Entering Thursday night’s game against Utah, the Bruins ranked at the bottom of the league’s power-play standings, clicking at just 11.7 percent.
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The Bruins are looking to flip the power switch.
Among the myriad problems the club has endured this season is abysmal play with the man advantage.
Heading into Thursday night’s
1-0 win over the Utah Hockey Club at TD Garden, the Bruins ranked at the bottom of the league’s power-play standings, clicking at just 11.7 percent.
The Bruins went 1 for 7 against Utah, with
Elias Lindholm clicking for his third goal (and first on the power play) of the season.
Clean entries into the offensive end have been a bugaboo as teams have often stacked the blue line, leaving little space to carry the puck in.
Joe Sacco outlined strategies to counter that scheme and get more zone time.
“It’s about finishing our routes as a group. I think when teams are stiff at the blue line, it is hard to come in with control of the puck,” the
add new endinterim coach said following the morning skate. “So, we have plans where we’re trying to finish our routes, put the puck to a certain area where guys can retrieve it, and then we can get into our set from there.”
Holding onto the puck too long can be a problem, so sometimes dumping it deep is a better option than trying to fit a pass into a tight window.
“Sometimes it’s possession before position, so it doesn’t matter where you’re supposed to be on the unit once you set up,” said Sacco. “It’s about getting the possession first and then we can get into our spots from there.
“But it’s about not being stubborn with the puck. Sometimes you do have to put it behind them, and you have to go in and get it and finish your routes.”
A change Sacco implemented is positioning
Brad Marchand closer to the net front. The captain had been operating on the elbow.
“Brad will see more of the goal line, try to run some more low plays and bound-it-in plays around the net front,” said Sacco. “We have to do a better job of not being so predictable with our power play. And I think if we can create some more traffic down low, some more opportunities to make some low plays around the goaltender, not be perimeter, get on the inside, I think that should help our power play and he’s going to see more goal-line action.”
Marchand’s quickness, toughness, and stickhandling ability should allow him to thrive in a role where split-second decisions are part of the deal.
“He’s always been a guy that can take it to the net pretty well. I know he is a smaller guy as far as being in front of the goalie, but from the goal line, getting it to the net, he’s quick off the goal line and he’s able to strike right away to the net and attack it,” said Sacco.
“So, we’re hoping that when he does that, that’ll create maybe some two-for-one rebound opportunities for guys that are converging on the elbows, but he seems to be pretty comfortable there right now.”
For Lindholm, who has been on the top power-play unit all season, a key to the turnaround is to stop forcing plays.
“I think you need patience out there and right now we’re not. We’re kind of forcing plays that are not there and we’re rushing too much out there,” he said. “I think obviously when things like this happen, you’ve got to regroup and I don’t think we get enough in front of the net, enough second chances and enough shots there.
"So, I think just simple things. Regroup and do the simple stuff, shoot the puck and win it back, and retrievals.”
Sacco said an area of emphasis for him will be restoring the club’s image of being hard to play against. It starts with clearing opponents out of the front of the net.
“I thought our layers were pretty good tonight. I mean we’re still, we have to get better, but I thought defending the rush through the neutral zone, our rush defense was pretty solid,” said Sacco. “Our D did a really good job of staying inside the dots and in forcing plays to the outside and then in our own defensive zone.
“We talked the other day about protecting our goaltender more and we did a good job. We played hard in front of our goal. We made it difficult on the opponent to get really inside quality slot looks.”
It’s a strategy
Brandon Carlo is on board with.
“When you can let our goalie see the puck with how incredible they are, it’s obviously an advantage,” said the defenseman. “It becomes difficult at times. You don’t want to get too tied up with guys in front. There’s other bodies around too. There could be a three-on-two kind of situation at that net front.
“But definitely try and keep them off to the sides of the post as much as possible.”