Secondary Scoring Begins to Emerge

BOSTON - The Bruins received their daily dose of perfection on Sunday night, as Boston's top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak added another two goals and two assists to their already eye-popping totals.
But the Black & Gold's leading trio was not the primary focus in a 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. In addition to Jaroslav Halak's stellar 37-save outing, the Bruins received some strong production from their bottom six, which appeared to gain some momentum and confidence over the course of a 3-1 homestand.

During the four-game home swing, players not named Bergeron, Marchand, or Pastrnak combined for 7 goals and 19 assists. For a team that had been starving for some secondary scoring, it was an encouraging week.
"Our top line is good. Our second line's coming around. The power play generally produces," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "But at the end of the day you need balanced scoring to do it every night, and we're starting to see that the last three games. I think we've been much better in that area."

Perhaps the most promising development for Cassidy was the play of his new-look third and fourth lines. The recall of Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson from Providence prior to the weekend back-to-back prompted some juggling of the bottom six, which appeared to give the group a boost.
With JFK manning the middle between Danton Heinen and Anders Bjork on the third line and David Backes teaming up with Chris Wagner and Sean Kuraly on the fourth line, Boston received some steady support throughout the lineup.
"You get your bottom six really chipping in and that's what it's going to take for us to win on a consistent basis," said Cassidy. "And I think we're aware of that."
In the victory over Vegas, it was the Bruins' youthful third line that got things started, when Heinen - playing in his 100th career NHL game - and Bjork charged into the offensive zone and connected for the game's opening goal just 2:54 into the first period. Bjork raced down the wing and delivered a nifty backhand feed to Heinen, who surged to the left post and tapped it home for his second goal in three games.
"I thought they had a good weekend - obviously got a goal," said Cassidy. "Helps when you're young…before here you're used to getting on the scoresheet, so you get frustrated if you don't. They got rewarded. It was a good goal.
"They did it the right way, started in D-zone, they played it, they won a puck, got it behind their D, won a foot race and got it to the front of the net, so it wasn't lucky. It wasn't a fluke.
"It was the right way to do things, and they got rewarded for it. So, hopefully that reminds them how they need to play."

For Bjork, who had a goal wiped off the board because of a quick whistle against Dallas, it was his first point since Oct. 13, snapping a 10-game scoreless stretch.
"It was nice to get out in front, on the board, It was a big goal for us," said Bjork. "It was one of our objectives to have a good start…it felt nice to contribute to that. I think like we played pretty solid throughout the whole game…I think it was a good game. One that we definitely want to build off. I think we can be satisfied with that."
With Forsbacka Karlsson appearing more comfortable in his second go-around at the NHL level, the hope is that the 22-year-old can continue to grow and create chemistry with his fellow youngsters.
"I know he has been great," said Bjork. "It's tough coming back. You feel like you have got a lot of eyes on your first couple games, but he's been really good, solid defensively, and moving the puck well and hard on the puck…I think we are starting to build some chemistry, which is nice."
Boston's fourth line also got into the act against the Golden Knights, with the Wagner-Kuraly-Backes combination chipping in on rookie defenseman Jeremy Lauzon's first career goal late in the first period.
"I thought our fourth line was outstanding," said Cassidy. "I sound like I'm repeating myself, but they've worked hard. So, at some point you do need to show up on the scoresheet. It bothers everybody, and they were able to do it."

A strong backcheck by the trio led to a turnover - forced by a good stick from John Moore - and sent the Bruins back the other way. Kuraly corralled the puck and began the 3-on-2 with Lauzon and Backes, before dumping it on off the end wall.
The puck ricocheted by Vegas goalie Maclolm Subban as he tried to play it outside the crease, leaving Lauzon - recalled from Providence on an emergency basis earlier in the day - with an empty net to slam home the eventual winner.
"You like to see them get rewarded in making good decisions," said Cassidy. "And again, come out of the D-zone where we won a puck, defended a 2-on-1 very well in front - Moore - something we were having trouble with on the West Coast trip."
Like Bjork, Kuraly's helper snapped a lengthy scoreless stretch, giving him his first point since his goal on Oct. 13 against Detroit. Moore's assist was his first point since Oct. 20 - a span of eight games.
"It's definitely nice. I think that's really what you're working for, is to help the team and put something on the board," said Kuraly, who was playing in his 100th career game and rang another chance off the post in the third period. "If we keep doing the right things I think we'll continue to get them. I think we're getting closer as a line and I thought we had some good chances tonight and played well.
"It's going to take a ton of chances and that's what we want to do, and once we get one I think we'll feel a little better about ourselves and keep going."