Marchand Extends Game-Winning Goals Streak to Three

BOSTON - Patrice Bergeron, David Backes and Charlie McAvoy have accounted for over one-fifth of all Bruins goals this year.
With all three out of the lineup on Thursday, Brad Marchand was happy to pick up the slack.
For the third consecutive game, the dynamic winger has provided the late-game heroics. Against the Montreal Canadiens on Mar. 3, he scored the OT-winner in a thrilling 2-1 victory. Two day's later, the 5-foot-9 All-Star was the difference against the Detroit Red Wings, when he roofed a backhander in the extra period to seal the two points.

In a hard-fought game against the Flyers on Thursday, Marchand didn't need overtime. The Bruins leading goal scorer jammed home the deciding goal with 22 seconds left on the clock. The Bruins won for the fifth consecutive game.
"Yeah, he just keeps on ticking," said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. "That's Brad. He seems like he's on a bit of a mission with Bergy [Patrice Bergeron] out that he wants to pick the team up in the offensive part of it."
Cassidy, who has known Marchand since he coached him with the Providence Bruins, noted that he had to fight through some adversity leading up to the winner.
"He got frustrated tonight with a couple calls," said Cassidy. "That one went against him and one didn't. He thought he was held on the shorty, but at the end of the day, just kept plugging away, refocused, and he does a good job for us."

B's captain Zdeno Chara has shared a locker room with Marchand for years, and he commented on the relentless effort he brings to the rink with him each day.
"He competes, he works hard," said Chara. "When he doesn't have the puck, he works to get it back. When he has it, he works to keep it. He makes things happen. He battles, and he plays his style, he's on the edge and he wants to make difference every shift."
Bruins forward Brian Gionta has played against Marchand for years, but seeing him up close has given him an understanding of everything he bring on a daily basis.
"What he can do and how shifty he is," said Gionta. "it was always frustrating playing against him, but being on the same side of him you have a new appreciation for what he can do for sure."
Marchand has been particularly hot since the calendar flipped over to the March. In four contests, he has five goals and four assists for nine points. As has become typical for Marchand, he credited his teammates for putting him in good positions to succeed.
"I think it's just a product of everybody doing their job the right way," said Marchand. "Keeping it simple, and, you know, when you do that you get pucks to the net, good things happen."

One player who Marchand mentioned specifically was his new center, Riley Nash. With Bergeron recovering from a fractured right foot, the Nash has been placed in between Marchand and David Pastrnak on the first line.
"He's feeling it right now," said Marchand of his new center, Nash. "You can tell with the plays he's making and the way he's dangling out there.
"He's playing really well and it's great to see. He's a great guy, great teammate. You know, he works very hard. I think he's a little underrated with the way that he can play, but he's having a phenomenal year, and we need him big right now."
Nash showed off his offensive skillset prior to his goal, as he used a nifty toe-drag move in the neutral zone to gain entry into the offensive end before eventually netting the B's first goal of the game.

"I see a more confident guy getting rewarded around the net…" said Cassidy. "The goal like he got tonight, he just - those would not make it in or last year. So, a little more, probably, urgency, as well when you're confident; you're going in there with the purpose of scoring, not hoping to score."

First Goal for Gionta

In his fourth game wearing the spoked-B, Gionta has continued to provide a spark for the Bruins. Late in the first period against the Flyers, the 39-year-old received a pass from his 40-year-old teammate Zdeno Chara to send him on a breakaway. The 5-foot-7 winger calmly dragged the puck to his backhand and lifted over the pad of Philly netminder, Alex Lyon.

"It looks like he hasn't missed a beat at all," said Cassidy. "So, it's really a bonus for us when you talk about losing Bergy and now Backes, that you can plug a guy like that in."
The goal was his first as a member of the Bruins, and his fourth point overall (1-3=4)
"it's always nice to get that first one out of the way," said Gionta. "Obviously, had some time to think about it all the way down the ice, so yeah, it's exciting especially coming into a new team like that."
While Gionta recognized that he was signed as a depth piece, he expressed his enjoyment in being able to contribute to the team for the past four games.
"You want to get in and, you know, establish yourself and see where you fit in," said Gionta."I said it coming in that, you know, I was willing to come in and play whatever role was asked, and, you know, I'm still enjoying being around these guys, and it's been a good group coming in."

Cassidy attributes much of Gionta's immediate success to his ability to rely on past experiences.
"He's smart," said Cassidy. "He's been around, so - but to be able to come in and the everyday battles that go along with being an NHLer, a professional player, time and space, little plays."

McQuaid Makes an Impact

Prior to Thursday's game against the Flyers, Adam McQuaid last saw game action when he was -3 in a loss to Buffalo on Feb. 25. In his return to the lineup, the veteran defender skated for 19:11 heavy minutes, including 4:03 on the penalty kill.
Cassidy was been happy with all the qualities McQuaid brings to the lineup.
"Adam is going to play his game," said Cassidy. "He is going to be the heart; he is going to block shots. He's going to confront the opposition and stick up for his teammates, try to make the easy play.
"It's not easy missing some time - long stretches - and then come back in, so he's working at it."

Tuukka Solid in Return

After a brief two-game absence due to a nagging injury, Tuukka Rask was back in net against the Flyers. The Finland-native stopped 30 of 32 shots in the victory. After the game, Cassidy was satisfied with his netminders performance, especially against a Philadelphia team that sends a lot of traffic to the front of the net.
"I thought he looked like himself again," said Cassidy. "Looked sharp in there. He was under control…I thought he did a good job, because Philly is good at that. They're really good at getting their bodies in front and getting second chances"
Rask noted that a first period Philadelphia power play helped him get a feel for the puck early.
"It was sharp," said Rask. "Got into the game early with the power play, a lot of shots there. Felt sharp."
The game-winning goal scorer, Marchand, credited Rask with another solid performance in his 27th victory of the season.
"He's been the backbone of our team all year," said Marchand. "tonight's another example of that. He played big, made a lot of really big saves at the right time, especially on the power play late there, so you know, when he's on then we're normally pretty good and he gives us an opportunity to win every night, and that's the case again tonight."