When the three Bruins’ trade deadline acquisitions -- Taylor Hall, Curtis Lazar and Mike Reilly -- stepped on the ice for the first time in a Boston uniform they skated against the last place Buffalo Sabres. In that game they had the chance to work on their chemistry with the team without being under too much pressure. However, in the next series with the Islanders they faced their first big test.
Could they be the pieces the Bruins needed to finally beat the second place Isles? The answer was yes.
The Bruins followed their 3-2 shootout win over Buffalo with back-to-back convincing wins over an Islanders team that beat them in all five previous matchups earlier in the year.
Through three games, the new additions helped the Bruins grab six crucial points towards the East Division standings. And just as important, they showed the Bruins organization that they could be just what Boston needed -- that extra juice to gives the team an edge over the top contenders in the division come playoffs.
When you break down each of the Bruins' last three wins, you can see the immediate impact the new players have had on the outcome of games.
This week with Hall, Lazar and Reilly in the lineup, the Bruins turned the tables and outscored the Islanders 7-1 through two games, as compared to their first five meetings in which the Bruins were outscored 17-8.
This Thursday and Friday the Bruins outpaced the Islanders by three goals on each occasion and in two different ways. In game one of the two-game set, they bombarded the Isles with shots, had a goal from Hall and an assist from Reilly, and had all four lines firing on all cylinders.
In the second game, they relied on Jeremy Swayman to backstop them in net until they started to find their game in the second and third periods when Hall and Lazar scored their goals.
It was contributions from the new acquisitions that helped Boston get the wins done. Hall accounted for two goals, Reilly contributed two assists, and Lazar added a goal in the three-game span since they were added. In the two-game sweep of the Islanders, they were responsible for 29% of the team's points (5 of 17 points) and 43% of their goals (3 of 7 goals).
To show just how much of a difference they made, let's compare that to the production of the Bruins in their first five failed attempts to beat the Islanders:
Back then, the Bruins struggled to create on offense against a very stingy and disciplined Islanders team. In those five games, the Bruins offense had trouble keeping up. Boston was shut out 1-0 in the first outing, put down 4-2 and 7-2 in February, and dropped 2-1 and 4-3 in contests in March.
But the team that lost those five games is a very different team from what the Bruins are putting on the ice now. And it's the new look roster that has proven to be exactly what the Bruins needed in order to keep them from falling out of the playoff picture and give them the confidence that this team could be a championship winning group.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy grades his acquisitions after first three outings
“Three really good fits for our hockey club, and from knowing them for a week, three good people,” Cassidy said in his assessment of the new guys. “A real nice deadline day for the Bruins, credit to Donny [Don Sweeney] and his guys in pro scouting.”
Individually, Cassidy has so far been impressed with defenseman Mike Reilly, including his ability to make quick decisions with the puck and get shots through to the net.
“That is the one area that Reilly is a nice addition, because there's different types of D out there, and I felt and so did Donny that we needed a puck mover,” Cassidy said after Friday’s win.
As for Hall, Cassidy said he would continue to be important for the team's offensive production and depth.
“Obviously the Hall one everybody knows him. Some secondary scoring, a guy with some real high upside,” he commented.
And Cassidy had a lot to say about his new fourth-line center Lazar:
“I think Lazar was a bit of the one under the radar. Pretty good hockey player that probably a lot of people didn't know. Real good fit for us in the middle of the ice. He’s got a little more offensive acumen than maybe Sean [Kuraly] has, but good on draws, willing to block shots, frees Sean up on the left side to get up and get busy on the forecheck and maybe use a little more of the speed. He’s a good penalty killer, Lazar, so like I said, three really good fits for our hockey club.”
If the infusion of Hall, Lazar and Reilly into the lineup can continue to be this successful and productive the Bruins could be looking at another deep playoff run, especially if they can get -- and stay -- healthy. Up next the Bruins play the Capitals Sunday when we’ll get another look at just what the Bruins’ acquisitions can add against another good team.