PHILADELPHIA –– Dalton Bancroft doesn’t quite remember what was going through his mind as he took the ice for his first shift in an NHL preseason game on Saturday night.
“I feel like I blacked out a little bit,” Bancroft said. “It was definitely a little bit of panic setting in, but after that it felt really good.”
Bancroft quickly made an impact, scoring twice in the second period to help the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The 24-year-old forward had a call to make after his productive showing.
“I will probably get on the phone with my parents right away,” Bancroft said. “I know it’s camp and everything, but it was just kind of a surreal moment.”
Bancroft was undrafted and signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Bruins in April after three seasons with Cornell University. He played five games in the AHL with Providence to finish the year and had one goal. NHL training camp, though, has been another level.
“I’ve just kind of tried to be a sponge and learn from all the older guys and take in as much as I can,” Bancroft said. “You don’t know if you’re going to get to this point or not, so it’s just been a really cool experience.”
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