BOSTON — For seven seasons, Jake DeBrusk made the one-knee-down goal celebration his go-to move. It would have been entirely appropriate, then, for the former Boston Bruin to pull it out of his bag in his first game against his old club after scoring a power-play goal.
But DeBrusk is nothing if not aware of his surroundings. He knew better than anyone that Conor Garland might have gotten a piece of the puck with a high stick just before his goal. As such, DeBrusk did not want to cause a scene for nothing. Video replay showed Garland’s stick was below crossbar level.
That one felt goooood. 🤌
Jake DeBrusk on the power play! pic.twitter.com/yKbK7MCZJi
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 27, 2024
“It was more than what it looks like,” said DeBrusk of his muted celebration following the Vancouver Canucks’ 2-0 win over the Bruins on Tuesday. “But I think it would be worse if I did the one knee down.”
It was a strange day for DeBrusk, if only because his ears were free of the typical abuse his former teammates used to give him. For whatever reason, DeBrusk was the Bruins’ top target for chop-busting for seven seasons.
“I got no chirps today. I was a little bit shocked,” said DeBrusk. “Actually, no. Charlie Coyle called me a scumbag. Because we used to call each other scumbags. That’s the only thing I consider a chirp.”
That DeBrusk let the insults roll off his back was just one of the reasons he was a valuable Bruin. Scoring goals was another. Of his 144 career goals, 138 came as a Bruin.
DeBrusk was good off the rush, where he applied his speed and touch to put pucks behind goalies. But he was just as noticeable around the net for close-range tucks, just like the one he slipped behind Jeremy Swayman at 5:53 of the first for the first and winning goal. DeBrusk got inside position on Andrew Peeke, found the puck and casually tapped it across the line on his backhand.
It was the kind of goal the Bruins really needed.
The Bruins played well in their third game under interim coach Joe Sacco. It might have been their best following Jim Montgomery’s dismissal. They pumped 32 pucks on Kevin Lankinen while limiting the Canucks to 14 shots. It was the most shots they’ve taken since Sacco’s takeover.
DeBrusk noticed.
“I thought they played a great game, actually,” DeBrusk said. “I think that’s the best I’ve seen them. Shooting pucks from everywhere. We just kind of played a defensive style. We kind of adjusted. Obviously not the way you want to do it. Our goaltender was great. But we got the goal we needed. Just waited for an opportunity.”
The Bruins are playing better under Sacco. They are more connected. They have skated with more urgency. They’ve emphasized putting pucks on net and sending bodies with them. Their slot coverage in front of Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo has been just about perfect.
But they have scored three goals in the three games. Even if they’re increasing shot volume, it looks like it’s going to be a dogfight for the Bruins to convert sniffs into goals. They are short on natural scorers like DeBrusk, who signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Canucks on July 1. The Bruins did not replace DeBrusk. It may be a fatal flaw.
“We just have to start burying our chances,” Sacco said. “I think we’re giving ourselves a chance to compete in games now. The guys are defending hard. But offensively, we have to get some guys going and find their scoring touch.”
Front and center in that cohort would be David Pastrnak (three shots). Pastrnak does not have a goal in five straight games.
The No. 1 right wing has gone through cold snaps before. But for the seven previous seasons, DeBrusk was present as a support scorer when Pastrnak didn’t have his best stuff.
That is no longer the case. The Bruins have to identify offense elsewhere.
“The dam’s going to break at some point,” Charlie McAvoy said. “Just hope it’s soon. We’ve just got to keep playing the right way. We’re stressing defense in here and we’re doing a great job of it. It has helped our offensive game. We just can’t score.”
(Photo: Winslow Townson / Imagn Images)
