The Boston Bruins Are Becoming Harder to Figure Out

Something interesting is happening in Boston, and it may have more to do with how the Bruins are scoring than how many goals they are putting on the scoreboard. Boston's 6-2 win over Pittsburgh was its third straight victory. Six different Bruins found the back of the net, and that is worth paying attention to. Not because six goals are unusual in themselves, but because they might say something about how this team is beginning to come together.

For a long time, when we talk about a team's scoring ability, we tend to look at its best players and its top line. That's understandable. Those are the players who are expected to produce, and they usually get most of the attention. But there is another way to build an offence, and it can be just as important. It's called depth.

Bruins coach Marco Sturm has all four lines playing well.

Coach Marco Sturm has talked about having four lines that can contribute. That's an interesting idea because it changes the challenge facing opposing coaches. If the scoring threat comes from only one or two places, there is a fairly obvious way to prepare. Match your best defensive players against the opposition's top line, limit its opportunities, and make somebody else beat you.

But what happens when somebody else does? That's where Boston could become an interesting team to watch. If the Bruins can get consistent contributions from all four lines, opponents have fewer comfortable matchups. They can't spend the entire evening worrying about one particular player or line. They have to pay attention to what is happening across the lineup.

Of course, one six-goal performance doesn't establish a trend. We have all seen teams enjoy an offensive outburst only to struggle finding the net in their next few games. The real test will be whether Boston can make this kind of contribution a regular part of its game.

The Bruins’ scoring depth takes the pressure off every line.

The possibility is also encouraging. Scoring depth can ease pressure on the leading players. They don't have to feel that every night depends on their production. It gives a coach more options, and it gives players further down the lineup a reason to believe their contributions matter.

That's an important part of building a team, too. The Bruins have won three straight, but the more interesting question is what kind of team they are becoming. If this scoring balance continues, Boston might be developing an advantage that doesn't always show up in the standings immediately.

A team with one dangerous line is something opponents can plan around. A team with four lines that can contribute is a different proposition altogether. And that may be the more important story coming out of Boston right now.