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<\/p>\nBOSTON \u2014 Two games. Two wins. The Boston Bruins are already rolling downhill.<\/p>\n
Coaching matters.<\/p>\n
Marco Sturm\u2019s priorities were not to fix the power play, straighten out the goaltending or find offensive depth. The rookie coach believed those things would take care of themselves if he first wrapped both hands around the No. 1 problem: identity.<\/p>\n
Sturm is off to a roaring start when it comes to that. After leading a blue-collar training camp and issuing regular reminders to play hard, Sturm\u2019s message has rapidly gone viral within the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose are the kinds of wins you need to build something \u2014 what we want to build here,\u201d Sturm said, sharing hockey operations adviser and mentor Zdeno Chara\u2019s postgame declaration, after Thursday\u2019s 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. \u201cIt\u2019s not always pretty. But the guys got the job done. It\u2019s not easy to play a game like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n Joonas Korpisalo made three saves in overtime, including two on prime scoring chances. (Rich Gagnon \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The Bruins grabbed four points with back-to-back wins over the Blackhawks and Washington Capitals.<\/p>\n
Sturm had his hands all over the results. Here are five ways:<\/p>\n
No defensive crumbling<\/p>\n
At 12:23 of the first period, after sharing a word with head physical therapist Joe Robinson on the bench, Hampus Lindholm retreated to the dressing room. He did not return. Sturm said Lindholm had suffered a lower-body injury unrelated to his broken patella. Lindholm is scheduled for tests today.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to be smart,\u201d Sturm said. \u201cWe need him for the long run. Sounds like it\u2019s not too bad. But we\u2019ll see (today).\u201d<\/p>\n
Lindholm\u2019s early departure could have caused the blue line to wobble. But Sturm and assistant coach Jay Leach kept a firm hand on the defensemen. The Bruins allowed two five-on-five goals after Lindholm\u2019s exit. One of them skimmed past Joonas Korpisalo after deflecting off Tanner Jeannot.<\/p>\n
Charlie McAvoy (27:26 of ice time) and Nikita Zadorov (25:11) emerged. Zadorov (3:47) and Andrew Peeke (3:30) did most of the penalty-killing heavy lifting.<\/p>\n
\u201cPhysicality is huge for us,\u201d Casey Mittelstadt said. \u201cEspecially against a young team tonight. We tired them out a little bit. We could have ended it before OT.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trusting the kid<\/p>\n
Sturm has taken to Fraser Minten quickly. It\u2019s easy to understand. Minten plays a hard, responsible, straightforward style as No. 3 center between Jeannot and Mikey Eyssimont.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery simple,\u201d Sturm said of his third line. \u201cThey like to grind. They like to work. Defensively responsible. They\u2019re killers for me. They do exactly what I want from a third line.\u201d<\/p>\n
Third-line centers don\u2019t always get the coach\u2019s nod for three-on-three overtime, though. It\u2019s usually where the skilled pivots get the shifts.<\/p>\n
But Sturm had Minten on the ice for OT. It was a good thing. After pulling the puck out of a pile in the defensive end, Minten took off for a two-on-one rush with Morgan Geekie. Minten thought about feeding his teammate but saw Sam Rinzel\u2019s stick occupying the passing lane. So Minten loaded the puck on his stick and snapped the winner past Arvid Soderblom.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was thinking pass,\u201d Minten said. \u201cGeeks has got a great one-T. I was looking there. Then saw it was taken. So I tried to throw a little deception in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sticking with the rotation<\/p>\n