Bruins Brad Marchand’s Impact Goes Far Beyond the Box Score

By: Chad Jones I Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones

After the Boston Bruins were bested 6-2 by the Columbus Blue Jackets in their first game after the NHL’s Christmas Break, the Black and Gold took the ice at TD Garden Saturday night looking for redemption. Squaring off in the second part of a home-and-home against Columbus, Boston exploded for a dominant 4-0 victory.

David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha, and Morgan Geekie continued to stuff the stat sheet, combining for four points between the skaters. Jeremy Swayman was solid between the pipes, stopping all 18 shots and recording his second shutout of the season. Fabian Lysell looked competent in his first game dawning the Spoked-B, as the Swede winger saw some power play time and ended his debut with over 11 minutes of ice time.

One of the only negatives of the night for the Bruins was Brad Marchad’s 11-game point streak ending. He became the first Bruin to accomplish that feat at age 36 or older. It was the first contest since December 1st against the Montreal Canadiens where the Bruins captain failed to pick up either a tally or a helper. Number 63 had corralled seven goals and seven assists during that stretch.

While the wily winger did not record a point in this matchup, he ensured the Blue Jackets and the referees felt his presence. Towards the end of the first period, with the Bruins ahead 1-0, Marchand took exception to a high hit from Kirill Marchenko. The under-sized forward was not shy about voicing his displeasure to Marchenko and the officials, as neither referee assessed a penalty on the hit. The interaction caused an already enthused TD Garden crowd to roar.

In the third period, with Boston up by four goals and on the penalty kill, Marchand would again get his nose dirty. The sequence started when Marchand delivered a green-light hit to Columbus’ number-one defenseman, Zach Werenski. After the puck was sent down towards the Blue Jackets’ zone, Marchand made a dogged effort on the backcheck to strip the puck from Kent Johnson. Charlie Coyle then got the loose puck back to Marchand, who drove to the net and drew a holding penalty on Werenski. That sequence extinguished any sliver of hope Columbus had of making a miraculous comeback.

Even with over 1,000 games played and over 900 points accumulated, not to mention three off-season surgeries, Marchand’s willingness to compete hard game in and game out is as potent as ever. Number 63 has always had a knack for finding a way to help Boston play winning hockey, even on nights when he does not directly contribute to a goal. Hopefully, that message resonates with every young player in the Bruins organization.

You do not become a Stanley Cup champion and a four-time all-star by only making an impact offensively. The best players find a way to leave their fingerprints on the game by upping their physical play, paying attention to the defensive details, and ensuring to keep up their intensity and focus for each shift. Marchand has always understood that a hockey player’s value far exceeds his point total.