 15 and turned in a stronger performance in last Sunday’s 6-3 victory over the Washington Capitals at TD Garden.
Rask was on the business end of several breakaways and odd man rushes but stonewalled the Caps’ vaunted scoring machine. Two of Washington’s three goals were on the power play with Connor Clifton serving a double minor in the cooler for high sticking.
Rask made 32 saves against the Sabres to record his first shutout of the season. Rask’s incredible diving glove save on Dylan Cozens from short range will surely find a place in his future “best of ” highlight reel.
“There’s been a lot of high danger stuff with acrobatic more athletic saves he’s been forced to make in the last two games,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “We forced him to do that by not playing better in front of him and we had breakdowns in both games and he really had to come through with those.”
Bruins recently installed back-up Jeremy Swayman, who is 4-1 with 1.78 goals against average and .938 save percentage, will start in net tonight with Rask going Friday. Goalie Jaroslav Halak has been removed from the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols and continues to work on his conditioning.
Welcome addition
Center Curtis Lazar was feeling apprehensive on April 12 while cruising the New York Throughway on his way from Buffalo to Boston. Lazar was part of the big trade Bruins GM Don Sweeney orchestrated with the Sabres that also included left wing Taylor Hall in exchange for Anders Bjork and a 2021 second-round pick.
Lazar was immediately put at ease by the Bruins’ senior leadership group that included captain Patrice Bergeron and associate captains Brad Marchand and David Krejci.
“I think it’s the overall professionalism within this whole organization has been outstanding and the leadership group,” said Lazar. “There is a bar set and there is a standard here and I love that because it forces guys to be at their best every single day.”
Cassidy put Lazar in the middle of the Bruins fourth line with Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner on the flanks. The trio have forged an energy line with Lazar also taking on the role of penalty killer. Lazar logged 13:52 minutes and registered an assist on Clifton’s goal in his first game against the Sabres.