Mason Lohrei continues breakout run in win over Panthers
Mason Lohrei must be asking Jeremy Swayman to hold his beer.
The 23-year-old has been legally allowed to purchase alcohol for only two full trips around the sun. Barely over a calendar year ago, he was in college. College! Mere months ago, he looked unsure of what to do when taking the ice against the big boys in the National Hockey League.
Now? Lohrei knows what he wants to do, and he’s doing it without flinching. Especially with the puck on his stick and the opposing goaltender in his sights. Lohrei is emerging as a real difference-maker for the Bruins defense, and he reached new heights by sniping the eventual game-winning goal in a 5-1 romp over the Florida Panthers on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena.
On the goal, Lohrei pinched down below the faceoff circle and got in position for a clean lane and a tape-to-tape pass by Parker Wotherspoon. Lohrei then simply pinpointed a wrist shot over the short-side shoulder of Sergei Bobrovsky, finding daylight through a barely cracked window.
Lohrei credited teammate David Pastrnak for parking on the opposite side of Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who had to respect the presence of No. 88. Bobrovsky’s subtle movement gave Lohrei the opening he needed, and he attacked.
“I’m always trying to jump in the offense and when you get chances you want to put them in the net,” Lohrei told reporters after the game. “So, it feels good to see it go in.”
It was already established that Lohrei had the size, skating, and skill to make an impact in the NHL, especially at the offensive end. It’s the intangible stuff that’s made his playoff performance so impressive. He’s been right there with Jeremy Swayman in terms of his unflinching confidence in the face of big moments and critical opportunities.
“His poise with the puck and willingness to hang on to it, to find a better play, is amazing,” said head coach Jim Montgomery. “The goal he scored, and before he when he hit the post, that whole shift, it gives confidence to the team. But his ability to do that in big moments … is something that gives our team another dynamic.”
MORE: It’s time for Bruins to ride Jeremy Swayman as far as he’ll take them
Lohrei has also been surprisingly effective in his own end, most notably with his breakouts and outlet passes, but his awareness and willingness to get back when necessary has been a welcome improvement. He flat-out looks like a totally different player than the one who got his first call-up to the NHL in November.
That said, it’s not as if Lohrei has been perfect. At times, he’s shown a tendency to lock on forecheckers and get himself caught out of position. That’s the kind of nuance that he still needs to learn, and that pretty much every NHL defenseman needs time to figure out. It’s a process that often takes years.
But Lohrei’s play with the puck has elevated him. He’ll be an impact player on the Bruins blue line as long as he looks as confident as he’s looked in this playoff run.
