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Poitras impresses as Bruins earn OT win over Kings

Posted on by Kennedy
Poitras impresses as Bruins earn OT win over Kings

Bruins

“I hope I get my conditioning back and feel better than I did tonight…play the minutes they give me and just keep doing my thing,” Poitras said.

Poitras impresses as Bruins earn OT win over Kings

From his first shift, Matthew Poitras seemed determined to make a difference, no matter the task. Winslow Townson/Getty Images

Through the first three games, the Boston Bruins continue to search for an elusive 60-minute appearance.

Although there were some mishaps, they achieved positive results in two of the first three games.

Unlike their first two games against the Panthers and Canadiens, the Bruins struggled at times to create scoring opportunities during Saturday's matinee against the Los Angeles Kings. But strong goaltending from Jeremy Swayman and another productive effort from the third and fourth lines kept Boston afloat.

Despite giving up the opening goal for the third straight game – thanks to a goal by Trevor Moore on goal at 5:22 of the second frame – the Bruins persevered to capture two hard-fought points behind Elias Lindholm's tying goal and David Pastrnak's game-winner in overtime .

“I think we’re up to the task tonight,” Swayman said after his 32-save game. “Seeing us make it at home is a rewarding feeling and we will continue to do so.”

From Matthew Poitras' impressive season debut to the Bruins' performance overall, here are a few thoughts on Boston's tough 2-1 win.

Matthew Poitras shines in his first game since January.

From his first shift, Poitras seemed determined to make a difference, no matter the task.

The 20-year-old was last on Boston's roster on Jan. 25 in Ottawa before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. Despite the setback, Poitras recovered in time to get a head start with his offseason conditioning after his recovery.

Poitras gained 10 pounds of muscle over the summer. He felt that the extra weight did not affect his speed and quickness. On Saturday he made good use of his 1.75 meter tall and 75 kilogram stature.

“Obviously he hasn’t played a significant game in a long time. So we were all happy to see him come back and it's never fun to be injured. That’s why we’re happy he’s back,” Pastrnak said of Poitras.

“It’s unbelievable how strong he is with the puck. He's very good and impressive at it for his size, so that's probably one thing that stands out the most. It’s hard to take the puck away from him and that’s impressive for his size.”

Poitras did not shy away from contact in puck battles. He also wasn't afraid to create scoring opportunities for his various linemates from Pastrnak to Justin Brazeau to Trent Frederic.

Despite not putting a single shot on net, Poitras remained effective in all three zones. His all-round performance finally paid off in overtime at the end of his long shift.

After pouncing on a loss of possession, the gassed Poitras found Pastrnak for the throw-off before heading to the bench. He sat down not long after watching Pastrnak put the finishing touches on a give-and-go sequence with Mason Lohrei.

“It definitely boosts confidence,” Poitras said. “Hopefully I get my conditioning back and feel better than I did tonight…play the minutes they give me and just keep doing my thing.”

When he returned to the locker room, Poitras earned praise from Pastrnak, his teammates and the Boston coaching staff. Jim Montgomery thought Saturday was Poitras' best game in a Bruins uniform, but he also reserved praise for his goaltender and the forwards on the checking line.

The Bruins lean on Swayman and the bottom six before finding their rhythm.

Despite their turnovers and defensive errors in the first two games, the Bruins didn't have much trouble scoring. This development changed with the heavy checking tournament on Saturday.

With offense difficult to come by – whether through transition or within their attack zone – the Bruins had to rely on their $66 million goalie to keep them within striking distance. While some of the mishaps remained, Boston's D didn't have as many mistakes, allowing Swayman to track pucks a little easier in his second start of the season.

Offensively, Boston's top six struggled to achieve as much as possible on the power play and at even strength. But the energy of the third and fourth lines allowed the Bruins to stay within striking distance.

Overall, Boston's bottom team had a 17-7 advantage in shot attempts at 5-on-5 and a 5-3 advantage in shots on net.

“I thought, you know, what people would notice (from Saturday) is that our back six carried us — other than Swayman in net — and gave us the opportunity to stay in the game,” Montgomery said. “And then we were able to cash in and make it to overtime.”

The Bruins didn't let Moore's tally rattle them and regrouped in time for Lindholm's equalizer and Pastrnak's winning goal. But they will need more from their four forward trios and three defensive pairs in Monday's return game against the Panthers.

The search for that elusive 60-minute effort continues.

By eliminating the holes at the top of the lineup and increasing size and strength throughout the depth chart, the Bruins could well be in a better position for the postseason compared to previous seasons.

But they haven't been able to sustain a three-zone push in their first three games. Despite their defensive woes against the Panthers and Canadiens and their offensive woes against the Kings, the Bruins enter Monday's return game against Florida with a 2-1 record.

Due to the turnover in last year's squad and the ongoing turnover situation within the middle six, it could take some time for this year's Bruins team to find its footing. But the potential to develop into a well-rounded bunch gives Montgomery and his coaching staff a lot of optimism.

“It’s still early in the year. We haven't played a full 60-minute game as a team yet, so there are a lot of areas for us to develop both offensively and defensively. We had problems defensively in the first two games. Tonight I thought we had trouble with our transition offense,” Montgomery said.

“It’s early in the year. I have to keep telling myself to be patient with our group because there is a lot of growth in this lineup. And that’s what excites you about what we can be.”

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