There is something to be said about coaching changes. For the Boston Bruins, they have now won their second game in a row under head coach Joe Sacco. It was not the prettiest win, but they defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 and are playing confidently. There are some key takeaways from this game that instill confidence moving forward.
Marchand: Captain Clutch
It only took ten periods of hockey, but the Bruins finally capitalized during five-on-five play. They’ve become power-play merchants the last three games, so seeing an offensive breakthrough is an enormous thing.
Captain Brad Marchand has dominated the Red Wings in his career much like David Pastrnak against the Philadelphia Flyers. In 42 games in his career, Marchand has 18 goals and 24 assists versus Detroit. He made goal number 19 count. Marchand gathered a loose puck and ripped a shot short side against goaltender Cam Talbot.
Given the way Talbot was playing, it was going to be that type of goal to beat him. Marchand and his heroics were great to see and the Bruins emerged victorious because of it. However, it was not just that the Bruins broke through and scored during five-on-five play, but because their five-on-five play was much better.
Five-on-Five Play Improved
Up until this point, the Bruins’ play at five-on-five was a mess. They had no structure and often looked out of sync. Against the Red Wings, it was the polar opposite of that.
In this game, the Bruins controlled the shot attempts share 44-39 and outshot the Red Wings 25-14. They translated that puck possession into offense, controlling the expected goal share 1.40-0.93. It was something missing under former head coach Jim Montgomery. What’s also worth noting is that the Bruins have leaned into their team defense the last two games and are playing structurally sound. Against Detroit, the team defense was off the charts with everyone contributing.
In the last two games combined, they’ve allowed just one goal and have outshot the opposition by an average of 9.5 shots per game. Also, they’ve controlled the expected goal share at 63.2% as a team. That’s a breath of fresh air, to say the least.
The way this roster is built, winning games 6-4 or winning games by being an offensive dynamo are non-existent. They are built to win close games and be able to grind out wins. That’s what they’ve done the last two games and it’s paid off.
The Bruins’ Penalty Kill Delivers
There is a reason the Red Wings have such a lethal power play. When it is led by Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, and Alex DeBrincat, there is no shortage of weapons. Also, that’s why it is ranked sixth in the league with a 28.1% success rate. A seemingly struggling Bruins penalty kill had their work cut out for them. However, they delivered and it paid off.
The Bruins went perfect on the penalty kill, killing all four power plays they faced. It’s enormous, considering the talent that’s on it, but huge because it could’ve buried them in the game if they weren’t sharp. It wasn’t that they killed the power plays, but that they limited quality damage.
The Bruins allowed just three high-danger shot attempts when shorthanded. They kept the Red Wings away from the goal crease and suppressed their chances. You never would’ve thought they’d win the special teams battle, but doing so helped secure the two points.
Bruins Winning in Different Ways
It is not how you win the game, but that you win the game. They are not the prettiest wins, but the Bruins are now 2-0 under head coach Joe Sacco. The Bruins finally broke through with five-on-five scoring and saw their team defense take over. They are doing the little things right and should only improve going forward.
This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.
