It’s no secret that the Boston Bruins finished their regular season with significant concerns regarding their power play. When the calendar turned to 2024, the Bruins’ power play conversion rate stood at 18.2%. Out of 137 power play opportunities, they managed just 25 goals. In contrast, they converted 29 out of their initial 106 opportunities during the season, boasting a 27.3% success rate. To stand toe-to-toe against a formidable team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was clear that the Bruins needed to emulate their 2023 form rather than the lackluster performance that had become the norm in 2024.
The results so far? Four games, 13 opportunities, six goals.
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The resurgence of the power play began in Game 1 for the Bruins, as they capitalized on two of their five chances, thanks to Jake DeBrusk. Morgan Geekie would score on one of the Bruins’ two power-play opportunities in Game 2, with DeBrusk scoring and Brad Marchand scoring two power-play goals in Game 3 to help put the Maple Leafs away in a 4-2 game; the score of Game 3 didn’t properly reflect how close this game was all the way through. Lastly, Marchand struck again in Game 4, converting one of the Bruins’ three power-play chances, propelling them to a commanding 3-1 series lead with the series returning to Boston. This goal also marked a historic moment for the Bruins captain, as it was his 56th career postseason goal, surpassing Cam Neely and solidifying his status as the top goal-scorer in Bruins’ playoff history.
Marchand and DeBrusk Finding Their Scoring Touch
A recurring theme in these power-play goals has been the resurgence of DeBrusk and Marchand, both rediscovering their scoring touch. This has been vital for the Bruins, as they rely heavily on their top players to consistently find the back of the net. For Marchand, the end of the season was challenging. He scored 24 goals in 49 games from the start of the season until the end of January. However, come February, the captain managed just five goals in 33 games. Such a dip in form was uncharacteristic for one of the league’s premier goal-scorers and demanded a change for the Bruins to have any hope of postseason success. DeBrusk similarly struggled, tallying only one goal and two points in the Bruins’ final 11 games of the regular season.
Fast forward to the postseason, and Marchand has notched three goals and eight points in four games, while DeBrusk has contributed three goals and five points in the same span. The power play is showing signs of life, surpassing its performance throughout the regular season, and two of the Bruins’ primary goal-scorers are finally resembling their true selves. If they can maintain this momentum and capitalize on opportunities, the sky is the limit for this team.
It’s worth emphasizing that the Bruins’ power play is just one facet of their game that must click for them to succeed. Their goaltending, led by Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, stands as their strongest asset, while their penalty kill has stifled the Maple Leafs to just one goal on 14 opportunities. Additionally, the team’s defensive mindset has effectively contained one of the NHL’s most potent offenses. Nonetheless, converting offensive opportunities remains paramount to success and has proven to be the case time and time again for this Bruins team. This is where Marchand and DeBrusk’s bounce-back and the power play’s effectiveness come into play. It’s a multifaceted puzzle, and with these final pieces seemingly falling into place, the Bruins now possess a blueprint for success for the remainder of the postseason. It’s easier said than done, but when firing on all cylinders, this team can compete with any in the NHL.
The Maple Leafs will have something to say about this in Game 5, and the Bruins’ self-inflicted injuries, such as their three too-many-men penalties, could certainly come back to bite them if they don’t clean things up. Still, the chance to put away the series at home is within reach and the Bruins just need to have a strong closeout game in Game 5.