BOSTON – Times have changed since the Bruins took a road trip, as opposed to playing away games.
It has been three months, in fact – Nov. 15-18, when they hit three California cities over four nights – since the Bruins embarked on anything like the five-game journey that starts Saturday night at Vancouver (10:05 p.m., NESN, WBZ-FM 989.5) and doesn’t end until a week from Sunday, Feb. 25, at Buffalo.
Besides its [...]
BOSTON – Times have changed since the Bruins took a road trip, as opposed to playing away games.
It has been three months, in fact – Nov. 15-18, when they hit three California cities over four nights – since the Bruins embarked on anything like the five-game journey that starts Saturday night at Vancouver (10:05 p.m., NESN, WBZ-FM 989.5) and doesn’t end until a week from Sunday, Feb. 25, at Buffalo.
Besides its length, the trip is noteworthy in that it includes a game against the Maple Leafs (next Saturday), the team suddenly trying very hard to pass the B’s for second place in the Atlantic Division, and because it runs all the way up to the NHL trade deadline, which falls on Monday, Feb. 26.
There’s also this: These are the real Bruins. The team that took that trip in mid-November really wasn’t – but the current Bruins owe them, nonetheless.
It’s almost hard to remember, but the team that now stands third overall in the NHL and second in the Eastern Conference (the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning, just three points better than the B’s, rank No. 1 on all fronts) had a 6-7-4 record after losing the first game of that California trip, 4-2, on Nov. 15 at Anaheim.
In the lineup against the Ducks that night: Defenseman Paul Postma, who has played exactly four games since then, and forwards Matt Beleskey, Peter Cehlarik and Jordan Szwarz – all of whom eventually found their way to AHL Providence. (Szwarz was recalled on Friday, to give the B’s a spare forward.)
Not in that night’s lineup: Forwards David Krejci, David Backes and Ryan Spooner and defenseman Adam McQuaid, who were all injured, plus rookie defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who hadn’t been promoted yet from the P-Bruins. Tuukka Rask (current record: 23-9-4) fell to 3-7-2 that night, and went on to sit and watch backup goalie Anton Khudobin play – and win – the next five games.
“I think that trip was the beginning of us – I don’t want to use the term rock bottom, because I don’t think we were there – but a turnaround,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It had a lot to do with us gutting out some wins in what are typically tough buildings to win in – Los Angeles (2-1, Nov. 16), San Jose (3-1, Nov. 18). We kind of got our heads above water, and from there we kind of took off.
“But it was a long time ago. This is now a different group (29-5-4 since that loss to the Ducks), and we’re in a different position, pushing for different positioning.”
Way to understate, Coach.
With the games they hold in hand over the Lightning (3) and Leafs (5), the Bruins are legitimately positioned to push for first in the Atlantic/East/NHL, and leave the other two fighting for first-round home ice.
Yes, there’s still a long way to go – 27 games for the Bruins, a little less for the others. And it’ll be a grind.
After this trip, the B’s face other significant stretches on the road before the season ends – two four-game trips in March, and a three-game swing in the last week of the regular season. They face the Lightning three times between March 17 and April 3, with two of those games in Tampa. And after three off-days between Edmonton (Tuesday) and next weekend’s back-to-backs at Toronto and Buffalo, the Bruins get consecutive days off exactly once (March 4-5) before the season ends April 8.
All that said, the Bruins are positioned to make gains on this trip. They’re only facing two playoff teams (Calgary on Monday; Toronto next Saturday), and the Leafs are the only one among the five opponents with a winning record at home. And here come the Bruins, with their 16-5-4 road record – 15-1-2 since that loss at Anaheim way back when, with points in 13 straight away games (11-0-2) entering Saturday’s date with the Canucks.
Relatively healthy, deep at most positions and justifiably confident, there’s really no reason this shouldn’t go well.
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