#line-chemistry

#line-chemistry

The trio was dominant and showed great chemistry in the Bears' two games against the Cleveland Monsters late last week, scoring six goals combined, with all three players tallying once in each game. Protas even notched his first three-point game as a professional in Friday's contest, highlighted by a brilliant primary assist on a Trineyev goal where he put the puck through his legs before dishing on his backhand.

If Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat are the engines of the New York Islanders' offense, Emil Heineman might be the spark that keeps them running at full throttle. Since joining their line, the 22-year-old Swedish winger has added exactly what head coach Patrick Roy felt the duo needed: speed, grit, and an instinct for doing the dirty work that lets Barzal and Horvat shine.

Honestly, things are just going in, Horvat told amNewYork. I've been getting a lot of chances early. I think in years past, I don't know how many shots I've had but it feels like I've been getting at least five, six, seven a night. So eventually, those are gonna start to go in. Getting those opportunities for me is big, and then when you're getting them, and capitalizing on them, I think it all just falls into place that way.

Eichel is one of the NHL's best, but is it fair to worry he won't be able to replicate that point total? The Golden Knights have a new offensive weapon in Mitch Marner. You can look at it as that's a shiny new toy to help the Eichel scoring machine, or it may disrupt or take time to develop chemistry.

We are about to discover a lot more about just who these Bruins are. The B's will begin a short but, likely, telling three-game road Thursday night in Las Vegas against a Golden Knights team that many see as poised to break the Edmonton Oilers' two-year run to the Stanley Cup Final. And if the Golden Knights can't do it, the B's opponent Saturday night, the Colorado Avalanche, have a good shot at it.

We ask because Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel looks like he'll obliterate his career high in goals (36) while skating with Ivan Barbashev and the newly acquired Mitch Marner this season -- a line with incredible chemistry already at the start of the season. But ultimately, a superstar can't be a breakout player. That's reserved for players who are known but not yet household names. Or players we've been waiting to see blossom since their draft year.

Since acquiring Hampus Lindholm in March of 2022, the Boston Bruins have relied heavily on his defensive minutes at the top of their lineup. Overall, he played in 153 games over his first two seasons in Boston. However, last season Hampus Lindholm was sideline for all but 17 games with a back injury and the team missed him dearly. Boston plummeted in the second half and missed the playoffs entirely.