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SPORTSCENTRE Reporter

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It was a perfect start to the second round for Boston's 'Perfection Line' as Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak combined for 11 shots, seven takeaways and had a hand in all three Bruins goals in Sunday's win. Their best moment came early in the third period when Bergeron stripped Lightning defenceman Ryan McDonagh of the puck in the offensive zone and quickly found Pastrnak ​in the slot, who then flipped a backhand saucer pass to Marchand, who hammered it home.

​"They make big-time plays at high rates of speed and if you let up for a second they're going to get you," said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. "They compete really hard and never give up on plays so clearly that's what happened there."

The sequence further illustrated why Bergeron, a four-time Selke Trophy winner, is among the top two-way players of his generation.

"His back pressure is incredible so that goal was all him," said Marchand. "Forechecking ability and a great read and that's why he's going to be a Hall of Famer ... He has a gift with the way he reads the game and his stick positioning. There's very few guys in the league that have that ability on the defensive side of things. I mean, lots of guys are good offensively and can cheat and pick pucks off, but he does it from a defensive standpoint and he creates so many opportunities out of our zone and through the neutral zone and on the forecheck."

Boston's three-headed monster is even more dangerous on the power play. Pastrnak struck on the man advantage in the second period on Sunday, one-timing a sweet pass from David Krejci after 90 seconds of sustained pressure. 

"The one thing about Pasta is his release is so fast," Cooper observed of the Rocket Richard Trophy co-winner (48 goals). "Krejci makes a helluva pass to him, but that's on and off the stick and a lot of guys can't do that. It looks like you can, but they can't, especially to put it where you want to. So, you have to be in position on him and you can't fall asleep, because that's when those guys get you, especially that line."

Back in 2018, Pastrnak scored five goals in a seven-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round before mustering just one goal in a five-game loss to the Lightning. Since then the 24-year-old has evolved into a more consistent threat.

"He's put a little more responsibility on his shoulders," noted Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, "knowing that he has to produce, knowing that he's a top-end guy now, he's paid like that, and he's respected like that throughout the league and on our team. So, he knows that there can't be many nights off if we want to be successful."

A couple years ago, the Bruins top line was also dominant in a Game 1 win against the Lightning, but then Tampa roared back to win four straight.

"You win the first game and you can't get too comfortable," Cassidy warned. "Maybe two years ago we were a little overconfident going into that second game and I don't believe that will be a problem this year."

So, it’s up to the Lightning to raise their level. Cooper says they have a "recipe" to control Boston's best players if not entirely shut them down.

"You give them an inch and they'll take a mile," Cooper stressed. "We have to be a little harder on them. We have to be a little more positionally sound and try and keep those guys to the perimeter as much as possible."

 

 

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Tampa's challenge will be all the more difficult if McDonagh misses any time. The shutdown defenceman left Game 1 in the third period with an undisclosed injury and did not return.

"He's not going on the ice today and, as for the game, we'll just wait for tomorrow (Tuesday) to see," said Cooper.

McDonagh leads the Lightning in ice time since the restart, logging more than 26 minutes a game.

"He's our calming factor on the back end," said fellow blueliner Kevin Shattenkirk. "Has to play top lines every night and gets put out in defensive-zone situations, penalty kill, maybe not the areas that are the flashiest, but his commitment to doing all those little things well, blocking shots and being responsible defensively, that shows us ... that we all have to step up and do [that]."

The next two games in the series will be played on consecutive days (Tuesday and Wednesday).

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The Bruins shutdown duo is feeling pretty good these days. Zdeno Chara, 43, and Charlie McAvoy, 22, addressed the media side-by-side on Monday. McAvoy was asked about the role Chara has played in his growth as a hockey player. 

"It's something I have absolutely not taken for granted at all," McAvoy said. "I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to learn under this guy. He's as good as anyone in the entire league to learn under. I've learned so many lessons on the ice and off the ice. I'm blessed and fortunate to have him as a friend and a teammate."

Chara then peered over to McAvoy and said something, inaudible on the Zoom call, to his young teammate. McAvoy responded by blowing him a kiss.

"You guys done?" asked the next reporter in the queue.

Not quite. Eventually, it was Chara's turn to wax poetic.

"Charlie made an impact right away when he got called up for the playoffs in Ottawa," the Bruins captain said, referencing the 2017 postseason. "His abilities to see plays on the ice, his abilities to skate with the puck, defend, contribute offensively, he just ​keeps getting better and better. You can see he's getting more and more ice time and [in] the key, crucial situations during games."

McAvoy leads the Bruins in ice time in the playoffs (26:41) while Chara has seen his average workload dip below 21 minutes.

"You're seeing a bit of a passing of a torch now," said Cassidy. "Charlie's playing more minutes, in all situations, things that Z did years ago in his prime. So, that's an interesting dynamic as well. Maybe like a big brother, little brother thing. We saw it a little bit with [Brandon] Carlo, but not for an extended period of time. Z enjoys doing it. It's been a good situation for us to give him young partners, because there's no better teacher than an on-ice teacher. We can show him video, we can talk to him, we all played the game years and years ago, but these guys are living it in the moment and I think it's worked out well for both guys."

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One area where Chara still leads the way is on the penalty kill. He's averaging more than three minutes of shorthanded ice time per game since the season resumed. The Bruins have killed off 87.5 per cent of power plays in the bubble putting them behind only the Colorado Avalanche among remaining teams.

The Lightning failed to convert on three power-play opportunities in Game 1 and Tampa Bay is only clicking on 11.1 per cent of their chances in the bubble.

"It was hard to get going in that Columbus series because we were getting maybe one a game," Shattenkirk explained, "so when you're not feeling the puck as much and getting your reps in it's hard to get into a rhythm."

With a condensed series schedule, practice time is also limited. The absence of Steven Stamkos, who led the team with 10 power-play goals in the regular season, certainly doesn't help either.

The Lightning went 0/10 on then man advantage in the five-game series against the Jackets, but there are signs of progress.

"Our unit, especially, we keep things simple and just try to get pucks to the net," said Shattenkirk of Tampa's second group. "We have Pat [Maroon] at the net front who's a huge asset there and someone who gets a lot of sticks on pucks and creates a lot of havoc. We're a very simple power play and at the very least we want to make sure we're generating momentum."

Mikhail Sergachev is currently the quarterback on the top unit and Cooper was asked if he'd consider moving Norris Trophy nominee Victor Hedman, who scored twice in Game 1, to that spot.

"We'll see what happens," the coach said. "They both can play it ... before the pause, Hedman was hurt and Sergy had to step in there and he's done well ... unfortunately it didn't go in last night, but we're seeing improvements."

 

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The Islanders are the lowest seed remaining in the Eastern Conference bracket and have been able to exceed expectations in part thanks to the culture created by general manager Lou Lamoriello.

"The biggest thing with Lou is he doesn't let emotions get in the way," said head coach Barry Trotz. "He doesn't let anything get in the way, it's all about focus, it's all about winning and [he’s] very supportive all the time."

Trotz pointed out that because Lamoriello himself coached in the NHL he understands how to better manage staff during pressure-packed times.

Islanders winger Matt Martin also played for Lamoriello in Toronto and appreciates the straight-talk approach employed by the 77-year-old executive.

"He's as straight to the point as you're going to get," Martin said. "There's no sugarcoating. You know exactly what he wants from you and as long as you're doing your job and at least putting the work ethic and effort in, he has his players' backs 100 per cent. He's been around a long time and seen it all and he puts us in the best position to have success and there's nothing else you can really ask for as a player."