First Shift 🏒
The genius of Glen Gulutzan’s moves Thursday night were how simple they were.
The Stars coach remembered the “Que-Bäck” line of Oskar Bäck with Mavrik Bourque and Justin Hryckowian having several great games earlier in the season and thought his team could use a large dose of that. So he reunited that trio and then put Arttu Hyry and Adam Erne as the key to a fourth line in a 7-11 format, and it all clicked.
“I really liked Bourquie, Ritzy and Bakker, I thought they had a really strong game,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “Our reloads, our commitment to physicality in all three zone, our intensity was up. It was nothing really structurally, we just executed the way we were playing in the past.”
Hryckowian has been a revelation after earning rookie of the year in the AHL last season, while Bourque has stepped forward after being League MVP two years ago. Gulutzan is in his first year with the Stars, but he has seen progress from both.
“Confidence is a big thing and all three are getting more confidence,” Gulutzan said, saying Bourque was noticeably good. “I thought he was probably our best player…him or (Jake Oettinger). He’s just getting stronger and more comfortable and more confident. You can see his talent coming out.”
Then mix in the combination of Erne and Hyry and you had a lot of push coming from the third and fourth lines. Hyry and Erne each had a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over Winnipeg, and the duo said they feel they have chemistry. That’s odd for a 24-year-old rookie from Finland and a 30-year-old veteran tough guy, but there are similarities. Both are smart and energetic, and both like to play simple hockey.
“Absolutely, I think it's always good playing with him,” Erne said. “It’s simple. We put the puck in. We try to go get it, so we’re able to do a couple plays there between icing. It's always nice to get on the score sheet.”
Hyry said he too enjoys their brand of hockey.
“I feel like every game you’re a little more ready every day you stay up here,” Hyry said. “I think it's just unbelievable that I get to play here, game after game.”
Erne said the fact they kept rotating players on their line ended up being a good thing.
“You get out there with guys that you haven’t been out there with a lot,” Erne said, “Some guys that are high-end guys. They’re fun to play with. We had a couple shifts with Mikko, and I think we scored on that shift. It is what it is. We’re happy to be out there with whoever we can be out there with.”
Gulutzan said Friday that he will probably stick with the 7-11 format in a game against top-seeded Colorado on Saturday. That said, attitude is more important than the alignment, he said.
“It gives you some energy for the group and it forces all guys to kind of do the same thing,” Gulutzan said. “Your lines are different a lot of time, so everybody has to look the same. You mix and match and you have to find some chemistry.”
