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Third line starting to make more of an impact for Bruins |
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For most of the 2018-19 season, the Bruins have been a one-line team. Secondary scoring has been an issue, especially five-on-five for the Bruins.
Jake DeBrusk’s tally in Thursday’s 8-5 loss to the Vancouver Canucks was the team’s first five-on-five goal from a forward other than Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron or David Pastrnak in just over 400 minutes of play.
Scoring 32 of the team’s 53 goals, the Bergeron line has accounted for 58% of the team’s goals, down from the high 60% range it was at earlier this month.
After weeks of line juggling, Bruce Cassidy has found himself a second line he is comfortable with. But now it seems like he’s found himself a third line.
The Bruins recalled Jakob Forsbacka Karlson prior to Saturday’s win over the Maple Leafs, putting him in the middle of Danton Heinen and Anders Bjork on the third line. The line was solid against the Maple Leafs, and even better in Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. A win that saw the line produce themselves a goal for the second time in three games.
“Yeah, I thought they had a good weekend. Obviously, got a goal. Helps when you’re young. That’s what you’ve done most of your – previously before here you’re used to getting on the scoresheet, so you get frustrated if you don’t,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said Sunday.
The recall of Forsbacka Karlson has moved David Backes to the fourth line right wing while the struggling Noel Acciari was the healthy scratch in both games this past weekend. The addition of Forsbacka Karlson has sparked a change in the line.
"JFK" was given a chance in the preseason to win the third line center job. Failing to do so, Forsbacka Karlson was sent to Providence to work on his game. His play with the Providence Bruins, and the lack a true third line center on the big club, has earned him another look on the line. Through two games, JFK has played well enough for Cassidy and company to continue to give him a look in the position.
He couldn’t do it in the preseason, but for now, JFK is winning the third line center battle.
“I would guess that six weeks or whatever it is that he’s been down there after a full year, I would guess he’s hungry to be here and stay,” said Cassidy. “It’s kind of, what the second go-around say? He had a quick introduction here against Washington a couple years ago, one game, and then goes down there and doesn’t play a lot with the big club and then preseason doesn’t work out. So, I think at some point the switch has to go off, okay this is what I need to do, and I think he’s doing what we’re asking him to do, and he’s playing to his strengths.”
As well as Forsbacka Karlson has done in his two games at center, he does have to improve on a few other aspects of his game if he plans on sticking around for the rest of the season. His work at the faceoff dot being one of those aspects. In two games, JFK has won 43.8% of his draws.
“He’s still got a ways to go, puck battles could be better, but I like the progress I’ve seen out of him. He seems to be a much more engaged player and that’s all we’re asking: be engaged every night,” said Cassidy. “We’ll walk you through the rest, and hopefully you’re good enough to stay here. That’ll be on him eventually.”
The improved play of late from Bjork and Heinen will certainly help JFK in his development. The speed of the line has been fun to watch. But it was the work of Heinen and Bjork on Heinen’s goal Sunday that impressed Cassidy.
“So, they got rewarded. It was a good goal. They did it the right way, started in d-zone, they played it, they won a puck, got it behind their d, won a foot race and got it to the front of the net, so it wasn’t lucky. It wasn’t a fluke. It was the right way to do things, and they got rewarded for it. So, hopefully that reminds them how they need to play.”
Both Bjork and Heinen found pockets of success last season. But until this weekend, they’ve had issues finding any type of success so far. After a weekend of impactful play, both hope that they continue the progress made this weekend and become more a scoring threat.
“Yeah, I think… I think we need to be a line like that, that can, you know, chip in offensively when needed,” said Heinen who now has two goals in three games. “Obviously that top line is the majority of our scoring, and they’ve been great and they were great tonight again, but you know, when they’re not there we need to be reliable and chip in every once in a while, so yeah.”
Like Heinen, Bjork hopes that the line’s success continues.
“Yeah, a little bit. I think it starts with us playing hard and you know. Especially attacking on the fore-check. I think JFK plays so well defensively and so does Heino [Heinen] too. I think we have been solid there and, obviously we can improve a little bit but that’s helped our transition game which has helped us get in on the forecheck and that’s where we’ve created opportunity just by attacking and screening hard. I think, yeah it’s been good. Hopefully we can continue that.”
The third line has been a massive issue for the Bruins to date, but these last two games have shown that the line is turning a corner and the potential is there. Bjork and Heinen combined for 20 goals last season, with Heinen picking up 16 of the 20.
Like Cassidy, I’ve liked their game these past two nights. I think the speed of JFK has been a benefit to the line. Between the speed of JFK and the speed of Bjork, the line has the potential to cause problems for opposing defenses.
Because of the line’s speed, they’re going to create space for themselves, hopefully that results in more success for the trio. Bjork is up there with Pastrnak in my opinion as the team’s fastest skaters. The confidence he has shown of late has been a welcoming sign for the Bruins.
The Bruins won’t return to TD Garden until Black Friday when the host the Pittsburgh Penguins. With stops along the way in Denver, Dallas, Arizona and Detroit, the Bruins hope to return with their third line still intact as is.
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