BOSTON - Nick Foligno is embracing being a nuisance.
With a bevy of high-end skill on the ice when the Bruins' first power-play unit jumps over the boards, he knows his role is to create havoc and open up space for Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, and Charlie McAvoy to work their magic.
And on Sunday night, the veteran forward did it to perfection.
Foligno planted himself in front of Vancouver netminder Jaroslav Halak and helped Boston cash in for two power-play markers in the third period - the tying tally from Marchand at 8:45 and the winner from Pastrnak with 3:24 to go.
"I think they're making me feel at home," said Foligno. "Those are four pretty darn good players to play with and I think I just know what my role needs to be there. Obviously being the net front and trying to make plays, not die with me, whether it's keeping the puck alive on a retrieval or creating havoc in front so the goalie has a harder time seeing the puck.
"It's only gonna help those guys do what they do. You saw Marchy do his thing last night. It's fun playing with those guys. Just more importantly as a unit, coming up big when the team needs it. I thought that we did that last night. I think it gives us a lot of confidence moving forward."
Foligno said that ultimately his biggest responsibility has been to create that little bit of extra time so that his power-play partners can capitalize on the seams and openings in the opposing team's kill.
"It's stuff you learn over the years, the little parts of hockey that allow you to win," said Foligno, who pointed to Chicago's Jonathan Toews as one of the best at playing the net front on the power play. "If you can make a guy a second late to get to a check, it only creates a better advantage for your power play. Those guys don't need much time.
"When you've got Marchy on the half wall and Bergy…Pasta on the backdoor, Charlie up top - that's a lot of weapons. If you can give them a split second more to make their play, I think it's gonna help our team."
Video: Foligno talks with the media on Monday morning at WIA
Foligno's work at the top of the crease in recent games has helped the B's top unit find its footing after a sluggish start to the season, while impressing coach Bruce Cassidy in the process.
"Nick is a true net presence," said Cassidy, whose club has jumped to fifth in the league with a 25.5% success rate on the power play. "He likes to live at the top of the blue paint whereas Taylor [Hall] was moving around a little more. And that's fine, each has different attributes.
"With Nick being at the top there [Sunday] night and how we saw [Vancouver] killing, we thought it was good for him to plant himself there and we can make some plays around that. He did a real good job in there occupying space."
Foligno, meanwhile, also appears to be finding his all-around game after missing eight games earlier this season due to an upper-body injury. The 34-year-old has picked up three assists in his last three games and developed some quick chemistry with new linemates Trent Frederic and Karson Kuhlman against the Canucks.
"I actually liked it a lot," Foligno said of the trio. "Especially for those guys stepping back into the lineup…Freddy, coming off a head injury, sometimes you can be a little hesitant, but I thought he just dove right in. They're fun because they're straight-line guys, hard workers and they talk a lot, too, which is nice.
"There's a lot of communication on the ice which I think just helps when you're trying to figure somebody out. I think we can be a real good line for our team, especially the energy aspect. The whole night, we pretty played in their end. It was fun. It was a great start."
Marchand to Have Hearing
The National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced on Monday morning that Brad Marchand "will have a hearing for Slew-footing on Vancouver's Oliver Ekman-Larsson" on Sunday night.
"There was nothing called in the game," said Cassidy. "They do revisit certain incidents. I think the precedent for the most part this year has been a fine if they feel that it's deserving of it. I guess we'll see what happens there.
"I thought it was two guys battling for a puck, got tangled up. They'll have to decide. You see a lot of those in the game. They're typically along the boards, more often than in the open ice. I've seen a lot of it this year."
Blidh Sidelined by Injury
Anton Blidh left Sunday night's win in the third period after taking a hit from behind from Ekman-Larsson in the third period that led to the power play on which Pastrnak potted the winning goal. Cassidy said on Monday that Blidh is out against the Red Wings and, "at least for the short term…and could be a little longer. We don't think it's anything long term."
Should Marchand face any supplemental discipline, the Bruins could be without two of their left wingers, meaning that Erik Haula and/or Jake DeBrusk - both healthy scratches against the Canucks - could find themselves back in the lineup on Tuesday night.
"They can both play the wing. I imagine someone will slot in," said Cassidy. "I will say, I liked Freddy in the middle. I thought that line had a different dimension, thought he had some good looks. I thought he looked more comfortable there, Foligno on his strong side. I thought [Karson Kuhlman] added a lot on the wing. I thought that line was excellent.
"You want to be careful, you don't want to mess [with it] - but you play the hand you're dealt if something should happen with our left wingers. I know Blidh's out, so we'll have to put someone in there without messing up too much. Think we'd just slot someone in there as opposed to messing with all the other lines."
Video: Cassidy talks at WIA on Monday morning
Wait, There's More
- Linus Ullmark will make his second consecutive start on Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings as Cassidy aims to get the netminder "into a rhythm" after sitting out two games last week with an undisclosed injury.
- Foligno was asked on Monday what he has learned about Patrice Bergeron during the few months he's been his teammate, and before providing a lengthy answer about the Boston captain's preparation and leadership joked, "He's perfect. It drives me nuts."
- The Bruins held an optional practice on Monday afternoon with about a dozen players taking to the sheet at Warrior Ice Arena.
"front" - Google News
November 27, 2021 at 03:00PM
https://ift.tt/2ZA662T
Foligno Finding a Home at the Net Front - BlueJackets.com
"front" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3aZh1mr
https://ift.tt/3b2xvu5
No comments:
Post a Comment