Bruins week ahead: What’s with Jimmy Hayes?
Thanks to a returning Tuukka Rask, the Bruins snapped their three-game losing streak Saturday night in Detroit with a 1-0 shutout over the Red Wings. Rask was sharp in his first game in nine days, stopping all 24 shots he saw. Tim Schaller’s first goal of the year was all the Bruins would need.
With three games on the docket, let’s take a look at the Bruins’ week ahead:
Tuesday vs. Florida Panthers, 7:30 p.m.
The team kicks off their week with a contest in Florida against the Panthers who, like the Bruins, are off to a slow start at 4-4-1. In his first season with the Panthers, Jonathan Marchessault is leading the charge for the defending Atlantic Division champions. The 25-year-old Marchessault has six goals and five assists in nine games.
The Bruins hope a return to a familiar place is exactly what Jimmy Hayes needs to get going. The former Panther is pointless through eight games and has really struggled in all areas of his game. Hayes has failed to register a point in the five games he has played against the Panthers since his trade to Boston.
After his performance Saturday, Rask should be back between the pipes for the Bruins. Rask owns a 15-3-1 record against the Panthers, with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage.
The Bruins took three-of-four against the Panthers last season
Thursday vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m.
The Bruins will stay in sunny Florida for their contest Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Expected to compete for the Atlantic Division’s top spot this season, the Lightning sit just two points ahead of the Bruins with five wins in nine games this season. David Pastrnak will make his return in Tampa Bay after serving a two-game suspension for his hit to the head of Rangers defenseman, Dan Girardi.
Tampa Bay enters Monday allowing 3.2 goals per game, 23rd in all of the National Hockey League. Steven Stamkos is up to his usual production with 10 points in nine contests, including six goals.
Tampa Bay’s speed up front and size in their own end should be a good test for a Bruins defensive unit that has been mostly outmatched all season.
The Bruins will look to take advantage of the Lightning’s struggling second defensive pairing. The pair of Jason Garrison and Andrej Sustr are a combined minus-13 this season.
The Bruins and Lightning split their four-game season series a year ago with the road team picking up wins in each of the four.
Saturday vs. New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
The Bruins will look to avenge last week’s ugly loss where the Rangers scored five unanswered goals en route to the 5-2 victory. The start was Zane McIntyre’s first of his NHL career. After two first period goals gave McIntyre and the Bruins the 2-0 lead, the wheels once again feel off in the second period as the Rangers scored three times.
The Bruins will have to find an answer for Brandon Pirri and Jimmy Vesey who combined for four points in the win. The Black and Gold looked good through 20 minutes in New York last week and will need to equal their intensity on Saturday, but this time for 60 minutes in order to walk away with the two points.
Penalty minutes were an issue last Wednesday as the Bruins 14 came back to haunt them. The Rangers were 2-for-6 with the man advantage while the Bruins failed to score on the lone opportunity they had.
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