3 Bruins Who Need a Big Performance in Game 4

Through the first three games, the Bruins have had their unexpected successes (who had Johnny Beecher being the first goal scorer on their Bingo card?) and the top guys coming in clutch when they’ve needed to (like Brad Marchand in Game 3). But there have also been some guys who have not had the start to the playoffs they would have liked. Still, Game 4 is a chance for them to turn it around and have a big on-ice performance.

Danton Heinen

After a phenomenal 2023-24 regular season, Danton Heinen has been pretty quiet so far in this series. He had a fantastic assist on Marchand’s game-winning goal in Game 3, but outside of that, he hasn’t been very noticeable on the ice. He has one point so far in this series and is a minus-one. Additionally, he only has three shots in the series for a 0.0% shooting percentage. In Game 2, he didn’t have a single shot on goal. 

Heinen has shown all season that he is capable of more than that. Since arriving in Boston on a PTO, he has been an unexpected but essential asset to the team. He’s played up and down the lineup, and is currently on the third line with Trent Frederic and James van Riemsdyk as head coach Jim Montgomery tests Morgan Geekie out on the wing. 

Heinen is someone to keep an eye on in Game 4. He’s proven to be a very capable player and is coming off a 36-point season in 74 games with 17 goals. If he can step up, he could be a real difference-maker.

Brad Marchand

Prior to his monster third period in Game 3, Marchand had been relatively quiet in this series (can Marchand ever be completely quiet?). I almost didn’t include him on this list, but one great period doesn’t completely make up for a Game 1 and Game 2 that weren’t what people have typically come to expect from him. He can do more, and hopefully, he shows that in Game 4.

Marchand needs to bring that momentum and play from the third period of Game 3. He had two goals, including the game-winner, and played with the ferocity that everyone has come to expect from the Bruins’ captain. If he can continue that into Game 4, it will be a huge difference-maker. He is a leader on this team for a reason, and the team is at its best when he’s playing well. He’s also the guy that can get into an opponent’s head and cause real issues there. After Game 3, he definitely seems to have gotten into the heads of the Leafs, and the next game is just an opportunity for him to cause more chaos with a big performance.

Pavel Zacha

Pavel Zacha has stepped up in a huge way this season, as he and Charlie Coyle moved into the top two center spots following the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. He set a career-high in points with 59 in 78 games while adjusting to his new role and, coming into the postseason, was someone I thought could end up being the MVP of the series for them. 

But so far, through the first three games, Zacha has been pretty quiet on the ice. He’s done well in the faceoff circle, which is obviously important, but he’s currently sitting at only one assist on David Pastrnak’s Game 2 goal. It was an amazing assist, but the Bruins need more out of their first-line center. 

Game 4 is a fresh start and an opportunity for him to step up his play. Zacha was great against the Panthers last year with six assists in seven games. He is capable of being a more impactful player, and hopefully, he’s able to make more incredible passes like he had on Pastrnak’s goal or get a goal himself in Game 4.

Honorable Mention: Matt Grzelcyk

The Bruins’ defense has been a question mark multiple times throughout the season and has been their weakest area so far this series. They’ve been aided by great play in net by both Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. The whole blue line as a group needs to step up in Game 4, but Matt Grzelcyk will be one name to keep an eye on if he is playing.

After a tough Game 2, he did not play in Game 3. Instead, he and Andrew Peeke, who is week-to-week with an upper-body injury after Game 2, were replaced by Mason Lohrei and Parker Wotherspoon. There is a chance that Grzelcyk returns for Game 4. If he does, he is someone that needs to step up.

At his best, Grzelcyk can be an effective and elusive player on the ice. But he struggled under Toronto’s pressure in Game 2, and it showed in his play. He somewhat famously was benched by Montgomery during the series against the Florida Panthers in 2023. It was not an incredible regular season from him in 2023-24, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad one, either. 

With him hitting free agency this summer, the pressure is on for Grzelcyk. If he plays in Game 4, which he very well could, he is someone the Bruins definitely need to step up and play to his fullest potential and put forth a big performance.

Bring the Momentum

Overall, the Bruins have played well in this series. They have gotten help from up and down the lineup, which was essential for them coming into the series. So far, they have seven different goal-scorers, including guys like Beecher and Brandon Carlo, who aren’t your typical point-getters. In addition, the power play has looked the best it has all season, and the penalty kill continues to be a strong point.

Game 4 is going to be an interesting one. The Maple Leafs are tough opponents, and they will not want to go down 3-1 in the series while the Bruins will be fighting for a chance to close out the series in Game 5 at home in Boston. As long as the team continues to put pressure and plays a bit more responsibly in their own zone, this is a winnable game and series for the team.