BOSTON — The first three months of this season were largely forgettable for Jake DeBrusk.
The winger managed just four goals in the Bruins’ first 32 games, which didn’t help the team and did little to enhance his own value as he nears unrestricted free agency next summer.
But when the league shut down last weekend, DeBrusk saw it as a chance to offer himself something of a fresh start for the remainder of his season. Two games out of the break, the strategy seems to have worked.
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On Wednesday night in Buffalo, he recorded two assists. Then, back on home ice Saturday, DeBrusk netted a goal and notched an assist in the Bruins’ 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. The goal was his first in exactly a month, dating back to Nov. 30.
“(A night like this helps) a lot,” said coach Jim Montgomery of DeBrusk’s breakout. “But I think it started in Buffalo. You could tell. His speed is very, very noticeable. When his speed is noticeable, you know he’s on top of his game. And he’s doing a lot of little things.”
“I think it was just nice to have a reset, honestly, in the break,” said DeBrusk, “and to take some time away from the game and enjoy some Christmas spirit and come back with kind of a fresh (start). Obviously, (as a team), we didn’t like how we came into the break (with a losing streak). I was watching some Christmas movies and I was enjoying myself. It was nice to be able to do that for a little bit. Obviously, it’s just three days but that can make a world of difference for me.”
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Paired with center Charile Coyle and left wing Brad Marchand Saturday as the Bruins continue to shuffle their lines some, DeBrusk was intent on making sure he didn’t interrupt his linemates’ momentum.
“Those guys are obviously playing really well this year,” said DeBrusk. “I was just trying to complement that line, use my speed to get to the forecheck and just do whatever I can, honestly.”
After the Bruins fell behind 2-0 a little more than a minute into the middle period, DeBrusk got the Bruins on the scoreboard. Taking a feed from behind the net from Marchand, he went to his backhand and tucked the puck into corner of the net at 5:35 of the second.
Some 10 minutes later, DeBrusk slipped a pretty backhand feed to a streaking David Pastrnak, who went in alone and beat Devils netminder Vitek Vanecek at 15:30 on the power play for first of his two goals on the night.
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Whether DeBrusk’s four points in the last two games serves to turn his season around remains to be seen. But the Bruins would welcome that kind of production more regularly — to provide them with a more balanced attack and another needed scoring option.
“He’s definitely fun to watch,” said Pastrnak. “He was all around tonight and that was a ‘JB goal.’ The last two games, he was great. He battled hard against Buffalo and he got a couple of assists as a reward and sometimes you need that as a player, and the kind of player that JB is. It’s been paying off so we’re obviously happy for him because he’s a big part of our team and when he’s on his game like this, it’s fun to watch. Hopefully, he can keep it going.”
