Hamilton recorded his first NHL point as he assisted on Brad Marchand's power-play goal in the second period.
If anyone is questioning whether Boston Bruins rookie defenseman Dougie Hamilton will stay with the big boys or go back to junior, just stop right now.
Anyone who watched Wednesday night's 4-3 overtime loss against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden witnessed the exciting potential of the type of player the Bruins' No. 9 overall 2011 draft pick can develop into.
Hamilton didn’t play like a timid rookie; he looked like a veteran defenseman who wasn’t afraid to hold onto the puck and make well-executed plays.
He found shooting lanes where at times it looked impossible, as on his assist on forward Brad Marchand’s power-play goal at 1:05 of the second period. That cut the Rangers’ 2-0 lead in half and snapped an 0-for-11 drought on the man advantage to start the season. Boston is now 1 for 14 in power-play attempts.
Hamilton finished with a team-high four shots on goal, along with two giveaways and a blocked shot in 18:55 of ice time. He saw 4:23 on the power play of out a possible 8:47.
His first NHL point came at a crucial time as it put the Bruins back in the game, and they went on to force overtime on a late Nathan Horton goal.
Even though the Bruins lost in OT, Hamilton’s play was encouraging, especially under the not-so-easy circumstances: In his first three games, he has had a different defensive partner.
In the season opener he skated with Dennis Seidenberg. When Seidenberg was scratched with a lower-body injury during Monday’s matinee game with Winnipeg, Hamilton was paired with captain Zdeno Chara. With Seidenberg out again Wednesday, Bruins coach Claude Julien put Hamilton and Andrew Ference together.
It’s a lot to adjust to; even though the 19-year-old has shown he can adapt, there have been a few bumps in the road.
Hamilton was out of position on a few occasions in the first period, one of which led to the Rangers’ second goal at 6:49. As the game wore on, though, Hamilton skated with more confidence and made a few eyebrow-raising offensive plays in the third, when he had a few good looks at Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist to nearly put Boston ahead.
Julien wasn’t shy about expressing his thoughts on Hamilton’s skill.
“Anybody who watched the game (Wednesday) had to see this guy was outstanding – not good, outstanding,” the Bruins coach said. “He was so poised and confident. If anybody thinks he can’t play in this league, they should just take some time to watch this game.”
It’s only three games into the shortened season, but the Bruins and their fans should be very excited.
Amanda Bruno can be reached at abruno@repub.com
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