Three days away from the heavy grind of late-season competition has done the Bruins, who hope to begin a two-month grind in the ultimate competition that the National Hockey League provides, good, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy thinks.
How could it not? It was their first three-day segment without a game since late February, and undoubtedly helped players such as Rick Nash (out for the final 12 games of the regular season due to a concussion) and Sean Kuraly (on the shelf for the final seven contests due to an upper-body injury) work their way back into game-shape.
"It was nice to get two practices back to back, two meaningful ones," Cassidy admitted after an optional skate at Warrior Ice Arena. "We practiced once probably in the last five, six weeks, practiced in Tampa once in the afternoon, practiced in St. Louis, maybe once at home – and those are in between games. I think we were able to get dialed in and focused at the task in hand which is Toronto. It was nice, I think we need it."
It also helped a beleaguered Bruins bunch get their lungs back after a torrid end-of-year dash that featured 21 games in 39 days, including 12 straight against playoff opponents.
"It came at a good time for us," said Cassidy. "Guys kind of put the last few games behind us and started focusing on what was accomplished so far this year and what we need to continue to do to accomplishing good things. That was good for our group."
With a highly detailed view of what the Leafs do well -- Cassidy noted their forecheck and the way that they can stretch the ice out with 'long-bomb' passes thanks to a mobile defensive unit -- the Bruins know that they're in for a challenge against Toronto. The Bruins know that the Patrice Bergeron line will have their hands full against Auston Matthews all night, and that David Krejci's line will likely draw a tough assignment against Nazem Kadri and Co. should Mike Babcock go for a line-for-line match.
"I think both teams can generate offense with team speed. I think their up-rink, it's well documented, their high-end talent, high-end draft picks. They are what they are. You give them time and space, they're going to hurt you," Cassidy offered of his first-round opponent. "So, I think there's some similarities in the way the teams compete and the pace they want to play. The actual makeups of the team, there's differences. I guess the team that probably plays the game that usually this time of the year dictates the game and plays the way they want to play the best, usually ends up winning assuming the goaltending, special teams are a wash."
But it all comes back to the start that the Black and Gold, who surrendered the first goal in six straight games to close out the season, take with them into this Game 1 meeting.
"We're in it to win it. I don't think there's any secret in that," said Cassidy. "We're focused on Game 1 and Toronto and getting through the first period and establishing the pace we want, because our starts haven't been what we want them to be, and they're an excellent first-period team. Now, throughout the course of the year, we've had decent numbers against Toronto in the first period. Our problems have been closing out games to a certain extent. We lost the last one up there late, and we lost one early up there – both games up there. We're in a position to win, so if you're going on recent history, we took care of that part. That's our focus right now, Game 1."
And in what could be a legacy-defining postseason run after a restful regular-season workload, it will be Tuukka Rask that (obviously) gets the call in the Boston net.
"You just try to feel good about your game," Rask said Wednesday. "[Try to] stay in the moment. I don't think it's any different from any other year. Sometimes, the puck bounces your way a little more than the other years and you end up advancing."
Rask has 30 wins and a 2.12 goals against average in 53 career postseason games, and is coming off a .920 save percentage posted in a six-game 2017 run. The 31-year-old is also 5-4 with a .936 save percentage in nine career Game 1s.
"We feel we're a Stanley Cup contender; that's why we're here, but we've gotta get through Game 1 before we worry about anything else," Cassidy acknowledged.
"That's kind of been the predominant message."
Here are the expected lines and pairings for the Bruins…
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - David Krejci - Rick Nash
Danton Heinen - Noel Acciari - David Backes
Tim Schaller - Sean Kuraly - Tommy Wingels
Zdeno Chara - Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug - Kevan Miller
Matt Grzelcyk - Adam McQuaid
Tuukka Rask
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