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Bruins surge past Sabres, 3-1

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -In a Saturday night showdown at TD Garden, the Boston Bruins outpaced the Buffalo Sabres with a dramatic third period and a decisive final stretch, climbing to a season-record of (3-0) that underscores their basic depth and resilience, supported by good goalkeeping.

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Mark Kastelic led the Bruins with the game-winning goal and an assist. Boston never trailed, taking a 2-0 lead on Kastelic’s second-period tally while Pavel Zacha and Sean Kuraly bookended the home team’s scoring. Boston G Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves in the victory, with 13 coming in the second period.
Jason Zucker netted the lone goal and Alex Lyon stopped 28 shots for Buffalo, which has dropped its first two games of the season.
Boston finished with a 31-22 shots on goal advantage, including a dominant 17-2 in the first period.
Boston’s start included a 6-1 edge in shots even before earning its first of two power plays halfway through the first. Zacha opened the scoring with 4:12 left, sending a one-timer from the left circle through a screen after taking a feed from Massachusetts native Jordan Harris in the corner.
Lyon continued to play well and keep the Sabres in the game in the second. A few minutes after Swayman denied Peyton Krebs from close range, the Buffalo netminder made one of his best stops 8:52 into the period when he robbed Elias Lindholm with a glove save at the doorstep.
The Bruins doubled their lead less than two minutes later at the 10:21 mark. Kastelic got credit for scoring a shot from above the right wing circle that changed directions multiple times before beating Lyon five-hole.
Zucker ended Swayman’s shutout bid with 10:14 left in regulation. Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke’s breakout pass was intercepted at neutral ice, and after a Mattias Samuelsson feed, Zucker skated to the top of the left circle and fired a shot that went in off a body in front.
In the third period, Bruins killed off a Charlie McAvoy tripping penalty with 9:53 left and survived a long extra-attacker flurry before Kuraly’s empty-net goal with 2.2 seconds left.
–Field Level Media

It’s a Wide Open NHL Season Ahead

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers are among the Stanley Cup favorites at several sportsbooks, but there is public momentum behind several other teams in what is seen as a wide-open Stanley Cup race as the 2025-26 NHL season begins on Tuesday.

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The Knights and Oilers are co-800 favorites at Digital Sports Desk’s Betting Hero, where Las Vegas has been a popular choice since opening at +1200, drawing 8.3 percent of all money wagered on this season’s Stanley Cup champion. The Golden Knights have seen the largest movement at the book since the market opened.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche have been backed by the second-most money with 9.7 percent at +850, the same odds as the Carolina Hurricanes. The most heavily-backed team has been the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have drawn 10.6 percent of the money while moving from +2000 to +1600.

“The Stanley Cup race is wide open, and bettors are focused on the Maple Leafs, Avalanche and Golden Knights,” BetMGM senior trader Matthew Rasp said. “More than 40 percent of handle is on these three teams to lift the Cup. After a late-season surge last year, there is also betting interest in the Canadiens. We expect Montreal to take another step forward and for liability to grow on the team.”

DraftKings has the Hurricanes as the slightly +750 Stanley Cup favorites ahead of the Tampa Bay Lighting (+800), Oilers (+850) and then the Knights and Avalanche at +900.

STANLEY CUP CHAMPION ODDS*
Vegas Golden Knights (+800)
Edmonton Oilers (+800)
Colorado Avalanche (+850)
Carolina Hurricanes (+850)
Dallas Stars (+900)
Florida Panthers (+1100)
Tampa Bay Lightning (+1100)
New Jersey Devils (+1400)
Toronto Maple Leafs (+1600)
Los Angeles Kings (+2200)
New York Rangers (+2500)
Winnipeg Jets (+2500)
Washington Capitals (+1800)
Ottawa Senators (+3300)
Minnesota Wild (+3500)
Utah Mammoth (+4000)
Montreal Canadiens (+5000)
St. Louis Blues (+5000)
Vancouver Canucks (+6000)
Detroit Red Wings (+9000)
Columbus Blue Jackets (+10000)
Buffalo Sabres (+10000)
Calgary Flames (+10000)
Nashville Predators (+12500)
Anaheim Ducks (+12500)
Philadelphia Flyers (+15000)
New York Islanders (+15000)
Boston Bruins (+20000)
Seattle Kraken (+20000)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+30000)
San Jose Sharks (+50000)
Chicago Blackhawks (+50000)

*See HERE for ODDS

The longshot Sharks and Blackhawks are the book’s two biggest liabilities, with each drawing 1.9 percent of the total money at +50000. The third biggest liability is St. Louis with 2.2 percent of the money at +5000

The Golden Knights open the season as the +400 favorite to win the Western Conference, with the Hurricanes the +400 in the Eastern.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Open in DC

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WASH DC – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Washington Capitals enter the 2025-26 season aiming to build on their Eastern Conference-best record a year ago, while the Boston Bruins embark on a new era following their first playoff miss since 2016.

