The Boston Bruins kept their roll going Saturday night, piling up four goals in the third period and stretching their point streak to eight games with a 6-4 win over the San Jose Sharks at TD Garden.
Boston improved to 9-2-1 behind goals from Casey Mittelstadt, Marat Khusnutdinov, David Pastrnak, James Hagens, Fraser Minten and Will Borgen. Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 shots for his seventh win of the season.
The Bruins set the tone early with Mittelstadt scoring for the second straight game. Boston’s third line swarmed Alex Nedeljkovic, and after Elias Lindholm poked the puck through the crease, Mittelstadt finished the play 3:08 into the game for a 1-0 lead. The goal was also the 100th of Mittelstadt’s NHL career.
San Jose answered quickly on the power play. After Morgan Geekie was called for slashing, Braintree native Adam Gaudette moved the puck across to Michael Misa, who tied it just 2:46 after Mittelstadt’s opener.
The Bruins grabbed the lead back in the second period at 8:20. Fraser Minten moved the puck to Morgan Geekie near the blue paint, Geekie dropped it for Khusnutdinov, and Khusnutdinov beat Nedeljkovic glove-side on the backhand.
But the Sharks pulled even again, this time shorthanded. Kiefer Sherwood picked off a pass from Elias Lindholm intended for Pavel Zacha and went in alone before beating Swayman high to make it 2-2.
The game also turned chippy. Mark Kastelic dropped the gloves with San Jose’s Michael Kesselring after a heavy hit, and Tanner Jeannot later squared off with Zack Ostapchuk just 2:38 into the third.
San Jose finally moved in front when Elias Lindholm was whistled for slashing, giving the Sharks their fourth power play. Dmitry Orlov fired a slap shot from 54 feet out and beat Swayman to put the visitors ahead for the first time.
Boston didn’t wait long to answer. Just 4:24 later, JJ Peterka found Pastrnak coming out of the penalty box, and Pastrnak ripped a shot blocker-side to tie it.
Then Hagens jumped on the next chance. Only 40 seconds after Pastrnak’s goal, Elias Lindholm drove in on Nedeljkovic, the puck popped loose, and Hagens buried the rebound for his fourth of the season.
The Bruins added another on the power play after Nolan Allen got called for a four-minute high-stick on Morgan Geekie. Peterka set up Minten, who finished from the net front to make it a two-goal game.
The Sharks stayed in it during a Bruins double-minor when Hagens was sent off for tripping, and on the resulting 4-on-4, Macklin Celebrini, Jacob Trouba and Lexington native Will Smith connected for a goal that cut the deficit to one.
San Jose pulled Nedeljkovic with 1:45 remaining and used its timeout with 62 seconds left, but Boston sealed it when Will Borgen scored into the empty net with 28 seconds to play.
The Bruins are off Sunday, then return to practice in Brighton on Monday morning before traveling to North Carolina and facing the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
In Other News...
Will Borgen Is Giving The Bruins Something They Desperately Needed
The Bruins knew they needed help on the back end when they sent backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo to the Rangers for Will Borgen on July 1, and so far the move has given them exactly the kind of steady presence they were looking for. Borgen has fit in quickly, bringing a calmer, more reliable edge to a blue line that has had to absorb the absence of Charlie McAvoy while trying to keep the team organized in its own zone.
Through his first stretch in Boston, Borgen has stood out for the way he has handled his minutes and simplified things for the rest of the defense corps. Marco Sturm has liked what he has seen from the newcomer, and the early returns suggest the Bruins may have found a useful piece for a group that badly needed one. [Read more 🡒]
James Hagens Is Giving Bruins Fans A Reason To Dream Early
James Hagens has given the Bruins an early jolt of optimism in his first stretch of the 2026-27 season. The 19-year-old forward, taken seventh overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, has settled into a third-line role alongside Casey Mittlestadt and Elias Lindholm, and he has already shown enough poise to look comfortable in NHL minutes. Through 12 games, he has supplied a steady mix of offense and quick decision-making that has fit neatly into Bostons lineup.
David Pastrnak has noticed the way Hagens plays around the crease, where patience and touch can matter just as much as speed. For a young player still carving out his place, the encouraging part is not only the production but the way he is finding important moments without forcing the issue. The Bruins have plenty of season left to sort out, but Hagens is already giving the fan base a reason to think the future might arrive sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Have New Roster Momentum Heading Into Tough Trip
The Bruins returned to practice with a little more stability around the roster just as the schedule starts to get tougher. Boston heads out on a two-game road trip carrying a three-point lead in the Atlantic Division, and the timing of the latest developments could hardly be better for a team trying to keep its footing in a crowded race.
Marat Khusnutdinov is now locked in for the long haul after signing a three-year contract extension, giving the Bruins one less item to worry about as they move deeper into the season. The last game also offered a boost in net, where Michael DiPietro picked up his first NHL shutout, the kind of performance that can quiet a few questions and give a club some extra confidence before heading on the road. [Read more 🡒]