Headlines don’t do justice for Torey Krug
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Yes, that is a headline that I just used.
In all seriousness, what else can be said about Torey Krug that hasn’t been said already?
Coming off an impressive performance during the Bruins run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Michigan State alum is picking up right where he left off. Monday night’s heroics against the Pittsburgh Penguins just added to an already impressive resume for one of the Calder Trophy favorites.
After Sidney Crosby tied the game at 3-3 with just 0.3 seconds left in regulation, Bruins head coach Claude Julien used three forwards and one defenseman to start the extra decision. That decision worked Saturday when David Krejci and Jarome Iginla combined for the game-winner against the Carolina Hurricanes, with Milan Lucic joining his linemates and Johnny Boychuk being the lone defenseman.
More than 48 hours later, the decision paid off again, as Krug was joined by Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Loui Eriksson. And it didn’t take that long for Krug to deliver the heroics.
With plenty of space to work with, Krug, with all his poise, took a great feed from Marchand off a faceoff win and went top shelf on Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to score his first career overtime winner and give his team a 4-3 victory in front of another sellout crowd of 17,565 at the TD Garden.
“He gets around, he seems to find those gaps and everything else; those holes and moves around really well,” Julien said of Krug. “Tonight he was in the right place and Marshy made a great pass there, but he picked the top corner. He knew where he was going with that shot.”
“It started from the faceoff, just great puck pursuit and good composure at the blue-line in risky areas, and making solid firm passes,” Krug said about his overtime tally. “Marchy made a great play after Bergy and Loui also kept the puck alive as well.”
With a sea of reporters surrounding him in the B’s locker room, Krug described the game-winner on more than one occasion with the Boston hockey media. Yet every time he answered the questions about his heroics, he did it with such humility.
That same humility was on display moments later.
After getting high praise from Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma regarding a spot on the US Olympic team, no one could have blamed Krug if he discussed the honor of even being considered to go to Sochi, Russia, to represent his country in February. Instead, the 22-year old, who is now tied with Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson and Phoenix’s Michael Stone for most goals among defenseman this season, was more concerned about staying consistent, keeping his spot on the B’s blue-line.
“I still don’t think about it,” Krug said about the thought of potentially being on the Olympic team. “I’m worried about what’s going on here in our locker room and still try to make sure I keep my game at a level where I want it to be.”
For someone who wasn’t expected to contribute in a major capacity during his first seven months with Boston, Krug has become a game changer for the Black and Gold. Still, even with all his accomplishments so far, the once undrafted free agent continues to stay humble both on and off the ice.
That is why the “legend of Torey Krug” will continue to develop in The Hub of Hockey.