The Bruins didn’t necessarily need to bring forward Matthew Poitras back into the lineup on Saturday, but they wanted a change and chose to take a chance on the 20-year-old.
Poitras made certain to praise that decision, as he was the key difference between a victory and defeat.
The Boston Bruins defeated the Los Angeles Kings in overtime at TD Garden, with David Pastrnak scoring the game-winner on a play started by a pair of youthful teammates, including Poitras.
“It was a great job by Potsy,” Pastrnak said after the game. “He made some great plays…” I think he’s an excellent player, and we hadn’t seen him play a meaningful game in a long time, so we were all delighted to see him return. It’s unbelievable how strong he is on the puck for his height; he’s so good at it, and that’s what stands out about him the most.”
Poitras’ ability to grip onto pucks became apparent very immediately, as his placement in the lineup — alongside bruisers like Trent Frederic and Justin Brazeau — provided an advantage for the Black and Gold. The coaching staff devised it, but even they did not anticipate such high levels of performance.
“Matty Poitras, for his first game back in eight months, was special,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery remarked after the game. “I thought that was the best game he’d played in the NHL, including a couple of two-goal outings last season. You can tell how hard he worked in the offseason, as well as his ability to skate for entire shifts. It’s a tremendous improvement over last year, so if he has the energy to stay on the ice for lengthy periods of time, he’ll have opportunities to make plays.”
It’s easy to forget that Poitras was questioned before the season began. Can he remain healthy? Is there a place for him in Boston? Does the club have the time to wait for him to develop?
The Bruins answered some of those questions by putting the sophomore forward in a good location, where he can play his natural position and work with two guys who can help him recover from the injuries he sustained during his rookie season. Boston does not want to play in too many additional periods, but the trio of Poitras, Pastrnak, and Mason Lohrei looked great together, which should lead to more time together in the future.
However, Poitras was the star of the show on Saturday.