Though the two teams are largely projected to be at opposite ends of the standings, hope springs eternal when they clash Wednesday in the nation’s capital.

Washington’s roster has undergone little change since a second-round playoff exit last spring. Alex Ovechkin still leads the way, entering his 21st season sitting just three goals away from becoming the first 900-goal scorer in NHL history.

There are still milestones left for “The Great 8” to chase, but there’s plenty more to get reigning Jack Adams Award winner Spencer Carbery and the whole team going as well.

“I think it’s just continuing to push the envelope,” Carbery said. “I think we have a highly motivated group, not only as a team, but individually.

“And that’s one of the main points … to bring to the forefront, is we need to be trying to push to get to another level.”

The Capitals also benefited from Dylan Strome’s career-high 82 points, making him one of seven 20-goal and 50-point scorers on the team. Ryan Leonard made his debut in the NHL after consecutive 30-goal campaigns at Boston College.

Fellow top-liner Tom Wilson also produced his first 30-goal season. Defenseman John Carlson and goalie Logan Thompson return in back.

“Whether you get drafted here, whether you sign here, get traded here, or you just come in the locker room, I think everybody expects to win,” Carlson said. “And there’s more to it than that, but I think just the mentality of winning is important, and I hope that I would play some part in that.”

Only former Florida Panthers forward Justin Sourdif and ex-Minnesota Wild defenseman Declan Chisholm are new to the fold in Washington.

On Boston’s side, it’s a fresh start in many ways after tying for an Eastern Conference-low 76 points last season.

It starts with first-year coach Marco Sturm. The former Bruins forward took over for Joe Sacco, who was the interim replacement when now-St. Louis Blues boss Jim Montgomery was fired last November.

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“My players, my staff, everyone was pulling together. That shows me that we are on the right track. Everyone’s really excited,” Sturm said. “I think (Tuesday) was one of our best practices to date.”

Boston returns star David Pastrnak, aiming for his fourth straight 100-point season, but will play without either Patrice Bergeron or Brad Marchand in a season opener for the first time since 2002-03 after the latter was traded to Florida in March.

Otherwise, the forward group is revamped. Old friend Sean Kuraly returned from the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency. Michael Eyssimont (Seattle Kraken) and Tanner Jeannot (Los Angeles Kings) also arrived, hoping to add more grit to the lineup.

The Bruins have both Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm healthy on defense after the duo missed 97 combined man-games last season due to injuries. Lindholm (knee) played just 17.

The quality of training camp was also a topic of discussion. After goalie Jeremy Swayman’s holdout caused distraction during a poor preseason last year, defenseman Nikita Zadorov was impressed with how things went this time.

“In my 13-year career, probably one of the best camps I’ve seen,” he said. “I thought guys were sharp, I think everybody worked their butts off. … It was direct, it was quick. It was really exciting. Like fresh air for us.”

But now, it’s for real.

–Field Level Media

NHL Entry Draft: A Deep 2025 Draft

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NHL Draft was held on Friday night and the New York Islanders selected No. 1 for the fifth time in franchise history and first since 2009. The Isles made highly touted defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters the top pick. Schaefer became the first OHL player to go first overall in the Draft since Connor McDavid in 2015 (also out of Erie) and the first OHL defenseman to be picked at No. 1 in more than a decade, with Aaron Ekblad (2014) the last before him.

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An emotional moment for any top pick of a major league sports draft, the dream-fulfilling night had added meaning for Schaefer who lost his mother, Jennifer, to breast cancer in February 2024.

