The kids are (still) all right
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The beat goes on for the Bruins’ young guns.
While most Bruins fans knew that the team’s young stars were going to play a huge role this season, very few of them may have expected this kind of production. And yet, here we are still talking about those youngsters.
The up-and-coming talent was on display once again during Boston’s 4-3 win over Pittsburgh on Black Friday, starting with Jake DeBrusk and his two assists on the day.
“Ever since I got scratched, I think I’ve had some jump in all the games or at moments,” said DeBrusk, who has six points in his last five games and a three-game point streak. “I’m also playing with great players. They open up a lot of space for me.”
DeBrusk helped on the opening goal after another Bruins young call up, Peter Cehlarik, intercepted a Jake Guentzal breakout pass before sliding the puck over to the 2015 first rounder, who hit a streaking David Krejci for the 1-0 lead.
The Edmonton-born winger also chipped in on Matt Grzelcyk’s first NHL career goal. Midway through the second, DeBrusk played the puck back to Krejci up near the point. Krejci whiffed on the initial shot, but the puck slid to Grzelcyk. The 23-year-old native of Charlestown, who was coming off a solid performance against New Jersey on Wednesday that included his first career assist and point on DeBrusk’s first-period tally, wristed a shot underneath Matt Murray’s arm to restore Boston’s two-goal cushion.
“It was pretty special, obviously,” Grzelcyk said on his first career goal. “Right before, DeBrusk told me to go backdoor so I was heading that way and [Krejci] came over right after and said ‘don’t go down all the way, wait in the slot.’ Just kind of fate happened and he fanned on the puck and it landed right on my tape. Credit those guys for putting me in the right direction.”
“Adding [Grzelcyk] into the mix does give you another puck mover with Charlie [McAvoy] and [Torey] Krug,” Bruce Cassidy said of Grzelcyk. “I think that’s important.”
“I was jumping up and down on the bench,” Charlie McAvoy said on his former BU teammate’s goal. “Just great hockey sense to to slide into an area there.”
McAvoy himself added to his storybook rookie season.
Fresh off pulling an outstanding move to clinch the 11-round shootout win in New Jersey on Wednesday, McAvoy, now the team-leader in assists with nine, showed off his offensive talent once more midway through the first. The 19-year-old and early season Calder Trophy candidate circled around the Penguins D and whipped a cross-ice, behind the net pass to 24-year-old Sean Kuraly, who slammed home a one-timer for his third of the year and gave the B’s a 2-0 first period lead.
“We talked about making good defense into good offense and I think we had a turnover,” Kuraly said of the goal. “[McAvoy] made a good play in the O-zone – a really patient play – and found me in a spot that kind of worked out.”
Though he did not register a point during the game, Danton Heinen took 27 shifts for 22:03 of ice-time. Heinen, who started the year in Providence, has rocketed up the ranks among Bruins stat leaders. He is currently top-five on the team in goals (four), assists (seven) and points (11).
To be one of the Bruins leaders in ice-time shows the trust Cassidy has in Heinen.
“He’s willing to block shots, he’s stronger on the puck getting them out, he can make plays,” Cassidy said about Heinen’s track record during his second year of pro hockey. “So we can’t really say enough about his progression. I think he really has grown and learned from last year.”
Not to be ignored, Anders Bjork, who has missed the last two weeks due to an upper body injury, is currently eighth on the team with nine points during his rookie campaign.
And, of course, who can forget 21-year-old David Pastrnak, whose early third period breakaway goal put the B’s up for good during Saturday’s game. Already in his fourth season, ‘Pasta’ is sitting atop the team leaders in goals (11) and points (19) while his eight assists are good for a tie for second place.
“I had a feeling I was going to get a breakaway, so I asked Tuukka [Rask] what he thinks I should do, and he said go from backhand to forehand,” said Pastrnak, who snapped a five-game goal drought with his game-winner. “It was pretty good advice, he’s one for one so far.”
Many of the younger Bruins have received some advice and guidance from the veterans, like Rask, which has led to their rapid development. The youngsters are helping one another as well, making their growth that much quicker.
So far, the Bruins rookies have brought many good things to Causeway Street. After all, it is a young man’s game.