The Boston Bruins were not having three veteran defensemen in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series with New York Rangers on Thursday as Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Sort Redden couldn't play as a consequence of injuries.
As a result, Bruins head coach Claude Julien is forced to insert novice defensemen Torey Krug, Shiny Bartkowski and Dougie Hamilton into his blue line, and these young players performed actually despite their lack from playoff experience (four games combined).
Even though the Bruins have a whole lot of confidence in these rookies, the team should be at least some more surprised that they played an essential role in the Bruins choosing a 1-0 series lead using a 3-2 overtime victory.
"They deserve a number of credit for how they handled themselves, all three of them. It was Torey's [Krug] to begin with game, obviously. Not only did he score a great goal, but he merely moved that puck consequently well. A lot of that time period, he played against their third line which is a pretty heavy line. I thought he handled them very well.
"Bart [Matt Bartkowski] continues to get better and more desirable. He certainly takes the ice that's presented to him, he moves that puck up quickly... We've seen Dougie [Hamilton] with us all year. I thought they did an awesome job, but also our veterans that were back there with these individuals. "
Not many teams have the depth for you to call up two skilled young defensemen (Bartkowski together with Krug) with very no NHL playoff experience from the AHL and get positive impacts in all of the three zones immediately, but the Bruins have this luxury because of the ability to identify, sign and draft quality young blueliners regularly.
Krug's power play goal in the third period was a giant confidence-booster for the Bruins, whose 1-0 lead evaporated quickly should the Rangers scored two plans in 16 seconds involving the end of the second period and the start of the third. Hamilton was credited along with the primary assist on a goal.
"I just consider moving the puck to help you Marchy [Brad Marchand], and he was getting into the zone with speed relating to the power play, and he curled all the way up and gave it so that you can Dougie [Hamilton] and Dougie made an awesome play by drawing the guy out to him and he slid it to the site me, " said Krug when ever describing his first career playoff goal, which tied the score 2-2 inside third period. "I had a lot of time to take a chance. "
One of why these young players are capable of come up from a minors and play a meaningful role in an NHL playoff game happens because the Bruins and their own AHL affiliate in Providence both teach a congruous variety of hockey, which is constructed on responsible defense, actual play and blocking photos.
"It's very similar to help Providence and it's a lot of emphasis on defense, " said Bartkowski when asked concerning similarities between Boston and additionally Providence.
"So, being in a position to step in you know your work, you know your role and everybody else on the ice does also. You don't really get free from the system very much, and if we complete, that's where we have breakdowns, but everybody tends in which to stay the system and it makes it simplallows you. "
What the Bruins drop in playoff experience without their three veteran defensemen inside the lineup (274 games involving Seidenberg, Ference and Redden), they include speed and offensive skill as soon as rookies are called after. They also aren't hesitant of physical confrontations, as seen on Bartkowski's substantial hit on Ranges legend winger Rick Nash within the third period.
Hamilton is a fantastic skater with a great shot from the point, while Krug and Bartkowski are both able to use their fantastic quickness to evade the opposing team's forecheck and the rush up winter snow storms.
While these three rookies will not be on the same stage defensively as Seidenberg, Ference along with Redden, they are more proficient from an offensive standpoint with fantastic playmaking skills in addition to a willingness to be aggressive virtually shots whenever the opportunity occurs. This was evident when Boston had the person advantage.
Speaking of a Bruins power play, Game 1 was to begin with in quite a while that his organ of the team's game was effective on the consistent basis.
Boston finally created a whole lot of good scoring chances (including nine shots on its electrical power play in overtime) while using the man advantage, and one of the reasons for this better success was Krug and Hamilton's ability to walk the blue sections and move the puck well inside the attacking zone to open shooting lanes.
Against a fundamentally effective defensive team that shot blocks up to the Rangers, good scoring it's likely that created when the puck is constantly moving, which forces your penalty killers to move into different positions. Krug and Hamilton played an essential part in this system.
But the most impressive an important part of each rookie's performance had been the poise and composure that you had in all three areas, which is not effortless against a physical team much like the Rangers that pursues the puck superior to most clubs.
"Honestly, there wasn't too much nerves, " said Krug "These guys in and listed below are an unbelievable group of guys, the confidence that your coaching staff showed in me and the other guys showed the application. I felt very comfortable in existence. "
It's often difficult, especially for young defensemen, to step into a NHL playoff game and adjust to a level of speed and intensity that is far great than what's seen within the AHL.
But you will need to give credit to Krug, Bartkowski and Hamilton for making smooth transitions to the NHL and giving the Bruins some much-needed depth and skill making use of their second-best defenseman (Seidenberg), a top-four blueliner (Ference) and a qualified veteran (Redden) out of the lineup.
Even if its seasoned defensemen miss an extended period of time with their injuries, Boston has enough two-way talent in the blue line to gain this second-round series against the Rangers with three rookies forced to play important projects.
"Obviously, we're really contingent on those guys to improve and play big min's, and they all did a good job tonight. We're very happy with them. "
Nicholas Goss is definitely NHL Lead Writer at Bleacher Report. Follow her on Twitter. He was a credentialed reporter at the 2011 Stanley Cup Last and 2012 NHL playoffs inside Boston. He's also a credentialed reporter in the 2013 NHL playoffs inside Boston. Nick has covered the Bruins since 2010-11 season. All quotations obtained firsthand.
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