We are just about two weeks into the NHL season and I got to say the Bruins have met if not exceeded all of my expectations. The team looks good, Marchand looks like an animal, Chara looks to be more like the younger Chara we all feel in love with. The Bruins currently sit at 3-1 and are outscoring opponents 13-to-6.
In these first four games, we have seen the Bruins play from behind and end up winning that is a totally different direction than we are used to. Last year we would be losing 2-1 in the third and would give up 2 goals, this year so far we have fought back the team looks like they will not settle for anything but winning.
The coaching style has changed since last year as Claude Julien has changed the game plan a little. It seems at least to me the Bruins are putting out the best players they can at all times. This even means we have seen a huge increase in rookies playing times compared to previous seasons.
Julien has always favored the veteran players regardless of how they are actually preforming but not so much this year. We have seen Chara Play with Carlo the first couple of games and Carlo looks great. We have even put them out in clutch situations and example of that was last night. With seconds left in the game and the Bruins up one with a faceoff in the Bruins zone Carlo came up huge with a blocked shot. Julien is playing the rookies and taking chances and it is paying off.
But I can not say enough about how much I like David Backes. Backes is a player that represent the old Bruins. A hard worker who can score and is not afraid to be physical and drop the gloves if needed. He is bringing back the old style of Bruins Hockey and I could not be happier. The team has just been so soft the past couple of years but the tides seem to be shifting, I think this is all thanks to Backes and the style of play he brings every night.
You also can’t complain about what is one of the most powerful lines in the NHL with Marchand, Bergeron, and Pastrnak. They are truly unstoppable and all the chemistry is there they seem to look like they have all played with each other for years.
We are only four games into this season and Marchand is up to nine points. Yes, that is correct and not a mistake he has nine points. 3 goals and 6 assists have put Marchand atop the NHL in points. If Marchand needs to play in a tournament before every season to look like this I am perfectly okay with that because he has looked like a player who is on a mission.
But with all good, there must be some bad and to me, the weakest link on this team has to be the goaltenders. I am not saying that can’t change but as of now Rask has let up some flunkie goals that definitely should not have gone in.
But that is the thing with this team Tuukka may let a few soft goals in but at the same time he is still 3-0 in starts. His goals against average is 5 but that can all change in a week of games.
Tomorrow night I think is the Bruins first real test of the year. You have Saturday night hockey at home Vs. Montreal. It is time to see what this team has got and tomorrow night is a perfect time for them to show us. After they laid an egg in the Winter Classic last year Vs. Montreal.
But it feels good to have the Bruins back on and the season in full swing. After Montreal, the Bruins will take on Minnesota before hitting the road again to take on the Rangers and the Red Wings.
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