A few picks after the Islanders, the Boston Bruins selected forward James Hagens in the first round (7th overall) of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Hagens, 18, appeared in 37 games for Boston College during the 2024-25 season, recording 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points, with a plus-21 rating. The 5-foot-11, 177-pound forward ranked third among Boston skaters and fourth among NCAA freshmen in points, earning a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

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In 2023-24, Hagens appeared in 58 games for the U.S. National U18 Team, as part of the National Team Development Program, totaling 39 goals and 63 assists for 102 points. The Hauppauge, Long Island, NY native was part of the United States’ gold medal-winning team at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, ranking second among U.S. skaters in points (nine). Hagens was named most valuable player after leading tournament scoring at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship, recording 22 points in seven games to help Team USA win the silver medal.

He also won gold at both the 2023 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship and 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge

NHL: Bruins Name Strum Head Coach

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Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney that Marco Sturm was named the 30th head coach of the Boston Bruins.

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“We’re proud to name Marco as the 30th Head Coach of the Boston Bruins and welcome him, Astrid, Mason, and Kaydie to Boston,” said General Manager Don Sweeney. “Throughout this process, our goal was to identify a coach who could uphold our strong defensive foundation while helping us evolve offensively. We were also looking for a communicator and leader – someone who connects with players, develops young talent, and earns the respect of the room. Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion. His path – playing for multiple NHL teams, coaching internationally, and leading at both the AHL and NHL levels – has shaped a well-rounded coach who’s earned this opportunity. As a former Bruin, he understands what this team means to the city and our fans. We’re embracing a new direction with Marco behind the bench and are confident his energy, standards, and commitment to a competitive, hard-nosed brand of hockey reflect exactly what Bruins hockey should be.”
“I’m incredibly honored to be named head coach of the Boston Bruins,” said Sturm. “I want to thank Charlie Jacobs and the Jacobs family, Cam Neely, and Don Sweeney for trusting me with this opportunity. Boston has always held a special place in my heart, and I know how much this team means to the city and to our fans. I’ve felt that passion as a player, and I can’t wait to be behind the bench and feel it again. I’m excited to get to work and do everything I can to help this team succeed.”
Sturm, 46, served as head coach of the AHL’s Ontario Reign for the past three seasons (2022-25). Under Sturm, the team compiled an overall record of 119-80-11-6 and made three consecutive playoff appearances. Prior to his time in Ontario, Sturm spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings from 2018-22. In his final year behind the bench with Los Angeles, the Kings earned their first Stanley Cup playoff berth since 2018 and posted a 99-point regular-season (44-27-11).
Before joining the Kings organization, Sturm served as head coach and general manager for the German Men’s National Team from 2015-18. In 2018, Sturm led Germany to a silver-medal finish in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, becoming the first German team to ever appear in the gold-medal game and the first German team to make the Olympic podium since 1976. Sturm’s coaching tenure with Germany was additionally highlighted by a Deutschland Cup title in 2015 and back-to-back quarterfinal appearances (2016, 2017) at the IIHF Men’s World Championship, the best final placement for Germany since 2011.
As a player, Sturm skated in 938 career NHL games with Florida, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Boston and San Jose from 1997-2012, recording 242 goals and 245 assists for 487 points with a plus-59 rating. He scored the game-winning overtime goal for the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Flyers at the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. The Dingolfing, Germany native was originally selected by San Jose in the first round (21st overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He leads all German players for most NHL games played and ranks second for career goals and career points. Internationally, he represented Germany at three Olympic Games (1998, 2002, 2010), four IIHF Men’s World Championships (1997, 2001, 2004, 2008) and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

NY Islanders Land No. 1 Pick

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Bruins Fall from No. 5 to No. 7 Pick

ELMONT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Despite having the 10th-best chance of winning the draft lottery at 3.5 percent, the New York Islanders secured the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Monday.

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The Islanders will have the top overall selection for the first time since drafting John Tavares in 2009 and the fifth time overall. In 1972, the team selected forward Billy Harris, followed by Hall of Fame defenseman Denis Potvin in 1973. In 2000, goaltender Rick DiPietro went No. 1 overall to the Islanders.

“The hockey gods smiled on us,” Islanders director of pro scouting Ken Morrow said at the lottery, not mentioning his connections to said gods via the 1980 Miracle on Ice team and four consecutive Stanley Cup championships thereafter. “And I can’t tell you how thrilled I am for Islander fans, for our ownership, for the entire Islander organization.

“It’s adding to the tradition that the Islanders have. A great fan base, a new arena, terrific ownership, and better days are ahead here.”

