In the last seconds of Tuesday night’s third period against the Arizona Coyotes, Charlie Coyle came dangerously close to stealing a victory for the Boston Bruins.
However, Arizona goalie Connor Ingrams’ right foot stopped David Pastrnak’s initial effort at a knock-in goal, ultimately leading to a 4-3 overtime loss.
“After taking a second swing, I believed I had defeated the blocker, and I believe it had struck the pad. It’s a tremendous save, Coyle said reporters on Tuesday.
Coyle has been an unsung hero for his club this season, despite being denied a dramatic ending in the second game of the Bruins’ back-to-back. not only in the center position but also when on the power play, killing penalties, and skating off the ice.
With Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci’s retirements, the 31-year-old forward was selected for the 2C slot and has assumed the role with composure and determination. Maybe the most notable thing has been Coyle’s constancy.
With 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) through 40 games, Coyle is on track to become the first player in history to reach the 30-goal plateau. He is also just three tucks away from surpassing his total of 16 from 2022–2023. Additionally, while playing on the second unit with Jake DeBrusk, James van Riemsdyk, Hampus Lindholm, and Kevin Shattenkirk, Coyle has scored four goals on the power play.
The rest of Coyle’s game hasn’t suffered while his scoring output soars; his adaptability has been crucial. The product of East Weymouth, Massachusetts, is still the Bruins’ go-to man to preserve a lead in the closing minutes of a game and is a stalwart on the penalty kill. In games versus the Coyotes, Coyle has played 20:01 of total ice time, up from an average of 17:52.
In a year where the Bruins club and his own place within it are at a crossroads, Coyle has won the unflinching respect of his teammates and coaches.
Coyle was centered the second line between Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk for the Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, but for Tuesday’s game, Montgomery changed him to play with Marchand and Pastrnak.
After the game, Montgomery told reporters, “I felt ‘Pasta’ was on, felt Marchand was on, and I wanted the most reliable center to be playing with them, and that’s Charlie Coyle.”
The Vegas Golden Knights, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, will take on Boston on Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena. Boston has now dropped three of its previous four games. Coyle has insisted throughout the season that the Bruins embrace hardship, and his team’s primary goal will be getting off to a timely start.
“This isn’t how we intended to begin. Speaking of the Bruins’ matchup with Arizona, Coyle remarked, “It kind of looked like it took a little bit to get our legs going.” “You have to bring it right from puck drop; we take pride in being a good third period team.”
The Bruins will play their third game of a four-game road trip on Thursday at 10 p.m. against the Golden Knights in an attempt to bounce back into the win column.