John Beecher and Matt Poitras, who both made the Bruins' varsity roster out of training camp, were reflecting on the unpredictable nature of being young professional athletes while sitting in their Boston area apartment.
Beecher had been moved down to the Providence Bruins, while Poitras was preparing for season-ending shoulder surgery.
Beecher jokingly remarked to Poitras about their misfortune, acknowledging the ups and downs of their lifestyle as professional athletes with a smile.
After spending two months in Providence, Beecher was called back up to the Bruins on March 14 and has been consistently playing since then. He was set to make his first Stanley Cup playoff appearance on Saturday night against the Leafs.
Beecher expressed his excitement about the experience of playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, acknowledging some nerves but also feeling ready to perform once the game begins.
Beecher has been playing as the left wing on a fourth line with center Jesper Boqvist and right wing Pat Maroon, and has been taking many of the faceoffs. He could be an important player for the Bruins in penalty-killing and protecting leads. His 54.6% faceoff win mark is just behind Pavel Zacha's 54.8% for tops on the team.
Coach Jim Montgomery has observed improvement in the more aggressive aspects of Beecher's game.
Montgomery mentioned that Beecher's intensity and one-on-one battles have significantly improved, which aligns with the team's emphasis on the value of his faceoffs and penalty-killing abilities.
Beecher, who had 7-3-10 totals in 52 games in Boston, sees growth in his performance.
Beecher noted that though he did not wish to be demoted, he recognized its positive impact on his game, allowing him to regain confidence and improve his fitness by playing more minutes every night.
He was focused on staying attentive.
Beecher discussed the importance of consistency in his game and expressed his readiness to rise to the challenge, especially at this time of the year when every game is crucial.
When he was asked if he has enjoyed the consistency that Beecher has brought, Montgomery’s response highlighted the day-to-day nature of this time of year.
“Today is a completely different situation. It’s playoffs,” said Montgomery. “We’ll see how it goes (Saturday night). For everyone, not just him.”
Staying focused
The Bruins surprisingly had a full morning skate after two full days of practice, but they didn’t stay on the ice for more than 15 minutes.
“I didn’t think we needed to go on the ice today but the players wanted to and that’s just common. It’s an 8 o’clock game. 7 o’clock game, we probably wouldn’t have been out there,” said Montgomery. … Derek Forbort, attempting a surprising return to the Bruins' lineup after undergoing surgery for two undisclosed injuries, played for the Providence Bruins on Friday during his conditioning stint.
“He’s progressing step by step. From what I heard, he looked rusty,” said Montgomery.
Loose pucks
The expected scratches for Saturday night were James van Riemsdyk up front and Parker Wotherspoon on defense. Mason Lohrei was returned to Providence. …
The Bruins head into this series with six consecutive wins over the Leafs in first-round series. The only franchise that had more consecutive first round wins over another franchise was Montreal against the Bruins with 10 dating from 1947-87.
If the Bruins prevail in a Game 7 this year, they would tie a record for most consecutive Game 7 wins over one franchise. The record of four is held by the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Washington Capitals.
