Bruins Notebook: Brad Marchand awaits hearing with NHL

Brad Marchand will have hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for, according to a tweet from the DoPS, “slew-footing” the Canucks’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the B’s victory over Vancouver on Sunday.

The play did not look like a classic slew-foot, on which the offending player kicks out another player’s skates from behind. But Marchand’s upper-body contact with Ekman-Larsson from the side caused the defenseman to fall on his back. One could argue that it was a dangerous play but it did not appear to be a textbook slew-foot.

“I thought it was two guys tangling, battling for a puck. They got tangled up and (league) will have to decide. You see a lot of those in the game. They’re typically along the boards than in the open ice, but I’ve seen a lot of it this year,” said B’s coach Bruce Cassidy on Monday.

The New Jersey Devils’ P.K. Subban was fined for two separate “tripping” calls in a matter of eight days, one against Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras and another against Calgary’s Milan Lucic. He also had a questionable hit in preseason on the Rangers’ Ryan Reaves that went unpunished.

“The precedent for the most part this year has been a fine if they feel that’s deserving of it, so I guess we’ll see what happens there,” said Cassidy.

Meanwhile, a boarding penalty on Ekman-Larsson against Anton Blidh has knocked Blidh out for at least Tuesday’s game against Detroit. The B’s scored the winning goal on the ensuing power play.

“Could be a little longer, but we don’t think it’s anything long-term,” said Cassidy.

It appears there’ll be no hearing for Ekman-Larsson, who himself was shaken up on the play. Cassidy did not lobby for one. Blidh suffered an injury to the left shoulder/collarbone area.

“It’s like the (Charlie) McAvoy hit the other day. It’s hard to assess intent. I was asked about that hit from (Zemgus) Girgensons, I didn’t think that was his intent. He was intent on finishing his check and Charlie turned and (Girgensons) was committed to it,” said Cassidy. “So some of those I find hard (to judge), maybe it’s because of the era I played in, you saw more of those when you turned into hits. Now they’re trying to get them out of the league… It was a penalty, they called it and I’m glad we were able to capitalize on it.”

Rebound control an issue

Linus Ullmark made a game-saving stop on a Tyler Motte breakaway in the Bruins’ 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. It was the type of timely save that Cassidy has been pining for all season from his goaltenders and it has earned Ullmark – at least in part – the start when the B’s take on the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.

But both Ullmark and rookie Jeremy Swayman have a way to go before the coach is comfortable with his play in net, especially when it comes to the rebound control, or lack thereof, that had the B’s playing in their own zone far too much in the second period on Sunday.

Asked whether the defensemen need to work on taking care of the loose pucks, Cassidy put the onus on the goaltenders.

“Some of that is on the goaltender to freeze the puck quicker. We’re assuming that’s going to happen in a lot of those situations,” said Cassidy. “There’s a lot going on in front of the net. Defensemen are coached to box out. They’ve got to find the puck in certain instances, too, but it’s find the puck and box out. Don’t turn your back all the time. But some of those battles, you’re engaged and get twisted around. Your idea is to tie up hands to make sure they don’t get a free whack at it. The goalie’s job is to clear it or freeze. Some of that hasn’t happened as much as we’d like lately, so (goalie coach Bob Essensa) I’m sure will address that.”

Meanwhile, the presence of Tuukka Rask continues to loom. The B’s all-time winningest goalie was back on the sheet at Warrior Ice Arena, continuing his rehab from hip surgery. Both management and Rask have kept the door wide open for a Rask return to the Bruins and, at this point, it would be a surprise if he didn’t come back. When he’ll be ready is the question.

“He’s completely on schedule. And again, deferring to the medical people, the schedule was supposed to be somewhere after the new year,” said Cassidy. “It could be into February. Now February’s the Olympic break, so then it bleeds into March. So there’s a little bit of leeway there when I was told originally when the surgery happened, so I think he’s right there, if not a little bit ahead. I know he’s not behind.”

One of Rask’s specialties has always been been rebound control, whether it’s tying up the puck or making a solid directional save.

Has Cassidy gained any more appreciation for Rask’s game in his absence?

“I always appreciated Tuukka’s ability to stop the puck,” said Cassidy. “The things we encouraged for Tuukka when I got here was to help the D break the puck out a little more because A, he had good hockey sense and B, we could move it quick. But, yeah, of course. He’s a great goaltender for the Bruins. And when he had his surgery, we had to address our needs and that’s what we’ve done. But I’ve always had a good appreciation for Tuukka. I watched him play as a 21-year-old in Providence, not his first year but his second and I’ve seen a lot of his development over the years.” …

Even if Marchand escapes a suspension, the B’s will still need to replace Blidh in the bottom six. Cassidy said he was inclined to just drop either Jake DeBrusk or Erik Haula – both scratched on Sunday – into Blidh’s spot instead of messing with any other line. And he very much liked the Nick Foligno–Trent Frederic–Karson Kuhlman line.

“I will say I liked Freddy in the middle,” said Cassidy. “I thought that line had a different dimension. I thought he had some good looks, he looked more comfortable there with Foligno on his strong side. I thought Kuhlie added a lot to the wing. I thought that line was excellent.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3o1UIX5