Bruins' Fraser Minten is starting to see his stock rise in Marco Sturm's system

"Fraser Minten has often been tasked with snuffing out scoring chances and winning critical face-offs in the defensive zone for Boston this season. But against the Islanders, Marco Sturm called on the 21-year-old forward to capitalize down the other end of the ice. As Boston tried to erase a one-goal deficit for the third time on Tuesday at UBS Arena, Minten received a promotion up to a top line with David Pastrnak and Khusnutdinov."

"For Boston's first-year head coach, Minten's meat-and-potatoes approach was a needed prescription for a forward corps that was starting to put New York on the ropes. "His jump, his speed through the middle - he's kind of picked it up for a while now. So that's why, that was one of the things," Sturm said of Minten's promotion on Wednesday at Warrior Ice Arena. "I'm like, okay, maybe I'm gonna help Pasta, too, with a little bit more directness.""

"Much like how Khusnutdinov made the most of his reps on Tuesday with both a game-tying goal and a shootout winner, Minten helped orchestrate his linemate's third-period tally by hounding pucks and sapping the strength out of the opposition's legs by cycling in the offensive zone. It was Minten's shot from the slot after a frantic shift that generated the rebound that Khusnutdinov tucked home - knotting the score at 3-3 and allowing Boston to eventually scrap together a 4-3 shootout victory on Long Island."

Fraser Minten has primarily handled defensive-zone responsibilities and critical face-offs for Boston this season. Against the Islanders, Marco Sturm elevated Minten to a top line with David Pastrnak and Marat Khusnutdinov while Boston chased a one-goal deficit. Observations of Minten's increased jump and speed through the middle motivated the move to add directness to Pastrnak's line. Minten's forechecking and cycling created a rebound from a slot shot that Khusnutdinov converted to tie the game. Khusnutdinov later scored the shootout winner, and Boston secured a 4-3 shootout victory on Long Island.

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