MONTREAL – The game was still a week away, but Jesper Bratt couldn’t help already thinking about it.
With the Team Sweden-USA matchup set for Monday night at TD Garden in Boston to close out round-robin play of the 4 Nations Face-Off, he was finally going to get a chance to have to try to defend fellow star New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes.
Bratt, the Swede, and Hughes have combined for 41 goals this season, and are both difficult to contain in open ice. Both practicing with him often as well as seeing what he can do when they’re wearing the same sweater, Bratt thinks he may have the recipe to shut his fellow Devil down.
“I’ve just got to try to limit his time and space, that’s what it’s all about,” Bratt said through a smile on Tuesday’s media day. “He’s such a skilled player, and good players always find time and space, but you’ve got to be tight on a guy like that. You can’t give him anything, but it’s going to be exciting to play against him and see what it’s like on the other side.”
The inaugural 4 Nations event was to be something of a breakout for Devils stars like Hughes, Bratt, Team Finland forward Erik Haula and Sweden goalie Jacob Markstrom. But, Markstrom’s been out for weeks with a lower-body injury and was forced to miss the event, which was disappointing to Bratt, who was eager to play with him in an international setting.
“Obviously, we all feel very bad for ‘Marky,’” Bratt said. “Especially for me, it was such a big part of our whole season. Him being out is really tough. Me and him were talking about this tournament for such a long time to play for Sweden together, and we all really feel for him.
“He’s been having a good rehab and he’ll be ready to go (for New Jersey), but we miss him. I texted him the other day, and he wished me and the team the best. He’s such a great guy and it’s a bummer not having him around, but we always have guys stepping up, and I’m excited for that as well.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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