The Boston Bruins are gearing up for a challenging week with a schedule that’s a bit out of the ordinary. They’ll be hitting the ice for four games over six days, but this time, it includes two sets of back-to-back matchups, both involving travel.
First up, the Bruins will host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. Despite the Leafs' struggles, you can bet they'll be fired up to take on Boston.
The very next night, the Bruins head to Buffalo to face the Sabres. It’s Buffalo’s first home game in 11 days after a long road trip, and they’re keen on holding off the Tampa Bay Lightning in the race for the Atlantic Division title.
After a couple of days to regroup, the Bruins will welcome the formidable Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening. Just 24 hours later, they’ll travel to Columbus for a crucial game against the Blue Jackets, which could have significant implications for the wild-card race. Columbus will also be coming off a game the night before, but they’ll have the advantage of staying home to face the Sharks.
With this intense lineup, the big question is: How will the Bruins manage their goaltending duties?
The first back-to-back seems straightforward. Joonas Korpisalo is likely to start against the Maple Leafs, while Jeremy Swayman should take the net against the Sabres.
But there’s room for strategy. If Coach Marco Sturm wants to ensure a win on Tuesday, he might opt to start Swayman against Toronto and trust Korpisalo with Buffalo.
The priority is clear: securing as many points as possible during this crucial stretch of the season. Depending on the outcomes of the first two games, Boston might even consider having Swayman play both weekend games. If they split or lose both early matchups, and Korpisalo struggles, the pressure could mount to rely on Swayman for back-to-back starts, a tactic recently employed by the Islanders with Sorokin.
Korpisalo is a solid goaltender, and with the Dallas Stars arriving 48 hours after the Columbus game, the Bruins will want to avoid overextending Swayman with three games in four days.
Despite the challenges, it makes sense for the Bruins to continue trusting their goalie tandem to handle the upcoming games. It’s been a successful strategy for Sturm all season, and Korpisalo has proven himself reliable, even if some have their doubts. The Bruins are ready to tackle this week head-on, with their eyes firmly set on maximizing their point haul.