The illness that James van Riemsdyk got earlier this week doesn't sound nice. The Bruins' forward said he lost 12 pounds in just a few days.
But the illness at least left van Riemsdyk's body in time for him to play in Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, before which he was going to be recognized for playing his 1,000th game. After the morning practice, van Riemsdyk mentioned he was expecting 70-80 friends and family members for the game.
"It's going to be a lot of fun, lots of family, friends, a few different coaches, some former teammates from the past," he said after the morning practice. "So it's pretty special, especially to see the number of people coming. I didn't really anticipate having that many people, so it's going to be pretty cool to share it with them."
The number of attendees will be quite different from Game No. 1 for van Riemsdyk, a 3-1 victory over the Hurricanes in Raleigh when he started with the Flyers.
"A few of my friends from my hometown in New Jersey drove down for that. I think my parents actually missed that game, too, for some reason," said van Riemsdyk. "I believe I had an assist. But it's amazing to think that was over 15 years ago now."
And van Riemsdyk has gained some knowledge along the way.
"Over the years, I've found that having consistency and longevity is key, along with having a good routine and a process you commit to in order to prepare yourself to play every single night," said van Riemsdyk. "I remember in my first year, it was pretty much getting to the rink, watching 'Everybody Loves Raymond' for a couple of episodes, and then going out to practice. Now the routine has changed a lot since then, with all the preparation that goes into it every night. It was definitely nice just showing up and getting out there, but as time goes on, you learn a lot of things along the way that help you with that."
Van Riemsdyk was prepared for top line duty on Saturday, playing alongside Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak. Although he's had chances to score many more goals than he's achieved, with 11-27-38 totals in 68 games, he's been a good deal for $1 million. Coach Jim Montgomery said he's brought more to the team than the numbers show.
"The player is as expected. What you don't know is the off-ice aspect. You don't know how good of a teammate a guy is, and he's a really good teammate," said Montgomery. "It doesn't matter what line he's on, he's talking to his line about how he can best support them, and if it's a younger player, about what they should be trying to achieve on the ice. He helps younger players stay focused, shift after shift. Plus, he's incredibly unselfish. He's had great success on the first power play and we move him to the second power play, and it doesn't bother him. He's never complained. He just comes to work every day to get better. That's why he's reached 1,000 games."
Achieving balance
Following his performance against the Canadiens, John Beecher secured himself a spot in the lineup again against the Flyers. Beecher won 8 of 11 faceoffs, an area that has been problematic for the B's all year. However, Montgomery liked more than just the faceoffs in Beecher's game.
Coach Montgomery said that despite a few off games, the player has generally been strong at faceoffs this year. He commended the player's hard work on the ice, especially in terms of holding onto the puck and causing turnovers. The coach emphasized the importance of players earning their spot in the lineup through their effort and performance.
Beecher was pleased with how he performed in faceoffs, considering he had not played for Boston since Jan. 13 before being sent down to Providence.
Beecher expressed that his recent performance in faceoffs has given him a confidence boost, and he understands the team's reliance on him in this aspect. He aims to stay focused and maintain his performance.
After speaking with the coach, Beecher mentioned that he was initially nervous in his first game back on the team but gradually felt more comfortable as the game went on. He emphasized the importance of playing aggressively and being in the right position at the right time, and he aims to continue improving.
Loose pucks
Andrew Peeke's performance in Montreal earned him another game, giving him a taste of preparing for a playoff run.
Peeke expressed his excitement about being at the top of the standings and competing for first place in the conference and division, highlighting the energy and significance of each game.
Matt Grzelcyk, who missed Thursday’s game due to illness, returned to the ice for the morning skate and was ready to play.
