Foligno: There's something 'different' about Bruins' torrid start to season

Boston Bruins winger Nick Foligno has been a part of some impressive hot streaks during his 16-year career, but the veteran thinks his current club's blistering start to the 2022-23 campaign is the start of something special.

Foligno was captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets when they won 16 straight games in 2016-17 and was a rookie for the Ottawa Senators when they started the 2007-08 campaign 13-1.

"But this feels different, I'll say that," Foligno said, according to NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin. "The depth. The focus. We're a confident but not cocky group. I think sometimes your habits really slip when you go through that. I know in Columbus, it kind of did. We were just winning, and some games we didn't deserve to win, but we were on a roll, and we were feeling good - you just catch lightning in a bottle. Here, it's a little different."

The Bruins, who sit atop the league standings, matched a league record with their 11th consecutive home win to start the season on Saturday.

"There's an expectation to win, but there's an understanding of how we're going to do that," Foligno said. "No one's cheating it."

Many believed Boston was due for a step back this season after replacing Bruce Cassidy with Jim Montgomery behind the bench while also faced with serious offseason surgeries for Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy. The new head coach has been an immediate fit, and both star players made early returns.

On top of the Bruins' team success, Foligno himself has undergone a resurgence early on. The 35-year-old only managed two goals and 13 points in 64 games last year in his debut with Boston and was on waivers before the puck dropped on the new campaign. Foligno's nearly matched his previous output already this season with 10 points in 18 contests.

The Bruins begin a two-game stint in Florida on Monday before returning home on Friday to possibly make NHL history in a clash against the Carolina Hurricanes.