Shut Up Haters

Your Boston Bruins are 3-0-0 to open the 2022-2023 campaign and the doubters are running out of excuses.

Opening night in WAS? The Caps were missing too many key players and plus it was opening night and anything can happen.

The home opener vs. ARZ? C’mon man, everyone knows the Coyotes are tanking for Bedard and they have Nick Ritchie in their top 6 forward group.

Hosting FLA with their new lineup and attitude? Well the Panthers weren’t cap compliant so they had to play with one less defenseman.

Where are all the excuses for the Bruins? Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk and now Brandon Carlo are all out along with Anton Stralman being unable to play due to visa issues. That’s one of the Bruins best forwards (actually one of the NHL’s best forwards) along with 75% of the top 4 defenseman in street clothes.

Spin it any way you’d like; but the team looks faster and more engaged. They somehow look more explosive and physical than they did under the previous coaching regime. There’s been a lot of talk about new HC Jim Montgomery’s style of play: Fast breakouts by the defense, a strong possession and cycle game in the offensive zone and a certain freedom to create offensively that was missing before. So far, in this small sample size, it certainly looks good.

Some of the highlights/takeaways from last night and this young season so far.

The birthday boy had himself a game. I’ve long been critical of Jake DeBrusk, but not THIS Jake DeBrusk. The kid had himself a night to celebrate his 26th birthday after sitting out a game. He opened the game with a great hustle play and he didn’t let up the rest of the night.

Originally tweeted by Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) on October 17, 2022.

Originally tweeted by Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) on October 18, 2022.

David Pastrnak is still absolute filth with the puck. Not only does he still have the dangles, Pasta looks stronger on the puck and has been initiating contact along the wall. You can actually see Marc Staal contemplate his life choices the moment that Pasta slips the puck through his legs.

Originally tweeted by Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) on October 18, 2022.

Secondary scoring. That elusive element that the B’s have been searching for since the Glen Murray days. In the first 2GP this season, the Bruins had 11 goals scored by 10 different players. That’s the first time that’s happened in the history of the Bruins and only the 11th time that’s happened in NHL history. The last team to have that type of scoring depth to open the season was STL in 2013-2014. Last night it was Trent Frederic’s turn to get in on the fun.

Originally tweeted by Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) on October 18, 2022.

Jacob Zboril and Derek Forbort have both played great so far. This is a big year for Zboril as he’s coming off the ACL injury, but he’s looked great so far and his skating doesn’t seem to be affected. Forbort has picked up where he left off in the playoffs: Solid, steady D while eating pucks like Pac-Man

Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman are the best tandem in the NHL. That’s it, that’s the headline.

Originally tweeted by Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) on October 16, 2022.

Editor’s Note: We couldn’t find Ullmark’s save from last night on the breakaway. the only logical conclusion is that the internet scrubbed it since it was so filthy

Originally tweeted by Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) on April 10, 2022.

Nick Foligno looks leaner and faster than he did last year and is more effective in his TOI

Charlie Coyle looks invigorated skating with Frederic and AJ Greer. Couple of young bucks giving a goose to Coyle’s game is not a bad thing. Just keep shooting Charlie.

Originally tweeted by Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) on October 16, 2022.

Connor Clifton is rising to the occasion. The more ice time Cliffy gets, the better Cliffy is playing.

Up next for the Bruins is a quick trip to OTT tonight for the first of 14 back to back’s this year. Remember that when everyone starts bitching about how the schedule makers gave the Bruins “the easy schedule”, you can tell them that AJ said to “Kiss the B”