Game 24 Live Blog: New York Rangers @ Boston Bruins

Here’s five thoughts from the second period with the Boston Bruins leading 4-0 over the New York Rangers:

1.) Krejci Finally Finds Twine

Despite the fact he had 11 helpers coming into tonight’s game, the arm-chair quarterback Boston Bruins fans have been calling for David Krejci to be benched and/or traded because he was yet to score a goal in 19 games. That’s nothing new for Krejci who besides Tuukka Rask and Marcus Smart, might be the most underappreciated Boston sports athlete of the last eleven years. Well, maybe the haters will settle down because the Bruins veteran center is having himself a game! With the Bruins on their second powerplay of the game early in the period, Krejci finally lit the lamp at 3:31 of the middle frame.

David Krejci fires one home on the power play for his first goal of the season.

3-0 Bruins. pic.twitter.com/ET75hIcAjT

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) March 12, 2021

Just 1:21 later he helped his teammate Jake DeBrusk get off the schnide as well to give the Bruins a commanding 4-0 lead.

2.) The Benching Works

After being a healthy scratch for the first time this season, DeBrusk has responded with arguably his best game of the season. As mentioned above, DeBrusk scored the Bruins fourth goal and let out an exhale of relief instead of his usual crazy celly.

A sigh of relief for Jake DeBrusk. pic.twitter.com/NNhQZmzehK

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) March 12, 2021

The Boston Bruins coaching and management staff were likely relieved as well as they had basically exhausted all options trying to get DeBrusk to put in a better effort. Through two periods, DeBrusk has a goal on two shots and a hit in 10:52 TOI.

3.) Grzelcyk Looking More Comfortable

Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is also having his best game of the season in the eyes of this puck scribe. Grzelcyk was pivotal in starting up the sequence that led to Pastrnak’s first period goal and his hard work got rewarded in the second as he picked up the primary assist on Krejci’s goal. After an injury-riddled season that’s seen him fall in and out of the lineup with three separate injuries, Grzelcyk is looking a lot more comfortable quarterbacking the top powerplay unit and overall.

4.) Ritchie And Smith Injured

The Boston Bruins got two injury scares in the second period as winger Craig Smith fell awkwardly to the ice early in the period and Nick Ritchie appeared to be shaken up from a hard hit by Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba late in the period. Thankfully, both players returned but we’ll see if there are any lingering effects in the coming days.

5.) Scouts Row Getting Crowded

There were only three scouts at the last home game for the Boston Bruins but tonight scout’s row is jammed. …socially distanced of course! With the NHL Trade Deadline exactly a month away, nine scouts showed up tonight to take in the game, including Florida Panthers Assistant GM Brett Peterson.