The Bruins’ 21-year-old rookie winger had total respect for the time, the place, and the situation, and he didn’t shrink from it. He may, in fact, build from it.
BOSTON – There’s a temptation to crack wise, and make a comment to the effect of “Kids today – no respect.”
That wouldn’t be more wrong when it comes to what Jake DeBrusk did on Saturday night. The Bruins’ 21-year-old rookie winger had total respect for the time, the place, and the situation, and he didn’t shrink from it. He may, in fact, build from it.
“I hope so. I really do,” B’s coach Bruce Cassidy said on Sunday, not long after DeBrusk put up a goal and assist in regulation, then added a shootout goal in Saturday’s 4-3 decision over the Montreal Canadiens at Molson Centre. “That’s what you want out of these kids. You want them not to get fazed.”
Cassidy offered a partial list of what was in play as the Bruins came off a five-day bye on Saturday.
“Hockey Night in Canada,” the coach said. “You’re playing the Canadiens … our biggest rival, in my eyes. First game out of the break.”
The NHL-record 739th B’s versus Habs regular-season matchup also happened to be the first between the teams since the Bruins fired 10-year coach Claude Julien and made Cassidy their coach on Feb. 7 of last year. That may not have meant as much to DeBrusk, who never played under Julien, but it was significant to many of DeBrusk’s teammates.
“Personally, I saw it as an opportunity,” said DeBrusk. “I think we all did. The first game there [this season] was pretty special, and it went the way we wanted it to go.”
It couldn’t have gone much better for DeBrusk, who cleanly beat one of the NHL’s elite – Habs goalie Carey Price – twice. DeBrusk scored his 10th goal on a breakaway just 2:55 into the second period to give the B’s a 2-1 lead, then snapped a similar shot past Price’s blocker on the Bruins’ first shootout attempt. DeBrusk’s first career shootout goal (it was his second attempt) answered Paul Byron’s shootout-starting goal against Tuukka Rask.
DeBrusk, whose contributions helped the Bruins’ extend their points streak to 12 games (9-0-3) entering Monday’s matinee against the Stars at TD Garden (1:05, NESN, WBZ-FM 98.5), has lived for moments like those since the Bruins made him a first-round draft pick (No. 14 overall) in 2015. While not glued to B’s-Habs games as a kid growing up in Edmonton, the son of former NHLer Louie DeBrusk (Oilers, Lightning, Coyotes, Blackhawks) was immersed enough in NHL culture to know what to look forward to as a Bruin.
“As soon as I got drafted by Boston, I wanted to play the Habs,” DeBrusk said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t on home ice. It was in their rink, but that in itself was an experience. I was excited to go out there.”
DeBrusk didn’t want that excitement to get the best of him, but he wasn’t looking to play a safe, careful game, either. With stakes high for a regular-season game, he wanted to raise his level.
“I think we all do,” he said. “I think everyone wants to play well in those moments.
“It’s something I’ll never forget, just because of the magnitude of the situation. It’s Bruins-Habs, and scoring against Carey Price was pretty special.”
Cassidy, who has frequently commended rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy (two assists on Saturday, highlighted by the pass that gave DeBrusk his breakaway goal) for his ability to raise his play in big games, thinks DeBrusk can develop the “quiet confidence that I think all those good young players eventually get to.
“Clearly, Jake was ready to go [on Saturday]. Good for him. If he can step up like that, it’ll make us that much better.”
AROUND THE BOARDS: Cassidy said goalie Anton Khudobin will get Monday’s start. … The coach’s assessment of the Stars, who are clinging to the second and final Western Conference wildcard spot in part because of a weak road record (8-11-2): “They’re big. They re-load well. The tend to keep it tight-checking, and they’re going to limit odd-man rushes. Puck management – you’ve got to be careful.” … The Bruins have won five straight at home since an overtime loss to the Rangers on Dec. 16.
Mike Loftus writes for the Patriot Ledger of GateHouse Media.