Marco Sturm knows as well as anyone the difficulties of being the new guy on a team.<\/p>\n
Long before he donned the sport coat-and-tie uniform of the coach, he was a player in the NHL, and a pretty good one at that. He was already into his eighth season of a productive career with the San Jose Sharks when he was included in the package that came east to the Bruins in the controversial blockbuster trade that shipped Joe Thornton out of Boston.<\/p>\n
It was an intimidating situation but he eventually got to his game and won over the fans here, potting over 20 goals in the four full seasons he played for the Bruins, scoring some momentous goals along the way.<\/p>\n
The situation that JJ Peterka is in is not nearly as dramatic as the one Sturm faced back in 2005. But he did come to the B\u2019s with the question marks. He is highly skilled and has already been a productive player in the NHL. But, at age 24, he has already been traded twice, including by Utah to the B\u2019s just one year removed from being signed to a five-year deal with an AAV of $7.7 million.<\/p>\n
But before anyone could say \u201cred flag,\u201d Peterka announced his arrival in Tuesday\u2019s season opener with a spectacular goal that salted away the game for the B\u2019s over the New York Rangers.<\/p>\n
Recognizing that Ranger defenseman Braden Schneider had a \u201cbad gap,\u201d Peterka took a feed from center Elias Lindholm and attacked with speed, slipped the puck between the skates of the reaching Schnieder and then beat goalie Igor Shesterkin.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we got him, right?\u201d beamed Sturm, Peterka\u2019s fellow German. \u201cIt was just nice to see because he had some really good chances in preseason, even in practice. And then to make a move like this and actually finish the way he did helps him moving forward. I also know, as a new guy on a new team in a new city playing at home, you want to be good and you want to be the guy. That part was really nice too because he score at the right time. And I think he showed everyone that he got here for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peterka was put on a line with David Pastrnak and Lindholm midway through the short training camp and the trio appears to be building some momentum, especially between the two highly skilled wingers. Pastrnak took eight shots and landed four while Peterka took five and hit the net with the only one that mattered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fun. We tried to look for each other a lot today. He\u2019s playing with so much speed, so much poise with the puck, makes a lot of great plays,\u201d Peterka said of Pastrnak. \u201cIt\u2019s awesome. I think you guys have seen it. We had a lot of fun out there together and hopefully we\u2019ll be clicking a few times more \u2026 scoring a goal like that, in a building like that was just unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Playing with Pastrnak has been helpful to a lot of players. Most recently he helped unlock the existing offense inside Morgan Geekie to the point where he flirted with 40 goals last season. Though Peterka can create offense on his own, perhaps now Pastrnak can help the former Sabre reach new heights. He already has three 20-plus goal seasons and one in which he had 68 points.<\/p>\n
The captain feels as though the chemistry is starting to kick in.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was definitely the best game so far that we played together,\u201d said Pastrnak. \u201cJJ\u2019s been fine both preseason games and it wasn\u2019t going in for him so I\u2019m glad he got off to a good start. He deserved it. He was all around it pretty much all the game. Happy he got a great start and it was a world class goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kid Line earns kudos<\/p>\n
Sturm is as intrigued by the Bruins\u2019 young third line as much as anyone. The skill and speed of Fraser Minten, James Hagens and Marat Khusnutdinov and the chance for them to all grow together is tantalizing.<\/p>\n
But before Tuesday\u2019s season opener, Sturm served notice that the leash will only be so long.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime will tell \u2026 if those kids are ready to play together or not. And if not, I will split them up, no problem,\u201d said Sturm after the morning skate.<\/p>\n
The grouping\u2019s performance in the B\u2019s 3-0 victory over the New York Rangers in the opener was enough to get a passing grade from Sturm, an improvement over their last preseason game together in which they got stuck in their own end a couple of shifts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were better today. Much better. Maybe took them a little bit (to get going) but overall I thought they were more comfortable,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cBut I felt like they had my trust and even in the third period when (J.T.) Miller\u2019s line and (Mika) Zibanejad\u2019s line were out there and I put them out there, it tells you already that I didn\u2019t mind them and they gave us a good game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minten\u2019s electrifying game-winner with 3:46 remaining in regulation no doubt colored the overall grade. Hagens at times looked like he needed to process his options a hair quicker but, at 19, that\u2019s to be expected. He did get off one good shot in the third period on which Shesterkin made a good positional save. Minten also went just 1-for-5 in the faceoff circle. But overall, it was a decent first game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we were solid,\u201d said Minten. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have too much time in the D-zone, we didn\u2019t have really any errors. It was a solid start and we\u2019ll keep building from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Physical defense<\/p>\n
The pairing of Nikita Zadorov and Connor Clifton had the potential for being a roller coaster tandem but, in the opening game, they were under control while at the same time delivering the physicality. Zadorov had a game-high eight hits while Clifton had three. Clifton, surprisingly, led all Bruins skaters with 23:23 of ice time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe probably got caught out there a few times but, good for him,\u201d said Sturm with a chuckle. \u201cI guess that\u2019s why he had a red face after the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
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