It was a resounding start to Fraser's bid to claim a spot on the varsity.

BOSTON — It was the kind of moment the Bruins envisioned when they acquired Matt Fraser in last summer's mega-deal with the Stars.

Fraser found himself in the slot all by himself Tuesday night in the Bruins’ first preseason game, a result of a broken play and some loose coverage by the Canadiens. Taking a pass from David Krejci on his right, the left-hand shot stood in the slot allowed the puck to come to his forehand. Fraser geared up and rifled a bullet inside the left post. From the time the puck hit Fraser's stick until it was bouncing back out from the back of the net, it was about three-quarters of a second, a reflection of Fraser's quick release.

“I got the puck there and that's what I pride myself on,” Fraser said Wednesday. “I was glad that it found the back of the net.”

It was a resounding start to Fraser's bid to claim a spot on the varsity. Fraser has skated in training camp with David Krejci and Loui Eriksson, and has the potential to play in a top-six role. After an impressive playoff cameo at the end of last season while playing on a broken foot, the Bruins are giving him every chance to earn a promotion.

“I think he sees there's some opportunities here, and kudos to him for taking charge and doing that,” coach Claude Julien said. “You want to see how those players build some consistency in his game. I think if he plays like that night in and night out, the chances of his making the team are pretty good. So again, we're only talking about one game, so we'll see how the rest of training camp goes.”

The 24-year-old Fraser came from Dallas with the reputation for his hard shot and quick release. He has 90 AHL goals in three seasons. Some have even gone so far as to compare his shot to Brett Hull’s.

The native of Red Deer, Alberta, actually idolized Joe Sakic as a kid. He would go down to a local tennis court and haul a net with him, taking shots that would bounce off the chain-link fence behind it.

“Where I'm from, there's always outdoor rinks everywhere, so you're always playing outdoors somewhere,” Fraser said. “I can always remember having those little squeeze balls and I would sit in bed before I fell asleep and squeeze. Whether it helped or not, I don't know. It's just something you kind of play around with.

“I'd shoot pucks around every summer and it's something I pride myself on. I think I've said before, you've got to play to your strengths.”

But that strength didn't show up enough last season. Fraser was a December call-up and played 14 games, but had just two goals and couldn't get his shot off. Fraser struggled to create the separation necessary to utilize his release; a Ferrari can't show off the power of its engine during rush hour traffic.

Of course, it won't just be Fraser's shot that gets him in the Bruins' lineup Oct. 8 season opener. He needs to be solid in his own end and strong along the walls, areas he repeatedly brings up in his discussions with the media.

"You look at the guys that are in the American League and they're so good, and then you get here, and there's such a fine line between a good player down there and a good player up here," Fraser said. "It's a small line, but it's a good idea of what you need to work on."

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