4 observations from Bruins’ preseason win over Flyers
Tyler Johnson continues to make a strong case for a roster spot with two preseason games to go.
With a week to go before regular-season action begins, Jim Montgomery rolled out a Bruins lineup on Tuesday mostly comprised of NHL regulars.
All six of Boston’s projected starting defensemen took to the ice in the Bruins’ preseason bout against the Flyers. Only Matt Poitras and a banged-up Max Jones stood as the noteworthy omissions up front.
The Jeremy Swayman contract drama still looms large over this team. But the remainder of Boston’s expected starting lineup impressed at TD Garden en route to a 4-1 win over Philadelphia.
Justin Brazeau, Tyler Johnson, Charlie Coyle, and Mark Kastelic all scored for the Bruins, while Brandon Bussi stopped 13 of the 14 shots that came his way in the win.
Here are four takeaways from Tuesday’s win on Causeway Street:
Tyler Johnson states case for roster spot
Tyler Johnson has few guarantees this fall.
Playing on a professional tryout (POT) contract, the 34-year-old forward is looking to extend his career with a team he once loathed during years of pitched playoff battles with Tampa Bay.
With just two preseason games left on the docket, Johnson is putting himself in a prime position to earn a guaranteed NHL contract before Oct. 8.
Skating as Boston’s third-line center between Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau, Johnson helped drive play on arguably Boston’s best forward trio of the evening. In the 6:39 of 5-on-5 ice time that the Frederic-Johnson-Brazeau line logged, the Bruins held a 5-0 edge in shots on goal and outscored the Flyers, 1-0.
That trio landed on the scoresheet when Brazeau knocked home a slick feed from Nikita Zadorov at 9:57 in the first period. Johnson added his own tally at 7:50 in the third — capping off a tic-tac-toe passing sequence with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha by beating Samuel Ersson with a sharp backdoor shot.
“I think he’s gotten better through camp,” Montgomery said of Johnson. “And I thought tonight he was really good. I thought he’s made real subtle plays, I think in the first two games he played. Tonight was a real good effort, not because of the goal. I thought his line was our best line tonight. I thought Frederic and Brazeau were excellent.”
It remains to be seen where Johnson slots in this lineup if Boston extends him a contract offer, especially if both Jones and Poitras are added to the equation.
But Johnson’s veteran mettle (two Stanley Cup titles with the Lightning) and ability to play both center and wing could make him a valuable asset on this forward corps.
“I think it’s just trying to play my game,” Johnson said of his approach this preseason. “I think if you really think about it too much and get worried and kind of nervous or whatever, that’s when you play your worst. So for me, it’s just trying to come in, do everything that I normally do and try to improve every day.”
Boston’s fourth-line grouping of Mark Kastelic, Johnny Beecher, and Cole Koepke were also as advertised, with Kastelic continuing his preseason trend of getting involved in just about every scrum out on the ice.
Boston wants to see what Jones can provide in a checking-line role, but Koepke has made the most of his opportunity due to his high motor. If Jones isn’t ready by next week, Koepke is likely the next man up.
Potential top-six grouping gets its first look … for a short stint
Tuesday marked the preseason debuts of several key cogs for Boston, including captain Brad Marchand and top free-agent pickup Elias Lindholm.
A top line of Lindholm, David Pastrnak, and Pavel Zacha had a few standout shifts, although their general execution was still lacking at times.
Granted, some of that might have been a byproduct of Lindholm’s absence from a hefty portion of training camp due to an undisclosed injury.
Still, Lindholm’s active stick and especially his positioning at the bumper position on the power plays offered a promising preview of what the two-way pivot should be able to offer this team moving forward.
“I think they’re capable of moving the puck better and quicker and faster than what we saw,” Montgomery said of Boston’s top line. “But the plays that Lindholm makes through the middle of the ice, his poise, his hockey sense — you can tell he’s going to be someone that really adds to our offensive game.”
For most of the first period, a line of Marchand, Coyle, and Morgan Geekie was dominant — with Geekie in particular making a strong case for that top-six spot by winning puck battles and testing Ersson with several quality chances.
But that grouping only skated sparingly as a three-man unit, with Marchand logging just 4:12 of ice time and not returning after the first period of play. Despite initial fears that the 36-year-old winger aggravated something after undergoing three offseason surgeries, Marchand left due to illness.
“That’s why he didn’t practice yesterday,” Montgomery explained. “He wasn’t feeling good two days ago, and when he showed up this morning, he felt good. Just maybe it came back. 24-hour bug — now a 12-hour bug. He’ll be fine.”
Bussi holds his own
Much like Joonas Korpisalo in his preseason debut last week, Bussi wasn’t exactly under siege in net when it came to shot volume. But after a pair of shaky performances where rebound-control issues sprouted up, Bussi stood tall and made some crucial Grade-A stops on Tuesday.
His top save of the night was a breakaway stop against former Bruin Anthony Richard in the third period, with the 26-year-old netminder later robbing Sean Couturier near the slot to preserve what was a 2-1 lead at the time.
With Swayman still unsigned, Bussi figures to be Boston’s backup goalie entering the regular season.
“That was a good lineup that we played tonight — a lot of good offensive weapons,” Montgomery said. “I thought [Bussi] read the plays well. I thought he was aggressive. He was moving well.
“There was a flurry in the first where they missed the net, but he was there if it hit the net. He was ready and he was reading it. And the save on Richard, it was important at the moment of the game.”
Blueliners get involved on offense
The Bruins have plenty of heft on their blue line. But the skating and offensive instincts present in that six-man unit might be the thing that Montgomery and his staff are most excited about.
Look no further than Tuesday, where 6-foot-6 Zadorov activated and set up Brazeau’s goal off a crisp feed and Boston’s six D-men accounted for 31 of Boston’s 66 total shot attempts.
“I liked all three pairings, to be honest,” Montgomery said of his D-men. “I thought they looked good. I liked how active they were. I liked how they kept pucks alive in the offensive zone, being aggressive. One guy was down, one guy was in the middle of the ice, and that really created good support for us.
“And the most impressive thing was how shot ready they were. Like I didn’t think they were in the first, but in the second and third, every time the puck came back, they were ready to pound it. And that’s something that we’re trying to really make our defenseman aware and ready to do this year.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com