Morgan Geekie finally got the kind of bounce that can change the mood of a season.
After spending the last week or two answering questions about why he had only one goal through his first 14 games, the Bruins forward broke through in dramatic fashion Saturday afternoon at TD Garden. With Boston staring at a loss against a struggling Blackhawks team, Geekie ripped home a game-tying one-timer with 11 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. The Bruins then finished off a 5-4 win.
The slow start had become a talking point around Geekie, especially after Boston dropped back-to-back road games in Carolina and St. Louis while having trouble scoring enough to pull out a win. The criticism centered on familiar stuff: he wasn’t shooting enough, he wasn’t getting enough pucks on net, and plenty of other theories piled up around the slump.
That kind of stretch can wear on a player, especially one who has put up back-to-back 30-goal seasons. Geekie had looked like he might be headed for another frustrating night on Saturday, too, after hitting the post in the first period. But he delivered when it mattered most, blasting in the equalizer late in the third and giving Boston a way back into the game.
“Very happy for him. Hopefully that helps him moving forward,” said Marco Sturm.
“He had some opportunities and he hit the post in the first [period], but he definitely hit that rocket in the third to tie it up. Hopefully that relaxes him a bit and there are more [goals] coming.”
In Other News...
Bruins Just Got A Goalie Performance They Couldnt Ignore
Bostons comeback win over Chicago had plenty of moving parts, but Michael DiPietros night was the kind that tends to linger with a coaching staff. The Bruins erased a 4-2 deficit late in the third period and finished off a 5-4 overtime victory on Elias Lindholms winner, yet the goaltending was a major reason they were even in position to steal it after a rough start.
DiPietro has been getting his chance in Boston since the Bruins moved Joonas Korpisalo to the New York Rangers, and he made the most of this one with 37 saves. In a game that could have slipped away quickly, he gave Boston the steadiness it needed to hang around long enough for the rally to take hold, which is exactly the sort of performance that can complicate the conversation in net. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Have A Growing Nikita Zadorov Problem Again
Nikita Zadorovs discipline is back in the spotlight after another roughing incident, this time against Chicago defenseman Alex Vlasic on Oct. 31. The Bruins blueliner was involved in a second-period scrum and then punched Vlasic, drawing penalties and putting Boston in an uncomfortable spot with one of its most physical defensemen.
Marco Sturm has already addressed the issue, pointing to Zadorovs discipline and what the Bruins need from him going forward. For a team that leans on Zadorov for size, edge and toughness, the challenge is finding the line between playing hard and giving away momentum, especially when those lapses keep drawing attention. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins About To Face The Stretch That Will Define This Start
The Bruins have given themselves an early cushion with a strong start, and now comes the part of the schedule that can tell whether it means anything. A tight overtime win over Chicago kept the momentum going, but the next stretch is a different kind of test, with Vegas, Pittsburgh and Florida all waiting in line as Boston tries to hold onto its place atop the Atlantic.
What makes this run so important is the way the Bruins want to win it, not just the results. The emphasis has been on offensive balance, defensive consistency and dependable goaltending, and those are the ingredients that tend to get exposed when the schedule stiffens. If Boston can keep those areas steady through this stretch, it will say plenty about how real this fast start is. [Read more 🡒]