""It's a combination of everything," said Sturm after the B's 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. "It's the commitment, yes. There's the structure that allows you to make mistakes but you still have someone who can clean it up. But also, for me, it's trust. It all goes back to the fact that we all trust each other. Even if you make a mistake or something like that, we know that somebody should be there. And right now that player is (there). It could be a stick, it could be a body, it could be anything. So it's guys just getting more used to it than anything but, for me, the trust is the biggest thing.""
"No longer are opposing forwards finding themselves habitually wide open in the slot to score goalls while Bruin defenders, often bunched up in a corner, stare at each other and wonder 'What happened?'"
Bruins sit 9-7 after a fifth straight win and rank 14th at 3.19 goals per game. Scoring consistency is uncertain, but defensive progress stands out. Opposing forwards are no longer routinely left wide open in the slot, and defenders are avoiding clustered positioning in corners. Coach Marco Sturm's hybrid zone/man system is gaining traction, emphasizing commitment, structure and mutual trust. Players are learning responsibilities within the system and using sticks and bodies to mitigate mistakes. Improved defensive structure is providing stability that complements the team's scoring and underpins recent success.
Read at Boston Herald
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