Bruins Hit Midway Point With Momentum

BOSTON - The Bruins have faced their share of adversity through 41 games this season. Injuries decimated Boston's roster throughout much of November and early December, leaving the Black & Gold at one point down to their 12th defenseman.
Boston played over a month without both Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron, while Charlie McAvoy has suited up for only 17 games thanks to two separate injuries.
But through it all, the Bruins have battled through. They remain entrenched in the Eastern Conference playoff picture - they're just 4 points behind Toronto for second place in the Atlantic - and are on a 100-point pace, an impressive feat given the number of key players they have been without for substantial periods of time.

"Well, I feel good about it, to be honest with you," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, whose team is 23-14-4. "I mean, right now we're halfway through the year - Game 41 - and we're at 50 points…we'd like to think we'll get better, simply because a lot of the guys that were out that are key contributors are now healthy and the only one left is Charlie.
"How do I feel? I feel pretty good, but we're always going to push to get better and strive for that complete 60-minute game."

With McAvoy seemingly just a few days away from returning to game action, the Bruins are once again approaching a pretty complete roster - though Joakim Nordstrom will miss approximately three weeks with a fibula fracture - and are riding some momentum after three straight victories, including their thrilling Winter Classic win at Notre Dame on New Year's Day.
"We had a lot of injuries early on," said Brad Marchand, who has 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in his last 12 games. "It's tough to really get a good look at your group when so many guys are out consistently, but the last little bit we've had a majority of the guys back in the lineup, and I think we're starting to feel a little good about our game.
"It's a lot easier to build that chemistry when we're back together, so we're kind of rolling now. I think we're feeling pretty good about our game."
While another chase for a Presidents' Trophy seems unlikely (the Bruins finished 5 points back of Nashville for the title last year), given the 16-point gap with Tampa Bay, Boston believes it is poised for a strong second half.
"I think it's just a matter of building our games and I think that now we're healthy and got pieces back - big pieces back," said Jake DeBrusk, who potted two goals in the Bruins' 6-4 win over Calgary on Thursday night. "And it's just a matter of finding our games and using them together."

Krug Calls Bank

Torey Krug has been trying his bank shot all season. And on Thursday night he finally connected.
With the Bruins clinging to a one-goal lead, and on the power play, early in the third, the blue liner saw his opening. Krug unleashed a wicked slapper from inside the Bruins' blue line that ricocheted perfectly off the end wall to the left of Calgary goalie Mike Smith.
The puck bounced right onto the stick of David Pastrnak, who had sneaked in behind the Calgary defensemen, and the winger made sure to finish it off with a nifty deke around Smith to extend Boston's lead to 4-2 just 54 seconds into the third period.
"I think we've done it three times this year where we've actually gotten a chance off of it, maybe two other times where we didn't get a chance off of it," said Krug, who had two assists in the win and now has 22 helpers this season. "A great play by him to collect it and bring it to his backhand. I think the first two times we connected on it he shot on net and on the other one Marchy was the guy."
Krug certainly knows the liveliness of the TD Garden boards better than other arenas, but has not been afraid to try the play away from Causeway Street.
"Probably try it everywhere to be honest," said Krug. "Every rink is a little bit different, some boards are a little livelier than others, the ice surface is better especially in the northern part of the United States.
"I think you try it everywhere and if it connects, it connects. If it doesn't then it backs off the penalty kill forecheck. I'm sure Butchy was happy on the bench after it worked out."

Falling Short

The Bruins have the fourth-best power play in the National Hockey League. With Bergeron, Pastrnak, Marchand, Krug, and DeBrusk powering Boston's first unit, it has become one of the league's most potent collections of offensive talent.
But there is one downfall: shorthanded goals allowed are becoming commonplace for the Black & Gold.
Boston has surrendered a league-leading nine shorties this season, including four in the last five games. Calgary struck for one on Thursday night to open the scoring at 7:46 of the first period after a turnover in front of the Flames' net sprung a rush up the ice.
"It gets frustrating, you're collecting minuses all the time," said Krug, who lead the Bruins with 3:53 of power-play time a game. "That's part of the risk that we have with four forwards and a defenseman. Obviously I'm a guy that likes to play the half-wall as well sometimes, so we're going to give up some stuff.
"As the year goes on we're going to have to start locking it down a little bit because those are big goals in timely situations."

Friday's Practice Lineup

Bruce Cassidy confirmed on Friday that David Backes will be back in the lineup on Saturday night when he returns from suspension for the Bruins' Atlantic Division showdown with Buffalo. He also said Tuukka Rask will start in goal.
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - Colby Cave - David Backes
Ryan Donato - Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson - Danton Heinen
Sean Kuraly - Noel Acciari - Chris Wagner
Zdeno Chara - Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug - John Moore
Matt Grzelcyk - Kevan Miller
Steven Kampfer
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak
*David Krejci was excused from practice to be with his family following the birth of his son on Thursday.