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Charlie Coyles Addresses Major Concern With His Game

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Hunter Bowman
October 6, 2023  (10:33 PM)
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Charlie Coyle, typically known for his disciplined play on the ice, surprised many during the Bruins' preseason finale by taking four penalties for a total of eight minutes.

Coyle, a key penalty killer for the team, isn't usually the one causing Boston to be shorthanded. However, he had a solid reason for his uncharacteristic behavior.

«I think I might have had more than I had all last year,» Coyle admitted after the game. «Thought we'd give our PK [penalty kill] a bit of a workout, (head coach Jim Montgomery) wanted to focus on it before the game, so I figured I'd be the guy to take it.»

While Coyle's eight minutes of penalties were far from the 30 he accumulated over 82 games last season, it was a notable departure from his usual playstyle.

Special teams have long been a cornerstone of the Bruins' gameplay, and during the preseason, Boston faced some challenges. They gave up four goals on 24 penalty kill attempts while going 4-for-20 on the man advantage.

«Our penalty kill is what needs probably more work, to be honest,» Montgomery acknowledged. «But we got five days of practice here coming up we're really gonna hone in on special teams and sharpening the details within our game.»<

Despite the special teams challenges, the Bruins left a positive impression in their 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers. According to Montgomery, it was the best team game they played during the preseason.

«That was the best team game we played,» Montgomery said. «You can see it in the first period that we were starting to play to our identity, what I believe is our identity. We're playing faster. We're possessing pucks. We weren't spending too much time in our own end. A lot of individuals had their best game. There's a lot to like from this game.»

The Bruins kick off their regular season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, followed by their next matchup against the Nashville Predators at 7 p.m. ET next Saturday on NESN.

Source: Nesn

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