The thud was not good.
Matt Poitras’s response was.
The Bruins' baby-faced forward was buried from behind into the boards by a cross-check to the lower back from the Rangers’ Ryan Lindgren in the first period of Boston’s 6-3 win at TD Garden Saturday.
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It was the kind of dangerous and irresponsible hit the NHL has been trying to eliminate for years. When Poitras crashed into the wood, the gasp from the Garden crowd was audible. Poitras, who got his gloves up just in time to brace himself and prevent a direct head-to-boards hit, was momentarily stunned but got back on his feet and skated to the bench as Lindgren skated to the penalty box.
The penalty gave the Bruins a short five-on-three power play, and they eventually cashed in on the five-on-four with Charlie McAvoy opening the scoring.
The impact of the hit on Poitras turned out to be minimal. Poitras’s impact on the game, however, was much more significant.
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Poitras twice took advantage of getting ice time with David Pastrnak — the hottest dish in the NHL right now — collecting primary assists on two of Pastrnak’s three goals.
Both came after Boston penalty kills, with Pastrnak’s normal center, Pavel Zacha, on the bench after helping to squash the Rangers' power plays.
On the first, Poitras outhustled Adam Fox to the puck behind the Rangers’ net, got position on the All-Star defenseman, and fed Pastrnak in the slot for a 2-1 lead the Bruins would never give up.
“My first goal, that was all [Poitras],” said Pastrnak. “Great game by him. That’s his specialty. He’s very strong on the puck for his size.”
On the second, Poitras collected a loose puck (after Pastrnak created a turnover at the blue line) and shuttled it over to Pastrnak, who sent a laser beam past Igor Shesterkin’s blocker.
High-awareness plays, but Poitras deferred to Pastrnak’s brilliance.
“He’s an unbelievable player,” said the 20-year-old. “So, for me, it’s just finding him, and he kind of does the rest.”
That Poitras, who has absorbed his fair share of big hits in his short, 56-game NHL career, was able to bounce back from the Lindgren crunch and stay engaged was an excellent sign for his development. Teams will always test a young player’s mettle. The pup’s reaction will be remembered by teammates — and opponents.
“He handles the hit well. He shakes it off like hockey players do and he responded well, too,” said Bruins coach Joe Sacco. “He got on the ice there and made a couple of real nice plays after the other team’s power plays, we were able to kill off a couple of them, and so he was able to get out there and made obviously a nice play to Pasta on that first goal and another one, too, as well. So yeah, I’m happy for him. Really good job by him getting out there in a critical time and making a big play — twice.”
Poitras counts his time in Providence earlier this season and his off-ice preparations for helping him develop durability.
“I do feel stronger. We mix in some workouts to try to keep my body weight the same throughout the year,” he said. “I’ve always been a guy who absorbs contact and makes plays out of the corner.”
Adding bulk without losing speed is critical for Poitras’s continued growth.
“For me, it’s just getting more comfortable,” said the 5-foot-11-inch, 189-pound Poitras. “I feel like my off-ice habits have gotten better. And I’m just trying to do more and more every day, trying to make sure my body handles this many games.”
Pastrnak remembers being in a similar position when he was cutting his NHL teeth. Teams would push him around to see if he would push back.
“We were both kind of lightweight guys coming into the league. I can definitely relate to it,” said Pastrnak. “He got so much stronger since a year and a half ago when he came. When he’s playing a game like that, he’s fun to watch. He’s a big part of our offensive group.”
McAvoy, who is no stranger to delivering the kind of pain and punishment that will make players think twice about extending plays, has enjoyed watching Poitras’s development.
“He has the skill, and he’s got the will and compete to go [to high-danger areas],” said McAvoy. “He doesn’t get flustered, and teams are going to play him hard. He’s not the biggest guy, but he bounces back, and he works hard.”
