The Bruins aren’t changing much as they head into a back-to-back in Southern California, and that includes the look of their blue line.
Boston practiced Thursday afternoon at the Anaheim Ducks’ training facility in Irvine, with head coach Marco Sturm keeping the same forward groups and defense pairs from Tuesday’s win in San Jose. The Bruins have won three straight and sit atop the Atlantic Division at 5-2-0 through seven games.
An extra day off before the back-to-back, Sturm said, “felt like a week.”
One of the clearest signs of Boston’s current approach was the continued pairing of Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy. With McAvoy set for his second game of the season, the Bruins kept their top defensemen together, and the early results from Tuesday were encouraging: in 16:13 together, they outscored the Sharks 2-1, gave up three high-danger chances, and posted a 0.64-0.61 edge in expected goals.
“I think we both know what we do when we’re successful,” Hampus Lindholm said to reporters in Anaheim. “It starts with each other.
If he plays his best game and I play my best game, I think we’re going to do some good stuff together out there. So I think that’s kind of our mindset going out.”
“We don’t really have to think when we play together out there. We kind of just roll, play each other’s games, and it just kind of works out.”
McAvoy already made his mark in his return Tuesday with a goal, and Lindholm pointed to the added freedom that comes with playing alongside him. McAvoy said Monday that Lindholm opens up more room for him to jump into the rush and push the offense. That’s not a small deal for a Bruins defense that has been part of the scoring in each of the last three games.
Through seven games, Boston is 4-0-0 when a defenseman scores.
“We’ve talked about it. If you look at our D corps, I think we have guys that like to get up there and are good skaters,” Hampus Lindholm said.
“Any time we can help the forwards get up there, and do it smart, I think we found that right mixture of when to jump up and not always lead a rush, but maybe be the fourth guy up the rush. We have the players for it.
We just have to keep doing it.”
Sturm has spent practice time trying to build that habit into the group.
“I think it’s just a piece that was a little bit missing in the past, and we try to stay on our D,” Sturm said. “We have eight D, so you know, they should be all rested all the time. So we just want them to make sure it’s automatic, especially the first few steps.”
Mason Lohrei has been the most productive Bruins defenseman so far, leading the group with two goals. Lindholm and McAvoy have one apiece. Lohrei has also spoken openly early this season about growing more comfortable, and McAvoy’s suspension has helped him settle into a bigger role on the top six.
Sturm said he has noticed that growth, even if it is still a work in progress.
“Yes and no,” Sturm said when asked if he’s noticed a change in Lohrei’s confidence level. “There’s still times I think he gets a little frustrated on certain plays he doesn’t make or whatever it is.
But overall, definitely yes. He’s one of those guys, too.
He had to figure out where he’s at on our team, the lineup, with the coach, you name it. So he should definitely feel more comfortable, and he had some really good moments, and we just try to keep helping him to be even more consistent.”
Lohrei stayed with Frederic Brunet on Thursday, while Connor Clifton and Jonathan Aspirot remained the extra defensemen.
In goal, Sturm did not reveal who would start in Anaheim, but he said the plan for the next two games is already set “in mind.” He did confirm that Michael DiPietro will play in one of those two games.
The Bruins’ practice lines on Thursday were:
Morgan Geekie - Pavel Zacha - David Pastrnak
Marat Khusnutdinov - Fraser Minten - JJ Peterka
Casey Mittelstadt - Elias Lindholm - James Hagens
Tanner Jeannot - Matt Poitras - Mark Kastelic
Sean Kuraly
Hampus Lindholm - Charlie McAvoy
Nikita Zadorov - Will Borgen
Frederic Brunet - Mason Lohrei
Jonathan Aspirot - Connor Clifton
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