Lazar will be playing with some extra juice on Wednesday night - for a few reasons. In addition to playing in his native province, the 26-year-old will return to his natural center position while aiming to build off his strong performance against the Lightning on Saturday, which included a nifty backhanded tally for his first goal of the season.
"It's definitely in the back of mind. I was happy with how I played that entire Tampa game," said Lazar. "As with any player, confidence is a great thing. You want to catch that in stride and continue to build your game individually and that's something I look forward to. Great road trip, great opportunity for us here. Looking forward to going out there and making a difference."
Lazar has played wing for most of this season but has been a center for the majority of his career, including when he came to the Bruins from Buffalo at the trade deadline last spring.
"Center is an easy adjustment as that's my natural position," said Lazar. "Taking the reps in practice the last couple days, you feel at home. Still trying to get used to the wing here and there, but all in all - everything is so situational on the ice, you're changing position, the game happens so fast.
"I definitely am comfortable down the middle so I'm looking forward to controlling the play a little bit more in the D-zone and getting more involved."
The native of Salmon Arm, B.C. - roughly a seven-hour drive from Vancouver - is also eager to get this road trip underway as the B's make their way through some familiar territory.
"We're not out of the woods with COVID and whatnot, so it's kind of hard to see family and friends but anytime you're back close to home, it's special," said Lazar. "It's been a few years since I was able to play against the Canucks - they're the team I grew up cheering for and watching. It's always a game I've got marked on my calendar, so I'm looking forward to going out there and putting on a show."
