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It appears the Bruins got the message

January 17, 2020, 10:18 AM ET [5 Comments]
Anthony Travalgia
Boston Bruins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
After being criticized for their lack of response to the hit on Tuukka Rask in Columbus Tuesday night, the Bruins knew they had some added pressure going into their contest with the Penguins Thursday night.

And because of their lack of a response and that added pressure, the Bruins had to be a different team Thursday than the one that got shutout Tuesday and failed to give much of a response to the concussion Rask suffered.

"We did have a different day today, we had a different meeting on some things we needed to do better as a group. It wasn't necessarily a challenge, it was a reset on supporting one another all over the ice. We addressed the group about a little bit of our mentality,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We feel we're winners in that locker room, but you have to prepare to win, you have to compete to win and go through the process of winning.”

Their attempt to be better as a group and get back to the process of winning did not get off to a good start, however as Sidney Crosby’s rocket past goalie Jaroslav Halak gave the Penguins the 1-0 lead just 24 seconds into the contest.

But unlike Tuesday, the Bruins responded. They responded to the Crosby goal with four unanswered goals and they responded physically on the ice when they felt they needed to on their way to the 4-1 victory.

“Tonight, obviously got scored on early, that can deflate a team. Stuck with it. Power plays early — usually if you don’t score, it gives the other team some momentum as well,” added Cassidy. “We played through some of the stuff that we didn’t do well early, and I liked our effort. I thought we checked really well against a good offensive team, managed the puck well, got over people."

The well-rounded response started midway through the first period with a pair of goals from Sean Kuraly and Par Lindholm just over two minutes apart.

The common denominator?

Karson Kuhlman.

“I mean, tonight he obviously chipped in a little bit of offense, good for him. We expect some level of offense and to get it right away is a nice win, it’s nice to have that production,” Cassidy said of Kuhlman who picked up the primary assists on both first period goals in his first game back from injury.

Kuhlman missed 40 games with a lower body injury.

“Drives the net on the Kuraly goal — something else we’ve talked about, getting inside a little more. Big or small, we need that. Against good teams, you have to be able to do that. All in all, Kuhly [Kuhlman], nice night for what he brings and we’re happy to have him back.”

After back-to-back shaky outings, a response was also needed from Halak, especially with Rask out of the lineup. After allowing the goal to Crosby, Halak shut the door on the Penguins including an incredible four-save sequence while the Bruins were on the power play in the final seconds of the second period.

In what should have been a 2-2 game entering the third, the Bruins instead took a 2-1 lead into the final stanza and never looked back.

“I thought it was a difference-maker in the game. They could have went into the period with a tie,” said Cassidy.

"We don't win the game, probably, without it. Those were four or five saves that we needed," said Torey Krug. “It pushed us in the right direction because we were able to come in the third period and extend the lead. If he doesn't make any of those saves, then that's a different complexion of a game."

As nice as the Bruins response on the scoreboard was, and as nice as a response game from Halak was beneficial, it was Krug’s and several other Bruins physical response that was the key takeaway from this one.

After watching Penguins forward Patrick Hornqvist issue several crosschecks to his teammates on the ice, Krug and Hornqvist exchanged pleasantries, leading to matching minors for roughing.

But upon leaving the penalty boxes for their minor infractions, Krug wanted to make sure there was no talk about the lack of toughness inside the Bruins locker room, dropping the gloves with Hornqvist.

It was Krug's first fighting major since November 8, 2018.

“That had me laughing,” Chris Wagner said of Krug’s bout with Hornqvist “I love when he gets fired up like that. He’s a smaller guy, but he’s got a lot of fight in him.”

“Just tensions running high,” Krug detailed. “I’ve been hit by him many, many times over the years, so it’s just something that happens in hockey. It was good. Hopefully it energized our group a little bit.”

“It started with what he felt was a crosscheck to Grizz [Matt Grzelcyk] right in front of our bench. it’s one of the reasons [David] Krejci—who did not play Thursday with an upper-body injury after being labeled a game-time decision— is out of the lineup,” added Cassidy.

It wasn’t just the fight that was different about the Bruins physical play. There was clearly an emphasis on finishing their checks, and coming to the aid of their teammates on anything in a physical nature they felt was a little too close for comfort.

“I thought we stuck together physically, tried to play the body when we were supposed to and stuck up for one another if anything happened,” said Cassidy. “Dropped the mitts once, because sometimes that’s going to happen. So, good response.”

The Bruins were much more prepared and much more focused Thursday and it showed. It showed on the scoreboard, between the pipes and it showed physically.

Cassidy wouldn’t reveal what the message was to his team, but whatever that message was, it appears the message was heard.

Loud and clear.

“It wasn’t about going out there and trying to run them out of the rink, by any means,” added Krug.

“Look at our roster, we don’t have that group anymore. But we talked about sticking together, competing harder and just sacrificing a little bit more. That doesn’t mean putting a guy through the glass, but it means going into a corner and having the willingness to get hit or hit someone else and come out with the puck. I think that desperation was lost there for a few games. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction and we can kind of grasp that concept again and that’s been part of our DNA for years.”

Brett Ritchie waived

On Wednesday the Bruins waived forward Brett Ritchie who cleared waivers Thursday and has been assigned to the Providence Bruins.

The Bruins signed Ritchie to a one-year contract in the summer and Ritchie hasn’t quite checked off any of the boxes the Bruins have asked him to check. He’s played up and down the lineup, including more time on the Bruins second line than he should have been awarded.

Cassidy cited Kuhlman’s return and a lack of consistency from Ritchie as the driving factors behind the decision to waive the veteran forward. But as one of the Bruins tougher forwards, his lack of a response to the hit on Rask Tuesday may have had a little influence in the decision.

"His overall play since we signed him has been inconsistent," said Cassidy. "We feel he's had some good games, done some of the things we asked or expected to help us win. Other times, we had to push him to get there. The timing of some of our guys getting healthy has something to do with it."

Despite concussion, Bruins honor Rask for 500th career game

The Bruins placed Rask on IR Thursday, recalling goalie Daniel Vlader from Providence. Cassidy had no timetable on Rask's return Thursday, and admitted the team is going to handle things day-to-day.

"Right now, we're gonna go day-to-day," said Cassidy. "But we have a lot of faith in Jaro [Halak]. Right now, his game is not where it was at the beginning of the year, but we like what Jaro brings and maybe this opportunity gives him a little juice.”

Rask was at Warrior Ice Arena Thursday morning where he did not practice as the team went forward with their plans to honor Rask prior to puck drop Thursday night at TD Garden.

In the ceremony honoring Rask’s 500 career games, he was greeted with a video that included several former teammates congratulating him for hitting the 500-game milestone including Milan Lucic, Chris Kelly and Tim Thomas among others.

The highlight of the ceremony was the Bruins gifting Rask a replica drum set that Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich uses.

Ulrich also made an appearance in the video message for Rask.
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