The Bruins get another shot at the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night, and this one closes out the season set between the teams on Boston ice.
Boston is 8-2-1 through 11 games and has points in seven straight, with its last regulation loss coming Oct. 5 at TD Garden. The Bruins have climbed to the top of the Atlantic Division with 17 points, and the early numbers have been loud: 3.82 goals per game, good for fourth in the NHL, and just 2.00 goals against per game, which is second-best in the league.
The Sharks come in at 6-4-1 and are finishing a six-game road trip that began after the first matchup with Boston. San Jose has handled the trip well so far, going 3-1-1, and it arrives in town on the back of wins over Montreal and Ottawa in its last two games.
This is the second and final meeting of the season between these clubs. The Bruins won the first one, 6-3, on Oct. 13 in San Jose.
Boston held its morning skate at TD Garden at 10:30 a.m., with updates from Marco Sturm to follow.
The expected Bruins goalie is Jeremy Swayman, who enters at 6-1-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.
San Jose’s expected lineup features Igor Chernyshov* - Macklin Celebrini - Will Smith on the top line, followed by Ivar Stenberg - Michael Misa - Kiefer Sherwood, Mason Marchment - Collin Graf - Tyler Toffoli, and Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Ty Dellandrea.
On defense, the Sharks are listed with Darnell Nurse - Michael Kesselring, Jason Dickinson - Jacob Trouba, and Nolan Allan - Dmitry Orlov.
Yaroslav Askarov is the expected Sharks starter, though that is still unconfirmed. He is 3-4-0 with a 3.43 GAA and an .883 save percentage.
At special teams, Boston’s power play sits at 22.6%, which ranks 12th, while its penalty kill is at 80.6%, tied for 15th. San Jose brings a 25.7% power play, sixth in the league, and the same 80.6% penalty kill mark, tied for 15th.
After Saturday, the Bruins’ schedule turns to Tuesday at Carolina, then Thursday at St. Louis, Saturday at home against Chicago, Monday against Vegas, and Thursday, Nov. 5, at Pittsburgh.
In Other News...
James Hagens Is Giving Bruins Fans A Very Different Reason For Hope
James Hagens arrived in Boston with the reputation of a high-end offensive prospect, the kind of young forward Bruins fans naturally expected to eventually tilt the ice with his skill. Early this season, though, the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft has been turning heads for a very different reason. The 19-year-old has fit into a checking-line assignment and impressed teammates by leaning into the dirty work, showing a willingness to adapt as he faces top competition and learns the pro game from a defensive angle.
The shift has been especially noticeable in the way Hagens has attacked his role away from the puck. Known more as a point producer, he has embraced playing wing and focusing on defense, and his early work has already stood out across the league. For a Bruins team looking for reasons to believe in its next wave of talent, Hagens is offering one built on effort, maturity and a readiness to do whatever the coaches ask. [Read more 🡒]
Morgan Geekie's Bruins Drought Is Becoming Hard To Ignore
Morgan Geekie was one of the Bruins most productive finishers a year ago, leading the club with 39 goals and quickly becoming one of the more reliable sources of offense in the lineup. This season has looked very different so far, though, with the winger still contributing in other ways through seven assists while his goal total has lagged behind what Boston expected from him.
Geekie has been measured about the dry spell, sticking to a selective shooting approach while also acknowledging the need to be more active in generating offense. The next step is finding more of those chances on his own, particularly when turnovers open the ice, because the Bruins would like their top scorer from last season to start turning looks into goals again. [Read more 🡒]
Casey Mittelstadt Is Giving Bruins A Bigger Boost Than Expected
Casey Mittelstadt came into this season with a clear focus after spending the offseason working on his skating, and the early returns have made him look like a more dynamic fit than Boston probably expected. Drafted eighth overall by Buffalo in 2017, Mittelstadt has shown improved speed and a steadier game, the kind of progress that can change how a player is used and how much trust a staff is willing to place in him.
Marco Sturm has noticed the difference, praising Mittelstadts pace and consistency while crediting the work he put in over the summer. Mittelstadt has sounded pleased with where his game is headed, too, and the growing chemistry hes building with James Hagens and Elias Lindholm gives the Bruins another useful layer as they continue sorting out their lineup options. [Read more 🡒]