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What to make of Bruins’ greatest lineup reshuffle yet ahead of Game 3
"There's a method to how we think the lines will help this group tonight."
SUNRISE, Fla. — Following a disastrous Game 2 showing against the Panthers at TD Garden, Jim Montgomery promised changes across Boston’s lineup.
The Bruins’ bench boss practiced what he preached on Friday morning.
Beyond Patrice Bergeron’s continued absence, the Bruins tossed their lineup into a blender ahead of their Game 3 showdown with the Panthers at FLA Live Arena.
Here’s a look at Boston’s projected lines and pairings:
Marchand-Coyle-Frederic
Hall-Krejci-DeBrusk
Bertuzzi-Zacha-Pastrnak
Lauko-Nosek-Hathaway
Grzelcyk-McAvoy
Lindholm-Carlo
Forbort-Orlov
Swayman
Ullmark (Game-time decision)
“We talked as a staff and I talked with Don Sweeney, and we’re like, ‘What do we think gives us the best opportunity on the road?’ And we couldn’t come to a consensus. So you know the lotto balls, how they come out? We just spit them out and we’re like, I liked how it came out,” Montgomery said in jest, adding: “There’s a method to how we think the lines will help this group tonight.”
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So what are the Bruins hoping to unlock with this remade lineup? Let’s dive into a few new personnel groupings.
Slotting up Coyle and Frederic with Marchand
Brad Marchand has arguably been Boston’s most impactful forward through the first two games of this series. But with Boston’s middle-six grouping struggling to generate looks, Marchand will join a heavier line next to Trent Frederic and Charlie Coyle.
It’s a trio that has rarely spent time together during the regular season, with all three skaters out on the ice for just 12:58 of ice time over 71 games. During that small sample size, opponents have held a 23-5 edge in shot attempts.
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But after a Game 2 loss where Boston struggled to generate high-danger scoring chances against Alex Lyon, Frederic will likely be planted down by the blue paint on Friday night.
“He’s had moments in the playoffs where he’s been in the right areas, the hard areas and we need to get more opportunities in those hard areas,” Montgomery said of Frederic. “So we think that could be a real heavy line for us.”
Looking to spark Krejci
Bergeron’s nagging injury has hindered Boston’s top-six capabilities. But David Krejci’s poor play on the second line has been a back-breaker.
In Krejci’s 28:40 of 5v5 ice time this series, the Panthers have outscored Boston, 2-0, and held a commanding 24-9 edge in shots on goal. Montgomery can handle that line trading chances at 5v5 play, but Krejci and Co. have been hemmed in countless times in the D-zone against Florida’s forecheck.
Even though Krejci and Hall haven’t played together all that much this season, the duo put up video-game numbers during their time together in 2021.
After Boston dealt for Hall back in April 2021, the former Hart Trophy winner logged 193:13 of 5v5 ice time next to Krejci. Boston outscored teams, 14-1, over that 16-game stretch.
Not tinkering with Zacha and Pastrnak
Over the final weeks of the regular season, a forward line of Tyler Bertuzzi, Pavel Zacha, and David Pastrnak served as Boston’s most dependable offensive conduit.
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With Krejci struggling to drive play on the second line, reuniting this grouping further down on the depth chart is a logical lineup tweak.
Bringing in Jakub Lauko
Jakub Lauko being the next man up on Boston’s checking unit makes plenty of sense.
The 23-year-old winger has a knack for stirring things up after the whistle. His speed can put teams on their heels during a counter-rush. But his ability to draw penalties and put his team on the power play might be his greatest asset in this series.
Lauko drew 11 penalties in just 23 games during the regular season, more than top-six stalwarts like Krejci (10) and DeBrusk (10). Of the 738 NHLers who have recorded at least 150 minutes of 5v5 reps this season, Lauko ranks first overall with a rate of 3.38 penalties drawn per 60 minutes.
If Lauko can put a few Panthers in the sin bin, it bodes well for a Bruins team looking to do damage against a Florida penalty kill that ranked 23rd in the NHL during regular-season action.
“If he plays, it’s gonna be just his speed,” Montgomery said of Lauko. “He draws penalties. He makes it hard on defensemen and their gaps, because they have to respect his speed.
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“If they try and have a tight gap, he can spring for breakaways, which a lot of times that’s how he draws his penalties and he’s really tenacious. … He’s a real forechecker, hits well, creates turnovers. So if he gets the opportunity that’s where the line of thinking is there.”
Optimizing puck movement on the blue line
After Boston’s breakouts were shredded by Florida’s forecheck in Game 2, Montgomery will reunite a top pair of Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy on Friday night.
For all of the talk of Grzelcyk’s struggles against heavier teams in the playoffs, his puck-movement capabilities have been missed, especially next to McAvoy.
Slotting Grzelcyk next to McAvoy should benefit all parties, especially after a lackluster showing from McAvoy on Wednesday. During the 604 minutes that Grzelcyk and McAvoy have skated together this season, Boston has outshot opponents, 327-270, and outscored them, 36-15.
“I think just moving the puck up really well,” Grzelcyk said of how he and McAvoy complement one another. “I think we use each other, have a little bit of chemistry there.
“I think we’re both pretty mobile and Charlie is really good at closing plays off, allows me to come over and I think we just play fast with one another and we’re able to get the puck in the forwards’ hands and make some plays and join the rush, but also be responsible defensively at the same time.”
Slotting down Dmitry Orlov on the third pairing next to Derek Forbort also gives Boston more options, especially with Florida having the advantage of the last change in their own building.
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“The thing with Orlov is we found with anyone he plays with, that guy plays well. And he plays well,” Montgomery said of Orlov. “He just gives us the advantage of having a guy that can play the off side really well. And, I think you’re gonna see the pairs mixed up, just depending on how things go because we’re on the road as well.”
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