“Obviously we need to be a little bit better, so I think it’s the perfect time,” Pastrnak said. “Playing with those guys, we’ve been together for a while, so we know what to expect from each other.”
The trio still spent time together on the power play, but not with the same strength. Pastrnak said he wasn’t worried about finding a rhythm.
“The game that we play with Bergy and Marsh, it’s something that’s set up for us.” We have played together for a while. So it’s basically nothing to get used to. We know what to do.”
Despite taking 74 shots in the first two games, the Bruins only scored three goals.
“We’re not scoring,” Cassidy said. “Sometimes you don’t score and that happens in small samples. It can happen in a playoff series and you have to get out fast or you’re in trouble.
Jake DeBrusk, who had thrived in the top lane with Bergeron and Marchand, moved into the second lane.
“Jake is going to have to take opportunities, use his ability, a little bit more one-on-one,” Cassidy said. “He has great foot speed. As we all know, he is a good one-on-one player and sometimes those are the situations against a team that he pushes a lot.”
Meanwhile, Pastrnak made it clear that his collision with Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta in the first period of Game 2 was unintentional.
“Whoever thinks I tried to hurt him obviously doesn’t understand hockey,” Pastrnak said. “I prefer to stay without comment on that.”
He explained how the play unfolded from his angle.
“We’re playing the game prepared,” Pastrnak said. “I come at full speed, trying to make the first touch. He’s trying to clear it. Obviously, I want the puck to hit me. I’m not going there to bury the goalkeeper, but to stop the puck and maybe bounce back. He is leaving the area. So I tried to stop the puck and set up our power game.”
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Backed into a corner after losing the first two games at Carolina, Cassidy shook the lines as the series moved on to Boston for Game 3.
Tomas Nosek moved to the back row with Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith. Chris Wagner was plugged into the fourth row with Nick Foligno and Curtis Lazar. Trent Frederic, who started the first two games in the back row, was a healthy scratch.
Frederic racked up 14 minutes in penalties over the first two games, including a 10-minute misconduct near the end of Game 1. Cassidy didn’t think all the penalties were warranted, “but at the end of the day, that’s where he is in this moment,” he said.
More than penalties, Cassidy was looking for a way to breathe some life into the back row.
“It’s less about Freddy,” Cassidy said. “It’s more about two guys that have been in the league are his center and his right wing. They have existed, so they need to drive the line no matter who is on their left side.”
Wagner’s playoff experience led Cassidy to go with him over Anton Blidh.
“We’ve seen it in the playoffs, some of the value that it can bring,” Cassidy said. “Up front, I think his physicality is really what has made him a name in this league.”
Returning to the regular season, Nosek has not scored a goal since January 2. Between the regular season and the postseason, he has a 52-game scoreless drought. At this point, Cassidy said it’s a matter of trust. Cassidy hoped Nosek would benefit from playing with Coyle and Smith.
“He’s a striker who hasn’t scored in a long time,” Cassidy said. “So no matter what you say to him, no matter what happens, even though he’s more of a defensive guy, when you don’t score for that long he weighs you down a little bit. Hopefully not to the point where he affects the rest of his game. That’s what we keep telling him.”
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The $5,000 fine that the NHL’s Department of Player Safety imposed on Brad Marchand for cutting Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov didn’t surprise Cassidy.
“Well, Marsh is on his radar, so that doesn’t surprise me,” Cassidy said.
Derek Forbort was also fined $5,000 for pinning Teuvo Teravainen and while Cassidy didn’t think it was intentional, he wished Forbort had been more disciplined.
“Forby just has to have more control of his cane,” Cassidy said. “I don’t think there was any intention, but it’s not a good penalty. We need your stick on the ice. It’s unnecessary, right?
The Bruins and Canes combined for 22 penalties in Game 2. The Bruins were responsible for 13.
“We’re on the wrong side of most of it,” Cassidy said. “So what’s a couple more tickets, right? Let’s go.”
Julian Benbow can be reached at [email protected].
Reference-www.bostonglobe.com