Bruins notebook: Kuraly gets rewarded on offense

OTTAWA — Sean Kuraly‘s never going to be the Bruins’ leader in secondary scoring. They don’t need him to be.

The 26-year-old played up in the lineup in Montreal with Patrice Bergeron out, and he responded with three assists in the Bruins thrashing of the Canadiens on Tuesday night.

They certainly don’t expect that every game from him, but with his early-season frustration at his lack of offense, it was good for the team to see him rewarded with some points.

“(The third line wingers) are a little more attack oriented,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “So maybe, who knows, sometimes you’re with the same guys a long time. I think that line has been very effective for us. This year they haven’t quite found their traction. So we mixed it up a little bit, it works out for him.”

The three points matched a career high for Kuraly, who had a goal and two assists against the Maple Leafs in January as well.

Before Tuesday, Kuraly had posted just four points this season.

“I just wanted to have fun, enjoy the game, and skate,” said Kuraly. “Those are my strengths. My strengths are skating and being strong on the puck and checking well, not necessarily blowing guys up but checking well and my details. When my details are good I think the rest kind of falls into place.”

The Bruins operate best when they’re at their full depth, so Kuraly centering their fourth line is the best team they can roll out there. But knowing Kuraly can step up and play a role like that — and even notch a power-play assist on the first goal of the game with the Canadiens — just adds to their confidence in him.

Gaunce in, Clifton out

Brendan Gaunce made his Bruins debut on Wednesday after Jack Studnicka played the night before in Montreal. Cassidy said it would have been five games in six nights for the 20-year-old, who had played three nights in a row in Providence before being recalled.

Studnicka earned his first NHL point on Tuesday night, assisting on Danton Heinen‘s late goal to make it an 8-1 game.

Gaunce centered the second line with Jake DeBrusk on the left and Charlie Coyle to his right, the same spot Studnicka was in the night prior.

Steven Kampfer was also back in the lineup on the blue line and Connor Clifton was a healthy scratch for the second time in three games.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2OpHSzW