The Bruins’ early-season surge has been powered by a young group that is forcing its way to the front of the conversation.
Boston is off to a 6-2-0 start and has won four straight, and a big part of that run has come from the kids taking real responsibility. Under head coach Marco Sturm, the organization has shifted away from leaning so heavily on veteran experience, and so far the new approach is delivering.
That was on full display in Friday’s 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, when several young Bruins left a mark. Michael DiPietro picked up his first NHL win and stopped 25 shots.
Frederic Brunet scored his first NHL goal. James Hagens finished with two assists.
Matthew Poitras added his third goal in five games.
Brunet, in particular, has carved out an important spot on the blue line as a third-pairing defenseman. At 23, he’s starting to look less like a fill-in and more like a regular part of the Bruins’ top-six mix.
Poitras has also wasted no time making his presence felt. Since coming off injured reserve on Oct. 5, he has taken over veteran Sean Kuraly’s place as the fourth-line center. He has been efficient to the extreme, scoring three times on just eight shots, good for a 37.5% shooting percentage that ranks in the 97th percentile.
Fraser Minten has added another layer to the early success. The 22-year-old center leads the Bruins with four goals and sits second on the club with seven points in seven games.
Mason Lohrei, now 26, has become a steady option on the back end as well. He has two goals and five points, while he and Brunet have both handled important defensive minutes as veteran Connor Clifton has sometimes been out of the lineup.
Taken together, the Bruins’ younger players are doing more than just filling space. They’re driving the offense with primary assists, pace and timely scoring, and they’ve become a major reason Boston’s record looks the way it does right now.
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Michael DiPietro was the one steadying the whole thing from there, turning aside 25 shots and giving Boston exactly the kind of response it was looking for. For a team trying to keep momentum going, getting that sort of calm, timely work in net from an unexpected source can matter just as much as the comeback itself. [Read more 🡒]