What Bruins Need To Close Out Road Trip Successfully
The Boston Bruins are winless in the first three contests of their five-game road trip and have gone 0-5-1 in their last six.
With games coming up against the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings before returning home, Bruins analyst Andy Brickley broke down what he wants to see from the Black and Gold on the latest episode of NESN’s “The Hockey Hub” podcast.
“The biggest thing I want to see is the full 60 (minute effort),” Brickley told Sophia Jurksztowicz. “I want to see that forechecking game. I want to see each guy have each player’s back. I want to see the physical confrontation, not fights, just physical. There were stretches against LA where, in the Bruins’ defensive zone, the commitment was there, they would do it. They were matching LA’s defensive effort in that first 15 minutes of the first period. I loved it. They wanted to win.”
Brickley added that the Bruins care about playing the right way and want to win hockey games. He said the team didn’t like that they weren’t “able to hang” with the Vegas Golden Knights to begin the trip.
“You put Vegas and LA in the same category as far as talented teams and good teams in the league,” Brickley said. “I loved that first 15 minutes. It’s just that LA, their superiority in depth, their talent, it just overwhelms you eventually because that’s just the state that we’re in, given what the Bruins are right now.
“So that’s what I’m looking for, a full 60-minute committed effort. Play the game with intelligence. Play to your strengths as a player. Try to enjoy the job that you have. It’s so hard to find enjoyment right now with the Bruins team. Try to stick together. Make the right play. Don’t hang your head. Don’t give me bad body language. If you have a bad shift, the next shift, pick your teammates up.”
Brickley continued: “I think that’s what we want to see from the remaining part of the schedule for the Boston Bruins. If we get that, then it’s tolerable, it’s more enjoyable because we all understand the situation that they’re in.”
To hear more from Brickley on the state of the Bruins, you can listen to the latest episode of “The Hockey Hub” on YouTube or Spotify.