This year’s draft will be held in Los Angeles on June 27-28. Day 1 will feature the first round, followed by rounds 2-7 on Day 2.

The lottery only determined the top two picks, with the rest of the non-playoff team lottery field slotted by order of finish in the 2024-25 standings. The remaining selections (Nos. 17-32) will be ordered by playoff results.

Following the Islanders in the draft will be the San Jose Sharks, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Utah Hockey Club. The Sharks had the best chance to land the No. 1 pick at 18.5 percent. Utah won the drawing for the No. 2 pick, but rules state that a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots, so the franchise leapt from the would-be 14th spot to No. 4.

Rounding out the top 10 will be the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken, Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have the No. 11 pick, followed by the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens.

As for whose name might be called first on June 27, defenseman Matthew Schafer of Erie in the Ontario Hockey League, center Michael Misa of Saginaw (OHL), Boston College center James Hagens, center Jake O’Brien of Brantford (OHL) and defenseman Radim Mrtka of Seattle in the Western Hockey League are the top five skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings.

On Central Scouting’s list of international skaters, center Anton Frondell and right wing Victor Eklund, who play for Djurgarden in Sweden’s second division, are ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Hand Out Season Awards

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official New Release) – The Boston Bruins announced the recipients of their 2024-25 season awards for the team. Morgan Geekie has been named the recipient of the Eddie Shore Award, given to the player who shows exceptional hustle and determination, as chosen by the “Legacy Season Ticket Holders.”

David Pastrnak has been chosen the winner of the Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy, awarded to the player exemplifying outstanding performance on home ice as determined by the Boston chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Parker Wotherspoon has been selected for the John P. Bucyk Award for providing exceptional off-ice charitable contributions, chosen by John Bucyk.

Eddie Shore Award
Bruins forward Morgan Geekie has been selected by the “Legacy Season Ticket Holders” as the 2024-25 Eddie Shore Award winner for demonstrating exceptional hustle and determination throughout the season. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound forward, has appeared in 74 games with the Bruins this season, recording career highs in goals (30), assists (23) and points (53). Among active Boston skaters, the Strathclair, Manitoba native ranks second in goals, points, even strength goals (26), even strength points (44) and power play goals (4).

Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy
David Pastrnak has been selected as the Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy recipient for the 2024-25 season for his outstanding performance on home ice this season. Through 39 games at TD Garden this season, the 6-foot, 200-pound forward has totaled 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points with a plus-17 rating. The Havirov, Czechia native leads the Bruins in goals, assists, points, even strength goals (20), even strength points (42), power play goals (4), power play points (10) and shots (157) in home games this season. This is the second consecutive year and the fourth season that Pastrnak has received the Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy (2025, 2024, 2022, 2020).

John P. Bucyk Award
Parker Wotherspoon will receive the John P. Bucyk Award for his contributions in the Boston community this season. Wotherspoon has been involved in several community events including the team’s annual holiday toy shopping, a Halloween visit at Massachusetts General Hospital and various meet and greets. In January 2025, he visited the Richard J. Murphy School to participate in a STEM lesson with a 7th grade classroom. Later in the season, Wotherspoon also participated in a game of goalball with students from the Perkins School for the Blind. The award is named after Bruins legend John P. Bucyk, who is in his 68th season with the organization.

Ovechkin Nets #891 vs Bruins

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Washington’s Alex Ovechkin scored his 891st career goal to move within four of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record, helping the Washington Capitals defeat the host Boston Bruins 4-3 on Tuesday night.

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Washington scored twice in both the first and third periods en route to breaking a three-game skid (0-2-1). Goals from Nic Dowd and Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 2-0 lead. Boston came back to tie before Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson scored in the third.

David Pastrnak scored twice, Morgan Geekie had two assists and Vinni Lettieri also found the net for Boston, which has lost nine straight (0-8-1).

With Washington up 1-0, Ovechkin scored on the power play with 4:17 left in the first. John Carlson’s initial shot from the high slot took a deflection off the skate of Strome in front and right to Ovechkin, who settled the puck and scored it into an open side of the net.

 

Ullmark Sticks It to Bruins

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OTTAWA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -Two goals and an assist from Drake Batherson led the Ottawa Senators to a 6-3 win over the visiting Boston Bruins. Ottawa opened a 4-1 lead after one period and never looked back, ensuring its fifth straight win and a seven-game unbeaten streak (6-0-1).

Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto each added a goal and an assist, Tyler Kleven and Claude Giroux also scored, and Linus Ullmark made 22 saves for the Senators.

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Ullmark stopped eight Boston shots in the third period.

Casey Mittelstadt, David Pastrnak and Marat Khusnutdinov each scored for Boston, which was looking to win its third straight for just the second time this season.

The goals by deadline acquisitions Mittelstadt and Khusnutdinov were their first as Bruins.

Boston’s Jeremy Swayman allowed four goals on 15 shots before Joonas Korpisalo relieved him with 15 saves on 16 shots after the first period.

Ottawa landed the first six shots and validated its dominant start with a 2-0 lead. Pinto scored first on a turnaround shot from the right circle just 3:44 into the proceedings.

The Senators doubled their lead at 9:09 when Nikolas Matinpalo wrapped the puck around the boards to Kleven, who fired a one-timer from high on the left.

Mittelstadt made it 2-1 at the 10:57 mark. After a hard forecheck forced a turnover, Vinni Lettieri sent a backhand pass across the crease to his fellow Minnesota native, who beat Ullmark with a wrist shot.

Then, two goals in a 22-second span put the hosts back in full control at 4-1. Batherson moved the buffer back to two at 16:21, finishing a tic-tac-toe passing sequence with Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle on the power play.

A Swayman misplay helped keep Ottawa’s offense in the zone, and Greig netted the second quick-fire goal after Pinto’s point shot created an open net-front rebound.

Pastrnak struck first in the middle period, deflecting John Beecher’s wrist shot from the point from near the crease at 6:59.

Batherson reestablished the three-goal difference again at 11:01, potting the rebound of a Thomas Chabot point shot that Dylan Cozens tipped. The Bruins responded just 2:54 later, as Khusnutdinov took Elias Lindholm’s feed down the slot for a wrist shot goal.

Ullmark made a highlight-reel save with 1:29 left in the second, diving across to snatch Mason Lohrei’s one-timer after Jakub Lauko threaded a cross-ice pass. A Nikita Zadorov post in the final minute also kept Ottawa’s lead at 5-3 after two periods.

Giroux’s empty-netter with 1:16 left in regulation iced the game.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Complete 3-Goal Comeback

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BOSTON – Boston’s Pavel Zacha scored the game-winner with 3:17 left in regulation to punctuate the Bruins’ three-goal third period in a 3-2 win over the visiting Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.

On the clinching goal, Zacha was the beneficiary of a backhand pass from David Pastrnak, who spun off a check in the corner and dished a backhand pass out to the crease.

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Pastrnak was the lone Bruin with multiple points (one goal, one assist). His 33rd goal of the season came on the power play and got Boston on the scoreboard with 11:04 left in regulation.

Mason Lohrei also scored and Jeremy Swayman stopped 26 shots for the Bruins, who have won back-to-back games since finalizing a series of deadline transactions that included dealing captain Brad Marchand to Florida. The longtime Bruin didn’t suit up against his former team in this one.

Dmitry Kulikov and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Atlantic Division-leading Panthers, who had a six-game win streak snapped.

Sam Bennett and Seth Jones had one assist each for Florida, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves.

Florida led 28-24 in shots on goal, and special teams played a role with both teams finding the back of the net during a power play.

Minutes after Bobrovsky stopped Pastrnak’s partial breakaway, Casey Mittelstadt centered a pass that found the star winger on the doorstep for the first Boston goal.

The Bruins then tied the game with 6:09 left, as Lohrei skated into the slot and fired a wrist shot past Bobrovsky. Jakub Lauko won a puck battle along the wall to create the play.

Kulikov netted Florida’s second shot for the game-opening goal at 4:27 and ultimately took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. The defenseman sent a one-timer from the high slot past Swayman, triggering the shot directly off a Bennett faceoff win.

The hosts generated quality chances on back-to-back power plays in the second, but were unable to find a tying goal on either. Bobrovsky made a key stop as the first advantage expired, getting a piece of Pavel Zacha’s drive from the right circle that Ian Mitchell set up.

Swayman recovered from a potential misplay of a carom off the boards, keeping his team in a one-goal game when he dove back to stop Anton Lundell’s open chance with 5:47 left in the second.