BOSTON — Jake DeBrusk got a step on Robert Bortuzzo and he was off to the races.
Despite missing the net on the breakaway, the message was already sent.
Two minutes into the Stanley Cup Final, the Boston Bruins flashed the speed and skill that got them to this point and exploited it to beat the St. Louis Blues in the series opener. If the Blues have any hope in Game 2 Wednesday night and beyond, they will have to slow down the Bruins somehow, some way.
"There's different ways that you can wear guys down whether it's physicality or speed," DeBrusk said. "That's the game now. That's how you have to play. It's just races to loose pucks and then playing physical when the opportunity presents itself."
Game 1 will be remembered for 5-foot-9 Boston
The fact that 77.2
Armed with that confidence, the Blues understand the key to earning a split in Boston is stunting their opponents' relentless rush.
"It's not feeding into their transition as much,"
Boston's top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak had zero points at even strength , but in the end the Bruins didn't need them on the score sheet. Coach Bruce Cassidy credited team
"Usually the teams that are still left here are the teams that have that depth and four lines who can skate and wear teams down," Bruins
Maybe a game-winner and primary assist from fourth-line forward Sean Kuraly and a goal by third-pairing
Getting back to discipline is one necessary ingredient for St. Louis, as is limiting turnovers. The Blues want to turn the tables on the Bruins and make them defend instead of cranking up the
"We need a lot more O-zone time," Berube said. "They're a good forecheck team. They pressure, they've got good speed, they're a well-structured hockey team. Our puck support wasn't very good in the second and third period and puck play in general. Just too many turnovers. We need better support, better puck play."
Cassidy and his staff figured out after the first intermission that Boston could skate wide around the Blues' bigger
"They obviously have a lot of skilled players: They're small and fast and they make plays," Blues
NOTES: Berube said D Vince Dunn, who missed the past four games after taking a puck to the face last round, has a chance to play in Game 2. ... The Bruins are expected to go with the same lineup as Game 1.
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Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press