Grzelcyk, McAvoy lost in victory
The Bruins defense took a couple of hits during Monday night’s 3-2 overtime win over the Panthers, and reinforcements likely will be needed for the next stretch of games.
Matt Grzelcyk exited with an upper-body injury midway through the first period and his partner, Charlie McAvoy, was given a match penalty for a high hit to the head of Florida’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the third.
“It’s going to be a couple of weeks, it looks like [on Grzelcyk],” coach Jim Montgomery said.
As for McAvoy, he’s facing a possible fine and/or suspension for his hit, which occurred as he was powering through the slot in front of the Florida net. Ekman-Larsson went down for a bit but didn’t leave the game.
“I saw it live. I haven’t looked at it in depth,” Montgomery said. “The league reviews all those hits and they’ll let us know what their thoughts are, and we respect how the league goes about it. I think they do a real good process there.”
McAvoy was also assessed a five-minute major (served by Oskar Steen), forcing the Bruins to kill the time with just four defensemen.
The momentum from the successful kill helped provide a spark for the remainder of the third period and it carried over into overtime.
“Just tremendous character by our four defensemen that gutted it out,” Montgomery said. “And also, just our team coming back from 2-0 against a real good team and being able to come away and find a way to win.”
The Bruins host the Maple Leafs Thursday and will need to replace Grzelcyk and possibly McAvoy.
Ian Mitchell, who played in two games this season, and rookie Mason Lohrei, who had an outstanding camp, are possible AHL call-ups from Providence.
Heinen’s all the way back
As Danton Heinen raced up the left wing with the Bruins’ fourth liners Monday morning, something felt different. A steady and consistent presence around the team since signing a professional tryout agreement before camp, Heinen appeared to have a little extra giddy-up in his stride. And for good reason.
Heinen, who had been patiently awaiting a contract and chance to get in the lineup, got both his wishes granted when the seven-year veteran reached agreement on one-year deal with a salary cap hit of $775,000, then skated on the fourth line against the Panthers.
“It’s been a little different, but everyone’s been great with me, and it’s been fun to be here and be a part of it and watch these guys win games,” said Heinen, who was called to the center of the circle to lead the post-practice stretch. “It’s a great group and a group you want to be a part of.”
Heinen, 28, has been at every practice and optional skate, attended the centennial gala, and even traveled with the team for its recent West Coast trip. He’s watched every game from the press box level and tried to take positives from that experience.
“I think that’s what I’ve been trying to do is see the way that we play and learn the system, so that if I get the chance I’ll be ready. And I think that’s a good place to do it and get a bird’s eye view, but it gives you a little different perspective,” said Heinen, originally a fourthround pick of the Bruins in 2014. “It also makes you hungrier and you want to be out there with them.”
In his first go-round in Boston, Heinen appeared in 220 games and played a big role in the run to the Stanley Cup final in 2019. He was traded to Anaheim (for Nick Ritchie) the next season and played in Pittsburgh the last two seasons. In 414 career games, he has 70 goals and 176 points.
Heinen potted a career-high 18 goals for the Penguins two seasons ago, but the great salary cap crunch of 2023 limited his free agent options. He chose the Bruins for a chance to reunite with some former teammates and Montgomery, his college coach at Denver.
“His versatility is really important,” Montgomery said. “He can play both wings adeptly as well and he understands whatever line he’s put on, what the expectation is of the role he’s going to play.”
Frederic rides with Poitras
Montgomery shuffled his lines once again and this time it included a little protection plan for rookie center Matt Poitras, who had taken his share of abuse over the previous three games.
The coach moved Trent Frederic to right wing on Poitras’s line an attempt to give the 19-year-old a little more breathing room.
“I think teams know that Poitras is a good player and they’re trying to test him,” Montgomery said. “I don’t think they’ll test him as much with Freddy on his line.”
Frederic had some run with Poitras during the preseason and was looking forward to his new role.
“I’ll be out there if anything happens,” Frederic said. “You can’t necessarily stop it, but you can definitely be there when something does and hopefully it limits it. But he’s a good player, he’s quick, he turns so well so sometimes guys can only take him down cheaply. It’s good on him that he’s getting that attention. He’s just got to keep playing his game and I think he’s doing really well.”
Faceoffs draw attention
Poitras and Frederic did some extra faceoff work after the morning skate ended. “I think just learning that some of the stuff he could get away with against players his own age [he] can’t get away with here. He’s got to learn new tricks,” Montgomery said. “[Assistant coach] Chris Kelly’s been working on him as he does with all the centers, but in particular him and Freddy’s important to us, too, because we only have two left front centers. “So, it’s good to have everyone who can take draws.” . . . It was “Hockey Fights Cancer” night with the Bruins arriving to work in white sweaters with the spoked-B and their names and numbers in lavender, which represents awareness of all forms of cancer. Several players also used lavender tape on their sticks during warm-ups . . . The Bruins honored Heather Peach, a child life specialist at Mass. General, as its Community All-Star . . . Song of the night: “Red Right Hand” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Some of you trick or treaters might know it as the theme from “Peaky Blinders.”