Bruins Reunite Two Fan Favourites Together
In the opening four games of the first-round series against the Panthers, the Weymouth native offered much-needed stability in the top six for Boston.
Having found chemistry with Marchand and DeBrusk in high-pressure situations, the Bruins had high hopes for Coyle in his expanded role. While their first two games didn't present major struggles, the trio, during 5v5 time on ice, generated a slightly lesser number of quality scoring chances compared to Boston's other three lines.
Coach Montgomery made a pivotal decision to shuffle the lines. Marchand teamed up with Poitras and Geekie, while DeBrusk joined forces with Pastrnak and Zacha. This move led to the reunion of Coyle and Frederic on the third line, a pair that had previously delivered essential secondary scoring for the Bruins.
Whether facing opposing third lines or higher-caliber trios, Montgomery's strategy involved leveraging Coyle and Frederic, who excelled both offensively and defensively.
As Montgomery put it,
Now, with James van Riemsdyk on the left side of Coyle and Frederic, the Bruins could potentially possess a potent third line, combining Frederic's shooting skills, van Riemsdyk's presence in front of the net, and Coyle's puck-possession expertise, provided they get an extended opportunity to gel together.
As seen on boston
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