When the Bruins slotted Taylor Hall next to David Krejci 10 games ago, they hoped for a little extra boost on offense for the second line, but got so much more. It was the combination of old meeting new, patience meeting skill, and an instant chemistry between the two that has helped ignite the most recent wave of Bruins wins.
"What more can you ask for, right?" coach Bruce Cassidy said after both Krejci and Hall scored in the Bruins' 5-2 win over Buffalo on Thursday.
"Obviously they're generating every night, backing teams off, giving us a big offensive boost, nice job on the power play tonight, and they're accountable defensively."
The on-ice product and the second line stats since Hall's arrival prove Cassidy is right on all fronts with that assessment.
Both Krejci and Hall have experienced a steep improvement in production since the move. They have each scored more goals in the last 10 games than they did in the previous 39 games of the season. Hall has scored five of his seven goals in the 2021 season since entering the Bruins lineup and Krejci has assisted on all but one of them.
And Krejci has scored six of his eight goals since Hall joined his line.
Their combined 11 goals and eight assists have played a key role in helping Boston to an 8-2-0 record since the deadline, and have allowed the Bruins to remain ahead of the New York Rangers for the final spot in the East Division playoff race (and actually nudge ahead of the Islanders on points percentage for third).
"It seems like they kind of clicked right away and they're not slowing down," Bruins forward Charlie Coyle said about the Krejci-Hall duo on Thursday. "It seems like the chemistry was just instant."
Coyle also explained why he thinks the second line is now a force to be reckoned with:
"They're producing for us and getting some big goals, timely goals. And it's great for new guys to come in and get rewarded right away, and score some goals, get on the scoresheet, get some confidence. That's huge, that's ideally what you want. It's not always that way but it's great to see and having that line be such a force as they have been."
And it hasn't just been Hall and Krejci's offensive production that has impressed.
"The Krejci line has been really good in their 200-foot game," Cassidy noted. "And I think since that line's been together, you'd have to correct me, but I don't believe they've been scored on 5-on-5."
Cassidy was very close. They've scored 10 5-on-5 goals and allowed just one. The two have done a great job keeping the puck out of the back of the net. Notably, Hall is a plus-9 in goal differential as a Bruin, while for Buffalo he was a minus-21. Krejci is also plus-9 since Hall's addition, which is a testament to the effort they have both been giving up and down the ice.
"He's re-energized in terms of attacking," Cassidy told reporters about why Krejci has excelled recently. "That was an all-world play tonight, obviously, beating guys one-on-one. But he's moving his feet, you know, and going north a little more I think, and he's got a guy on the left wing that can bomb down the wing, a guy on his right wing that can skate.
"He's playing with a little more pace, his wingers are maybe forcing him to do that. And he's making plays obviously and finishing plays while he's doing it."
Krejci after the win over Buffalo on Thursday said the chemistry with Hall is something he works on game by game, and that effort has proven to be effective.
The team will need the pair to continue to contribute at such a pace as they enter their final seven games of the regular season, with a playoff spot on the line.
