While most Boston sports fans were probably watching the Patriots drop 50 points on the Jaguars, the Bruins were putting together their own offensive explosion in Detroit.
One day after coming from behind to beat the Sabres 4-3 in overtime, the Bruins cruised to a 5-1 over the Red Wings. And for a second straight day, they got goals from all over the lineup.
While Buffalo and Detroit are two non-playoff teams, the Bruins needed offensive confidence wherever they could find it. They needed lines other than their top line to start scoring, regardless of the opponent. In their first two games since their COVID-induced two-week break, they've gotten what they needed.
As was the case Saturday, the new-look top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Craig Smith opened the Bruins' scoring after falling behind 1-0. Late in the first period, Marchand went to work in the offensive zone, eventually freeing up the puck for Smith to swoop in and then feed Bergeron in front for the goal.
But also like Saturday, it was the other lines that stepped up from there. New second-line center Erik Haula sniped the top corner seconds after leaving the penalty box to give Boston a 2-1 lead. Haula also hit a post in the game. On Saturday, he had a good net drive on Taylor Hall's goal. After a miserable start to the season that saw him healthy scratched at one point, Haula believes he's finally starting to the play the way he expects to.
"I felt like my game was heading towards the right direction before all this happened," Haula said. "…It's been trending and going towards what I expect for myself, so hopefully I can keep building and produce a little bit more here."
Speaking of the new second line, Hall got involved again too. He set up the goal that made it 3-1 with a beautiful pass through the slot to set up Charlie McAvoy back-door. Seconds before that, he had set up David Pastrnak in the slot for a one-timer that went wide. Oh, and speaking of McAvoy, he had a five-point weekend.
Then it was the fourth line's turn. They were the only line that didn't score Saturday, so they made up for it with two goals to seal Sunday's win. Trent Frederic finished off a good rush chance by burying a rebound off a Mike Reilly shot for his first goal of the season. He was the second Bruin to break out of the zero-goal club this weekend, as Nick Foligno did so on Saturday.
A few minutes later, Oskar Steen -- playing in place of a banged-up Curtis Lazar -- set up Tomas Nosek for his first goal since Nov. 20. Nosek had several good chances on the weekend, and finally got rewarded it for it. Steen, meanwhile, looked good all day and made a case to stay in the lineup even when everyone's healthy.
The only line that didn't score Sunday was the third line of Foligno, Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk. But DeBrusk did have a couple more good, hard drives to the net like the one that set up Foligno's goal on Saturday, and Coyle did assist on McAvoy's goal as that came mid-line change.
While the Bruins' new line combinations have looked encouraging through two games, what's been even more encouraging is the way the Bruins have gone to the net and fought to get to the "inside ice" Bruce Cassidy has been talking about all season. Just look at their shot charts from these two games:
Natural Stat Trick
Natural Stat Trick
The Bruins' heat maps are on the right in the first image and the left in the second. That's exactly what getting to inside ice looks like.
Yes, the Bruins will still need to prove they can do it against better teams. They'll get that chance starting later this week when they face the Wild, Lightning and Capitals in consecutive games. But for now, they'll happily take what they got this weekend.
"You're starting to see the product how we envisioned it," Cassidy said. "…A little injuries, a little COVID. Hopefully some of that, most of it's behind us, and we can stick with the program and see it a little more in the long-term."
