Pavel Zacha just got a big public vote from Marco Sturm after Boston's second line delivered 4 points in one night.

That quote matters because coaches don't talk that way unless a line has started to change the bench. Sturm didn't just praise the result. He praised the belief behind it.

?Now they believe they can be the difference? is the line that jumps out. That tells you this is no longer just a support unit filling minutes in the middle six.

Zacha is at 24 goals and 54 points through 69 games, and that gives Boston a real driver away from the top unit. His +1 also shows this line is not just living off one hot stretch.

Viktor Arvidsson brings the finish to that group. He has 20 goals and 42 points in 60 games, and his +17 is the best plus-minus of the three forwards in this trio.

Casey Mittelstadt gives the line another puck-touch player who can keep plays alive. He has 14 goals and 37 points in 62 games, with a +8 that shows he has helped steady the line at even strength.

Boston's second line is becoming a real weapon

This is where Sturm's quote gets interesting. When a coach says a line is there ?when we need them,? that is trust, and trust leads to bigger minutes and tougher assignments.

For Boston, that can change the whole lineup picture. A second line that can create offense on its own takes pressure off the stars and gives the bench more options late in games.

Zacha's full NHL body of work also adds context here.

He now sits at 697 career games, with 149 goals and 396 points, so this is not a player learning how to handle responsibility for the first time.

Arvidsson's career track says the same thing.

He has 214 goals and 431 points over 673 NHL games, which explains why he can slide into a bigger offensive role when a line starts rolling.

Mittelstadt is the younger piece, but his numbers are solid too.

He has reached 500 NHL games already, with 95 goals and 273 points, and that gives Boston a center or winger who can keep up with skilled linemates.

What made this night stand out is that the points backed up the eye test. The line didn't just chip in. It gave Sturm a reason to say out loud that these guys can swing games.

That is the development to watch now. If Zacha, Arvidsson, and Mittelstadt keep producing together, Boston won't just have a useful second line. They'll have a line Sturm can lean on when the game gets tight.

Here are Marco Sturm's comments after the OT win vs. Buffalo: