Boston Bruins: 3 observations from shootout success on opening night
By Sam Minton
The Boston Bruins were able to pull out a victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night with Brad Marchand saving the day.
The Boston Bruins returned to the ice on Thursday night and the 2021 season got off to quite the start. It might have taken a shootout, but Boston was able to walk away with the 3-2 victory.
While things ended well for the Bruins, fans did receive some bad news prior to the game. Craig Smith was forced to miss the game due to an injury. His debut for the Bruins will have to wait as after the game Bruce Cassidy stated that Smith was day-to-day.
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Still, there was a lot for Bruins fans to look forward to. Trent Frederic would get the opportunity to show what he could do on the third line and Jack Studnicka primarily played on the first line. It was time to see what these young players are capable of.
So what do Bruins fans need to know after the win on Thursday night? Here are three observations from the quality team win over the Devils.
3. Kevan Miller made his return to the ice for the Boston Bruins.
Everyone was ranting and raving about just how well Kevan Miller looked in Training Camp. While that’s great, regular season games are a whole different ball game. The good thing is that Miller came to play on Thursday night.
While he was a -1 on the night, Miller was on the ice for almost 17 minutes. Also, he added two hits to his stat sheet.
Besides the stats, Miller skated well and was able to be a physical presence. He doesn’t appear to be afraid to get in a scrap or stick up for his teammates. With Zdeno Chara gone, the Bruins will definitley need him to fill that “enforcer” role.
All in all, it was a solid opening night from Miller. I didn’t have high expectations, but it seems like he will be able to contribute on a nightly basis. The question is will he be able to stay healthy for an entire season?