JJ Peterka is about to get his first shot at the team that moved him, and the Bruins could use the timing.
Boston hosts the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night at TD Garden, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET. It will be Peterka’s first game against Utah since arriving in Boston in a June trade, and he comes in as one of the few Bruins forwards who has started fast.
The German winger spent the 2025-26 season with Utah and scored 25 goals before the deal. Since joining the Bruins, he has already produced two goals in four games, including a moment that stood out immediately.
That came Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. Boston was down late in regulation when Elias Lindholm tied it, then Peterka finished the job in overtime after David Pastrnak set him up with a pass that sent him toward the net. It was Peterka’s first career overtime winner, and a clean example of the speed and finishing touch Boston wanted when it brought him in.
Peterka has fit well next to Pastrnak, giving the Bruins another threat defenses have to account for. But the bigger issue in Boston is that the rest of the offense has gone quiet.
The Bruins have scored just two goals over their last two games, and both were losses. Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie have yet to score this season after combining for 68 goals in the 2025-26 campaign, and the power play has opened the year 0-for-10. That’s a problem the Bruins can’t keep brushing aside.
They’ll have a tough test trying to snap that slide. Utah comes in at 3-1 and beat New Jersey 5-3 on Tuesday, with Nick Schmaltz scoring twice and adding an assist. The Mammoth have enough firepower to make this a demanding night for Boston.
The Bruins are also coming off Monday’s 4-1 loss to Ottawa, and Marco Sturm mixed things up in Wednesday’s practice by putting Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha and Geekie back together on the top line. Boston is searching for a combination that can create more consistent chances and get the scoring going again.
Peterka’s return to face Utah gives the game another angle, even if there’s no sign of any bad blood. Still, players usually enjoy showing a former team what it gave up.
Boston has already seen a good version of Peterka. If he brings another one Thursday, the Bruins might get the response they need to avoid a third straight loss.
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