Jake DeBrusk heating up for Bruins: ‘Hopefully I’m streaking in the right direction’

BOSTON – The call for secondary scoring from the Bruins has been getting answered for a few weeks now, and they might now just be getting one of their most important non-top line scoring options online in Jake DeBrusk.

The Bruins left winger has now scored goals in back-to-back games after managing just one goal in his first 12 games of the season, and helped power the Bruins to a 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden on Monday night. DeBrusk’s speed has been noticeable in the last few games, and it was his ability to pressure Penguins defenseman Kris Letang that helped create the turnover leading to Boston’s first goal of the game.

DeBrusk is still off the pace of last season when he scored a career-high 27 goals and was the next source of offense behind Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, but his streaky nature means he might be at the beginning of a patented tear with the Black and Gold.

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“I definitely feel a little traction. It definitely puts my mind at ease. It wasn’t the prettiest of goals, but I’ll take it,” said DeBrusk, of the short-side score that helped Penguins goalie Matt Murray eventually get yanked from the game. “Anytime I start to feel like this it’s usually a good thing, so I’m just trying to keep it rolling. Everyone says that I’m a streaky player, so hopefully I’m streaking in the right direction.”

There is a noticeable and unmistakable uptick in DeBrusk’s game once he begins scoring and finding the back of the net. He finishes more checks, skates a little harder consistently shift-to-shift and plays with a conviction and willingness to go to the danger areas that sometimes goes by the wayside in the stretches where the offense isn’t coming for him.

All of those good things are happening now with DeBrusk while skating with David Krejci and Danton Heinen, and it’s giving the Bruins everything they need offensively up and down the lineup for a deep, varied attack. Now the challenge awaits for DeBrusk and the Bruins to keep it going for as long as possible with the knowledge that the goals will surely be tougher to come by at points later in the long season.