The Bruins opened preseason the hard way and still walked out with a win.
Boston and Washington were deadlocked 2-2 after regulation Sunday at TD Garden, and after Charlie McAvoy dragged the game back level late in the third period, the Bruins survived a messy overtime and finished off a 3-2 shootout victory. James Hagens scored the lone shootout goal, while Michael DiPietro shut the door on every Capitals attempt.
For a first preseason test, there was plenty to like from Boston.
DiPietro, in particular, looked ready for a bigger role. With Joonas Korpisalo traded to the New York Rangers on July 1, the expectation entering camp was that DiPietro would back up Jeremy Swayman.
He backed that up with his play against Washington. The 29 saves he made included a huge stop in the first period during a two-minute 5-on-3, when he stretched out and denied Tom Wilson with a pad save moving right to left.
DiPietro has spent the last two years standing out in the American Hockey League with the Providence Bruins, and he looked every bit like a goalie prepared to help in the NHL, especially early in the season with Boston facing a heavy dose of road games in October.
The Bruins also got a look at some younger names, and one group made the most of its chance. Riley Duran, Jake Schmaltz and Joey Abate were on the ice for Boston’s goal late in the second period, and they turned a power-play sequence into a tie game.
After an offensive-zone faceoff in the final seconds of the man advantage, Duran won a battle behind the net, set up Schmaltz, and Schmaltz beat Logan Thompson in close. It’s only one preseason game, and there were no major roster decisions made off it, but that trio gave the Bruins a glimpse of what some of their younger forwards can do.
There was also an early reminder that the NHL’s new rules are already on the radar of officials. Lynden Lakovic was penalized for an illegal equipment violation, as the league looks to crack down on visor placement and jerseys being tucked in at the back.
Boston’s next preseason game comes Tuesday night at TD Garden against the Philadelphia Flyers, and after a round of cuts tomorrow, the lineup should look different.
In Other News...
Bruins Face A Risky Blue Line Decision After First Preseason Test
The Bruins first preseason look at the blue line did not exactly clear up the picture. Against the Capitals, most of Bostons defensemen struggled to make much of an impression, with Charlie McAvoy the notable exception, and that left the club with plenty to sort through as the roster picture comes into focus.
Six defensemen look locked in, but two spots are still up for grabs, and the competition now carries some real weight because of McAvoys suspension. Frederic Brunet has emerged as a name worth watching because of the upside he brings, while Jordan Harris, Henri Jokiharju and Jonathan Aspirot are also in the mix as the Bruins try to decide who fits best when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Poitras Is Making The Bruins' Opening Night Picture Interesting
Matthew Poitras gave the Bruins an encouraging early look in their first preseason game, and it was the kind of performance that tends to catch a coachs eye this time of year. The young center looked sharper and more engaged, showing better physicality and positioning while handling himself well against veteran competition, a notable step for a player trying to carve out a real role in Bostons lineup picture.
Alex Steeves was part of the same competition, but Poitras made the stronger case on the night and added some intrigue to the roster battle up front. With opening night still ahead, Boston has a decision to make about how much it wants to lean on his development, and whether his preseason push can translate into a spot as an extra forward or even a fourth-line center. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Prospects Just Made Bostons First Roster Cuts Much Harder
The Bruins preseason win over the Capitals came with more than just a shootout result to sort through. Boston got encouraging looks from several young players, with James Hagens, Marat Khusnutdinov, Matthew Poitras and Frederic Brunet all turning in performances that helped push the conversation well beyond the scoreline. For a team trying to shape its opening-night group, that kind of showings from prospects can make an already complicated camp feel even more crowded.
Matthew Poitras and Frederic Brunet, in particular, gave the Bruins something to think about as roster decisions start to tighten. With lineup spots at a premium and the club already having to account for Charlie McAvoys suspension, Boston may need to keep more depth around than it otherwise would, especially on defense. The result is a tougher first-round of cuts than the Bruins likely wanted, and one that could drag a few more young names deeper into the mix. [Read more 🡒]