Bruins News & Rumors: Marchand, Lauko, Richard & More
The team will honor its new captain on Monday afternoon (Feb. 19) in a pregame ceremony, a fourth-line forward who scored his first goal as a Bruin looks to be getting another chance, an injury occurs, a player is placed on waivers, and more in the most recent edition of Boston Bruins News & Rumors.
Bruins to Honor Marchand Before Dallas Game
The Bruins will honor captain Brad Marchand for playing in his 1,000th career game on February 13 at the TD Garden against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 3-2 shootout loss. Marchand had two assists on goals from James van Riemsdyk and Charlie McAvoy in the second period of that game. “It is very special to hit this point,” Marchand said. “It’s something I think we’re all proud of as a family. We will enjoy all of that. But the fun part, as well, is playing the game and the competitive part comes out.”
The goal for the Bruins is to finish their seven-game homestand with a win. They have a 1-3 record thus far and don’t appear to be the same team as they did prior to the All-Star Break. The Black and Gold defeated the Stars 3-2 on November 6th, thanks to goals from John Beecher, Mason Lohrei, and Marchand. This is the team’s second and final meeting with them this season. Currently, the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League (AHL) are home to two of those three players.
Bruins Place Oskar Steen on Waivers
On Sunday, February 18, the Bruins placed fourth-line forward Oscar Steen on waivers in a move that came as a bit of a surprise. The player selected 165th overall in the sixth round of the 2016 Entry Draft has only scored one goal in 34 games this season—against the Buffalo Sabres on November 14—and was benched during a 5-4 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on February 16. The 25-year-old had four goals and eight points in 60 games during his Boston career, but despite having plenty of opportunities, he has never been able to establish a full-time role and make a significant contribution.
Anthony Richard Getting Another Shot
The fact that the Bruins led 3-1 after two periods and that Anthony Richard was a major factor in their lead was one of the more annoying parts of their overtime loss to the Kings. The 27-year-old was by himself in front of the net in the second period with Boston leading 2-1 when the puck came to him and he blasted it past Los Angeles goaltender David Rittich. His head coach stated following the game that because of his work ethic, he’ll probably see more time in the starting lineup.
Richard only played 13 shifts against the Kings, totaling eight minutes. He played in 41 games with the P-Bruins this season, tallying 19 goals and 19 assists. Richard’s teammate Jesper Boqvist from Providence this season assisted on the goal with a pass behind the net.
Jakub Lauko Injured
During the current homestand, the Bruins are facing a number of issues, but their fourth line’s performance may be the main one. Though Richard managed a goal against the Kings, Montgomery has struggled to fit the puzzle pieces together generally. It seems like he might be trying to bolster the trio against the Stars. Following practice on Sunday at Warrior Ice Arena, Montgomery stated that he is questionable versus Dallas due to an upper-body ailment. Jakub Lauko was not present for the session. The Bruins need to find a solution for their fourth-line problem whether or not he plays.
Bruins Facing Tough Road Trip
Following their game against Dallas, the Bruins will travel to Western Canada and the Northwest for a four-game road trip. Before going back to Boston, they will play the Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers. Leaving Boston and hitting the road could be the wisest course of action for them given the current state of affairs. There’s no way it could be worse.
Even though it’s already the middle of February, defeating the Stars could be crucial to the team’s chances of going on the road. Boston is now in second place in the Atlantic Division, one game behind the Florida Panthers. They need to improve their hockey skills and make some changes before they can think about taking the lead again in the division.
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