Boston Bruins Show Unity for David Backes in Win Over St. Louis Blues
Boston Bruins Show Unity in Win Over St. Louis Blues on Tuesday in David Backes’ Homecoming
The Boston Bruins’ win against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday meant more than just two points. For David Backes, it was his return home. Though Backes is originally from Minnesota, he spent the last 10 seasons with the Blues, including five seasons as their captain. The game meant a lot for Backes, and as a result, it meant a lot for his teammates. Consequently, the team put together arguably their strongest outing of the year against a talented Blues’ roster.
“They were phenomenal,” Backes said when talking about his teammates following the game.
“Bergie (Patrice Bergeron) did a great job before the game of saying to everybody that ‘This game means a lot to one of our teammates’ and getting guys focused and (ready) to turn it up a notch. I think the guys responded in one heck of a way.”
The Bruins certainly turned it up a notch. The team was up 3-0 after the first period and showed no signs of slowing down. Even some players who hadn’t scored for extended periods of time found the back of the net Tuesday in a full-team effort. Brandon Carlo scored his third goal of the season and his first in 34 games. Torey Krug scored his second goal of the year in the second period which was his first in 30 games.
“You always want to step up for your teammate. With the way he plays for our team, the things he does and the way he steps it up every night, it’s great to be able to go to battle for him and come up with this win. I know it can be tough coming back playing against your old friends and teammates, and he’d been here for a long time. It had to be an emotional night for him, so it’s great to be able to come out with a win. I’m sure he feels pretty good about it.”
– Brad Marchand
Limiting Vladimir Tarasenko
The Bruins’ certainly had tough competition on their hands in the form of Vladimir Tarasenko on Tuesday night. Still, the team came together and limited him as best they could. The superstar forward was held without a shot and a minus-2 rating in 19:26 of ice time. Captain Zdeno Chara put up some of his best numbers of the season, including 28:31 of ice time – with 7:45 coming short-handed, five blocks, and a plus-3 rating. Even better was the fact that he played 8:00 against Tarasenko 5-on-5 and the Bruins outshot the Blues 4-2 in that time, with goals going 1-0 the way of the Bruins.
The Bruins did their best to make David Backes’ homecoming a good one. In the process, they also showed that they’re a team that can play very solid hockey. It’s games like these ones that make the team so frustrating at times because the potential is certainly there. With some of the best players in the league on the team, including Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Tuukka Rask, and David Krejci, among others, the team has the talent. Defensively, the team has been better – though inconsistent at best.
If the Bruins can continue to demonstrate the unity they did against the Blues, they could finally play to their potential. Sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division, the Bruins are in good shape. If they continue to build on this win against the Blues, a post-season berth could be within reach. Should they fail to capitalize on this win, however, significant changes could be on the horizon with another missed playoff bid certainly possible in a tight division.
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