Frederic picks up pace, production
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Get ready, here comes Freddie.
Bruins fans of a certain age, and preserved memory, will recall when a favorite refrain around the Black and Gold was, “Clear the track, here comes Shack!”
The colorful, at times irascible left winger, Eddie Shack, was a fan favorite for a couple of years in the 1960s after his acquisition from the Maple Leafs. There was nothing shy about Shack’s game, nothing subtle in his style.
Trent Frederic could be emerging as a similar kind of character. Now 25 years old, and a regular in the lineup the last four seasons, Frederic scored the first two goals in Sunday’s 5-3 win at Detroit.
He also went looking for a fight with Ben Chiarot after the Red Wings defenseman drilled Morgan Geekie with a couple of righthand shots before Geekie was aware that someone hand rung the fight bell.
Frederic didn’t like how Chiarot jumped his teammate and twice invited Chiarot to a return, but the RSVP went unanswered.
Now with 9 goals and 18 points this season, Frederic’s stock is on the rise, both in production and profile. He could crack 40 points for the first time in his career.
He’s also clearly gaining confidence with the puck. Not to get carried away, but at 6 feet 3 inches, 220 pounds, he has the frame and skill set to grow into a power forward, a role really not filled by a Bruins draftee since Milan Lucic’s trade to Los Angeles in 2015.
“I think he is playing faster,” said coach Jim Montgomery, who had Frederic at right wing in Detroit on a line with Danton Heinen and rookie center Georgii Merkulov. “And because he’s playing faster — and his skating is really underrated — he’s going north, taking pucks [forward] consistently instead of delaying.”
Many young forwards, when in attack mode, have a tendency to slow down or glide when collecting pucks. It can be much like a batter who has to overcome a hitch in his swing.
Per Montgomery, Frederic has worked hard with skills coach John McLean to get his giddyup going.
“And I give him credit,” added Montgomery.
“He’s worked hard, protecting pucks, driving pucks, and opening up space for himself. He’s done a great job.”
Frederic was in full flight, chasing down an alley-oop lead pass from David Pastrnak, on his first goal in Detroit. Racing in alone on the right side, his off-wing, he only gained control near the top of the circle, then finished off with a highlight-reel backhander to the top right corner.
He cleared the track like Shack, though Shack never had the mitts to finish with that panache.
It was a dart to the top right corner, delivered in full flight.
“He’s got great hands,” said Montgomery.
“He’s a tremendous athlete.”
Faceoff futility
Over the course of 24 hours, the Bruins disproved the theory that it takes at least moderate success at the faceoff dot to pick up points in the standings. They were awful there in Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Devils at the Garden, losing 37 of 51 drops, a mere 27.5 percent success rate.
In Detroit, they continued their faceoff futility, beaten on 36 of 53 drops, for only a slight uptick in winning percentage (32.1).
Charlie Coyle, whose goal in Detroit snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period, particularly struggled, winning only 7 of 31 (22.6 percent) across the two games.
Tuesday morning’s day-of-game practice at Nationwide Arena likely will have the centers working on their red-dot filching skills.
The stat that matters most, of course, is how the scoreboard reads at the end of the night, and the Bruins will attempt to win their fourth straight when they face the Blue Jackets.
Welcome back
Matt Grzelcyk, who returned from injured reserve Saturday, moved out of the lineup in Detroit in favor of Parker Wotherspoon. Grzelcyk landed five shots on net vs. the Devils, only one fewer than Pastrnak. He was sore the next day, the training staff suggesting added rest would benefit him.
“Gryz was really good,” said Montgomery. “I loved his poise with the puck, especially in the offensive zone. His gaps were good and he always helps in transition, right?
“But I was really happy how he held on to pucks in the offensive zone, and that was a big part of why we were able to sustain that second period like we did.”
Grzelcyk is expected to return to the lineup vs. the Blue Jackets.
Marking a milestone
After falling into a 2-0 hole against the Devils, the Bruins rallied for five straight goals, including a pair by Kevin Shattenkirk, one on the power play. Shattenkirk’s goals were Nos. 100 and 101 in a career that now has spanned 920 regular-season games. Postgame, the 34-year-old former Boston University defenseman kidded NESN’s Adam Pellerin that he doubted he would play long enough to register No. 200. At this pace, Shattenkirk would be age 48, still well under the Gordie Howe line. Mr. Hockey was 52 when he took his last NHL twirl with the Whalers in 1979-80 . . . Thursday night at the Garden, the Bruins face the FSG Penguins, sort of their crosstown rivals, and then play host to the Lightning Saturday night. Loyal reader Richard Walega suggests we should refer to John Henry’s hockey club now as the “Fenguins.”