The Bruins escaped Chicago with two points, but the way they got there should leave Marco Sturm with plenty to think about.
Boston needed Morgan Geekie’s tying goal with 10 seconds left just to force overtime, then got the finish from Elias Lindholm to turn a near-disaster into another win for the Atlantic Division leaders. That ending will make everybody feel better on the ride home. The first 59:50, though, told a much uglier story.
Chicago was bad enough that Boston never should have been sweating this one. The Bruins had chances that should have beaten Arvid Soderblom, and Connor Bedard’s goal came after a bad bounce opened up a breakaway. Even so, the bigger issue was how the night started with Sturm’s lineup choices.
Starting Michael DiPietro against one of the league’s worst teams made sense, and he did enough to help Boston collect two points. The real head-scratcher was the decision to swap Matthew Poitras and Frederic Brunet out for Sean Kuraly and Jonathan Aspirot. That felt like a step backward for the youth movement, and it’s not something the Bruins should be doing often.
Brunet ought to be back in the lineup, and Connor Clifton should be the only defenseman sitting in the press box. Aspirot, at this point, looks like a strong candidate to be waived and sent back to Providence. Michael Eyssimont is playing well in the AHL and deserves a chance to ride the charter in the NHL, and teams usually carry two extra forwards and one extra defenseman anyway.
Poitras, meanwhile, has earned more trust than Kuraly right now. There were a couple of moments Saturday when Boston could have used Poitras’ skating and offensive touch, and Kuraly again showed why offense can dry up on his stick. The fourth line works with the veteran center, but it has more bite with Poitras in the mix.
If Aspirot was pressing to keep his spot, it’s starting to look like he may be a little overmatched at the NHL level. There’s no real case for him being in over Brunet or Clifton right now, and giving him a pity dress in a game Boston badly needed to win was concerning.
It also felt like Sturm underestimated the Blackhawks by dressing his extras, and the Bruins seemed to match that energy. They’ll need their best lineup on Monday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.
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What makes the conversation even more interesting is the way Kucherovs next move is being framed around more than money or geography. He is said to want a situation with a real Cup path and the chance to skate with another elite player, which narrows the field and raises the stakes for teams like Boston. If the Bruins can keep themselves in that tier, they suddenly become more than a speculative name in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins New Alternate Sweater Brings Boston Pride And A Fan Debate
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Boston will wear the sweater 12 times this season, giving fans plenty of chances to weigh in on a jersey that is already likely to spark debate. The first appearance comes Nov. 12 against the Canadiens, when the Bruins will also stage a Homecoming event, adding another layer of local flavor to a night that should feel as much about Boston identity as it does about the game itself. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Head Into A Key Test With Zadorov Drama Still Lingering
The Bruins are closing out a two-game homestand with a stiff test against Vegas, and the backdrop is still shaped by the leagues latest discipline on Nikita Zadorov. Bostons blue line has been under the microscope all week, and the timing is not ideal with a contender coming into TD Garden to finish off the set.
Zadorovs fine for roughing has added another layer of attention to a team that is trying to keep its focus on the ice rather than the noise around it. Around the league, there was also movement elsewhere with Shane Wright heading to Nashville in a one-for-one deal for Matthew Wood, while New Jersey sent goaltender Remi Poirier to Washington, but for the Bruins the immediate concern is whether the lingering Zadorov situation stays in the background long enough for the hockey to take center stage. [Read more 🡒]