Brad Marchand intercepted a puck from Tyler Myers in the neutral zone in the second period Saturday, and he was going to make the Sabres pay with his fifth goal of the season. As soon as he got that puck, the 23-year-old had one thing on his mind: shooting. 

Of course, when you have a 2-on-1 with Tyler Seguin, sometimes those plans change. Sabres goalie Ryan Miller committed to Marchand’s shot, so the B's winger had no choice but to take advantage of an easy opportunity by sliding it across to Seguin to give the B’s a 2-1 lead. 

“I saw Segs coming from the bench, but the whole time, I even told him right after … I wanted to shoot the whole way,” Marchand said after the Bruins’ 6-2 win. “I wanted to take the shot – I had the whole lane – but he was just too wide-open, the goalie was froze, and I just had to give it to him.” 

Marchand wasn’t exactly feeling sorry for himself. By the end of the night, both he and Seguin had three-point showings, and Marchand did get that fifth goal of the season thanks to beauty of a pass from Seguin in the third period to set up a back-hander in front of Jhonas Enroth. 

With the way things are going, such a big night from both players is nothing out of the ordinary. Seguin has seven goals over his last four games, and has 11 goals on the season, which ties his total from his rookie campaign in 2010-11. Marchand, meanwhile, is in the midst of a five-game point streak, which is the longest of his career. Playing with Patrice Bergeron, the brains of the operation, the two speedy youngsters have been able to hit their stride while skating together.

“Obviously Bergy's fast too, but when Bergy's in his own zone and he's playing his good defensive zone you know we're there,” Seguin said. “If the puck pops out I know that Marchy's flying down the other boards or Marchy knows I'm going and, you know, it just works out with our speed.”

Many in the preseason were clamoring for Claude Julien make Rich Peverley the season-long replacement on Mark Recchi’s vacated wing, but after the B’s slow start left Julien juggling lines multiple times a week, he finally landed on a second line that can bring more offense than it did in the past. Over the Bruins’ five-game winning streak, the members of the Marchand – Bergeron – Seguin line have scored 11 goals. 

“I think Bergy’s the guy that’s the reliable guy on that line,” Julien said after the game. “He’s always in the right spot, even defensively. Once in a while, one of those two guys are going to end up blowing the zone a little quick, and that’s where Bergie comes in and repairs the damage. That’s the thing: They get opportunities, and they make the best of it.”

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Last season, Seguin had difficulty making the best of his opportunities. Time and time again, he would get the puck on his stick, only to get rid of it as quickly as he could in an effort to avoid physical contact. He couldn’t make as big an impact with his speed because of his timid play, and often times he would slow up when chasing a puck so he wouldn’t get there first.

During this training camp, Julien made an interesting point when he said the Bruins weren’t asking Seguin to be anything he couldn’t be. That means they know he’ll never be confused for Nathan Horton or Milan Lucic, but as long as he plays aggressive, his skill can do the rest. That's what people are seeing right now from the ultra-talented teen. 

“He doesn’t seem intimidated at all,” Julien said of Seguin. “Last year, we saw him putting on the breaks at times and wasn’t probably as comfortable in those areas, but this year, there’s no doubt. … He’s taking pride in his overall game. He knows he’s on a top line that has to play other team’s top lines, so in order to be successful, you’ve got to be a good two-way player, and that’s what he’s become: a real good two-way player. His stats are there, his points [and] goals are happening, so we couldn’t be happier for him.”

Marchand’s happy for Seguin too, but that’s partially because of what it means for his own play.

“We’re starting to click a little better here now,” he said of his chemistry with Seguin. “You see some plays where we are starting to find each other now. We know where to be. He is obviously a pretty easy guy to play with because of his great skill set. We are jelling a little better. Now we just have to keep it going.”