WASHINGTON -- Brad Marchand has been acting the good brat early in each of the first two playoff games.
The impish forward got into a scrum on his very first shift of the game in Game 1 and then drew a penalty in the early stages of Game 2 on Roman Hamrlik for a Bruins power play. Claude Julien has liked what hes seen on that end, but Marchand is another Bruins forward that could probably find another level in his game.
Right now Brad is really focused on bringing his A game to the table and thats his main focusand that should be his main focus right now," coach Claude Julien said. "Hes into the scrums, hes in everywhere, but again hes not crossing the line which is making him not take some bad penalties. So were satisfied with that. It think right now hell be an even bigger agitator in the way that if he finds that 'A' game of his and his skating is there driving the net and all that kind of stuff that he does so well.
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So thats just a matter of him adjusting his game a little bit and I guess him finding another gear to his game. We feel that weve got some lines that can be a little bit better for us. Theyre good, but not good enough right now. Its about working on that happening. There are some players that I think are going to be capable of giving us more moving forward here. Im confident that they will.
Marchand did squeeze four shots off against the Caps Saturday afternoon in addition to drawing Hamrliks ire, and hes been a Bs forward thats had a little more jump. But Marchand was close to a 30-goal scorer during the regular season, and at the end of the dayfair or unfairthe top six forwards on Boston are judged by goals produced.
Marchand knows that and hes intent on changing the goose egg next to his name after two postseason games. It doesnt matter if Brad Marchand and linemates Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron are preoccupied with stopping Alex Ovechkins line when hes on the icethey know there also needs to be an offensive presence to go along with the defensive play.
We have to be better. Were definitely doing a pretty good job playing against their line. Part of our goal is shutting down their line, but we have to be better offensively, said Marchand. Theres definitely a little more pressure. More things are being expected and I want to be able to contribute the same way as the regular season.
Its a big time of year and we need guys to step up . . . especially with Horton out. The onus is on us and we have to be better. It falls on all of us to step up more.
Marchand has been one of the better skill forwards for the Bruins thus far, but a better version of himself waits with the setting changing to Washington.