Bruins forward Trent Frederic has to learn an important lesson — fast

The Bruins did not lose to the Blues on Tuesday because of Trent Frederic.

The power play flamed out on both occasions, stretching its streak of nothing to 18 straight opportunities. Charlie Coyle, Frederic’s center, lost control of the puck after declining to shoot, which allowed the Blues to scoot away for their final third-period goal. The Bruins did not play smart without Hampus Lindholm, Matt Grzelcyk and Brandon Carlo. Most teams would look the same down three of their top four defensemen.

But Frederic lost control at a time when he had little reason to do so: with his team holding a 2-1 lead.

Frederic is a tough customer. He has held his own against Tom Wilson, which is something not many players can say. 

As such, the 6-foot-3, 216-pound St. Louis native probably felt a twinge of shame when he lined up Vladimir Tarasenko in the second period and ended up on the ice. Tarasenko is a skilled player. But he is 228 pounds, fully capable of dropping an inbound object like Frederic.

You can understand, then, why Frederic felt the need to get in Tarasenko’s face after the collision. There was no excuse, however, for Frederic tearing off Colton Parayko’s helmet in the scrum that ignited. Under Rule 51.1, a player who intentionally removes an opponent’s helmet is guilty of roughing.

Torey Krug scored with Frederic in the box. The No. 3 left wing was benched for the rest of the second. He was granted only two shifts in the third. 

On Wednesday, Frederic was off the No. 3 line entirely, replaced by Tomas Nosek. Whether Frederic will remain out of the mix on Thursday against Ottawa remains to be seen.

“We know the brand of hockey to expect once you get in,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “You just have to have a certain amount of discipline to play and not take yourself out of the game individually or as a team. That’s where Freddy’s going to have to learn. He hasn’t been through it a lot. So this is probably a good learning curve for him (Tuesday), to keep your emotions in check and channel them properly. He didn’t. (It) cost us. Hopefully he’s a better player for it going forward. That’s it. That’s the best you can hope for. Because he has been a good player for us on that line.”

Cassidy went on to say, however, that the No. 3 line of Frederic, Coyle and Craig Smith has lost some of its potency. It has not scored a five-on-five goal in the past four games. Coyle and Smith have been on the ice for three opposing five-on-five goals in this segment. 

Coyle snapped home the three-on-three overtime winner against Tampa Bay on April 8. But the trio’s between-the-dots offensive-zone presence has dissipated.

“That line has not been as good recently. I’ll put that on all three of them,” said Cassidy. “They’re getting farther and farther and farther away from the net as opposed to toward the net. They’re big, heavy bodies that can do some damage. So we’re trying to correct that.”

You could make the case that Frederic has had the toughest stretch of the three. He was injured against Columbus on April 4. He did not play two nights later against Detroit. 

Frederic returned against Tampa. But the left wing made a regrettable decision to carry the puck out of the zone in the second period. He got a step on Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. But Frederic skated right into a trap set by Pat Maroon. On the following rush, Bellemare hummed a one-timer around Frederic and past Linus Ullmark for the Lightning’s only goal.

Questionable puck play like Frederic’s may be Cassidy’s biggest gripe.

“Stuff happens in a game,” said Cassidy. “You’re going to lose battles. The puck will get turned over. But you have to then defend and check well to get it back. Let’s learn from these puck management mistakes. Those have been our Achilles’ heel lately.”

Frederic will be an important player in the playoffs. He is physical. He enjoys confrontation. Good third lines regularly make postseason differences, like Coyle did with Marcus Johansson and Danton Heinen in 2019.

But the 24-year-old has to learn when to apply his belligerence. If Frederic goes to the box, he has to take his opponent with him. A night spent out of uniform in the final segment of the regular season may not be a bad thing.

Notes

Grzelcyk practiced on Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s game. Cassidy was cautiously optimistic he will be available on Thursday against Ottawa. … Carlo did not practice on Wednesday. He was scheduled for additional evaluation for his undisclosed injury. The defenseman left after Tuesday’s first period. He took a wallop into the boards from Lars Eller on Sunday, but finished the game. … Neither Lindholm nor Pastrnak practiced. … Jesper Fröden, recalled from Providence, practiced as the No. 2 right wing next to Taylor Hall and Erik Haula. Marc McLaughlin, formerly the second-line right wing, centered the fourth line between Nick Foligno and Curtis Lazar. … Johnny Beecher, the Bruins’ 2019 first-round pick, signed an amateur tryout agreement and reported to Providence on Wednesday. The left-shot center has yet to sign his NHL entry-level contract.

(Photo of Trent Frederic forechecking Torey Krug: Winslow Townson / USA Today)