The Boston Bruins played their first preseason game of the year against the Washington Capitals on Sep. 21, and it is fair to say that it did not go the way that they hoped.
After going with a roster with multiple veterans, the Bruins lost to the Capitals by a 5-2 final score. With this, it was a tough first preseason contest for the Black and Gold.
However, while speaking to reporters, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm shared that he was impressed by the Original Six club's fourth line of Patrick Brown, Jeffrey Viel, and Riley Duran in the matchup.
"I really liked our fourth line," Sturm said to reporters, including WEEI's Scott McLaughlin. "I actually thought they were our best line. They worked extremely hard. They brought us some energy. They were buzzing around and did exactly what I wanted them to do, so that was the best positive."
Getting a shout-out from a coach is always a good thing, but especially during the preseason when players are looking to earn spots on the NHL roster. Brown, Viel, and Duran primarily played in the AHL last season, but if they keep impressing Sturm, perhaps it could open the door for them to receive more NHL opportunities this campaign.
This is especially for Duran, however, as the 23-year-old forward prospect is looking to prove that he can take that next step and make the Bruins' bottom six. The Boston, Massachusetts native played in his first two NHL games this past season for Boston, where he recorded five shots and six hits.
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