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Bruins Blank Kraken

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves and two first-period goals were all his Bruins needed as they pitched their second shutout in as many days, defeating the visiting Seattle Kraken 2-0 on Sunday.

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Justin Brazeau and Charlie Coyle tallied in the first half of the opening period for Boston, which has won back-to-back games and three of five since a three-game losing streak.

Swayman made 13 of his saves in the final frame, seeing by far his heaviest workload against a late Seattle push. After Boston had a combined 30-10 advantage in shots on goal over the first two periods, the visitors responded with a 13-3 finish.

Making a Massachusetts homecoming, Seattle netminder Joey Daccord stopped 31 shots.

The Kraken have lost three straight and were shut out for the second night in a row.

Boston had a dominant territorial advantage in the first, building its 2-0 lead while holding the visitors without a shot over the first 15:30 and finishing the period with a 15-3 advantage in that department. Three power plays boosted the Bruins’ total.

Brazeau needed only 3:23 to net the opening goal, deflecting Nikita Zadorov’s shot from the left point while stationed amidst traffic right in front of Daccord’s net.

The 26-year-old Brazeau has been one of Boston’s hottest players of late, scoring four goals in his last six games.

A highlight-reel power-play goal by Coyle increased the Bruins’ lead to 2-0 at the 9:57 mark. After accepting Brad Marchand’s pass from the right end of the goal line to the left, Coyle deked Daccord by moving to his backhand and quickly to his forehand to tuck the puck inside the post.

At 10:56, Pavel Zacha had a potential third Boston goal taken off the board due to an offsides call following a successful Seattle challenge.

Neither side found a goal in the second, with both teams’ best chances coming during a last-minute Boston power play. After Swayman denied Yanni Gourde on a short-handed 2-on-1, the Bruins rushed up ice but were unable to pot a loose puck past Daccord as time expired.

Seattle’s strong finish included both Chandler Stephenson and Oliver Bjorkstrand hitting posts in the final nine minutes.

Swayman also made multiple point-blank stops in succession just after two minutes following the first pipe. Another came on a Brandon Montour drive in the final minute of regulation.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Caught in Hurricane

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RALEIGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Andrei Svechnikov and Jack Roslovic each scored two goals and the Carolina Hurricanes had a huge first period in thumping the visiting Boston Bruins 8-2 on Thursday night in Carolina.

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Martin Necas finished with one goal and three assists, while Dmitry Orlov, Sean Walker and Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored. The Hurricanes doubled their previous highest goal total of the season in the opener of a four-game homestand.

Carolina scored its final three goals of a four-goal opening period during a 52-second span. That marked the second-fastest three-goal bust in franchise history.

Pyotr Kochetkov made 13 saves for Carolina.

Brad Marchand and Hampus Lindholm scored for the Bruins, who’ve won only one of their last six games. Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman allowed six goals on 22 shots in less than half the game before he was pulled in favor of Joonas Korpisalo, who made 13 saves.

Carolina, which was coming off a 5-1-0 road trip, had seven first-period goals this season before racking up four in barely more than 18 minutes to begin Thursday’s game.

Roslovic’s fifth goal of the season came 6:28 into the game. With a Boston delayed penalty pending, the Hurricanes took advantage of sending in an extra skater and benefited from crisp puck movement.

The Bruins didn’t register a shot on goal for the game’s first 10 minutes, finally doing so while on a power play when Kotkaniemi was in the penalty box for a high-sticking double minor.

Soon, it turned into a 5-on-3 advantage for the Bruins. Marchand’s goal came at 13:11, with the puck going off Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin’s shin and past Kochetkov.

Less than 20 seconds later, the Bruins were on another 5-on-3, but they didn’t convert.

But the Hurricanes benefited from a power play of their own when Svechnikov deflected in a blast from Shayne Gostisbehere. Thirty-eight seconds later, Orlov blasted in a shot and then Necas scored just 14 seconds after that on a power play.

After Lindholm cut it to 4-2 early in the second for Boston, Svechnikov added his second power-play goal of the night at 8:51 and Roslovic tallied 41 seconds later to blow the game open.

–Field Level Media

Flyers Blank Bruins, 2-0

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Samuel Ersson made 23 saves en route to his first shutout of the season as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the host Boston Bruins 2-0 on Tuesday. Tyson Foerster netted the game-winning goal in the second period, and Joel Farabee added a last-minute empty-netter.

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The Flyers have won two of their last three games since a six-game losing streak (0-5-1).

Emil Andrae had the primary assist on Foerster’s game-opening goal. It was the 22-year-old Swedish defenseman’s first career point in his sixth NHL game, his second contest this season.

Joonas Korpisalo made 17 saves for the Bruins, who have won just one of their past four (0-3-1). That span includes a pair of shutout losses.

Prior to Tuesday, the Bruins had earned at least a point in 20 consecutive home games vs. the Flyers since March 17, 2012.

The Bruins had a 24-19 shot advantage but finished 0-for-4 on the power play. Just three of their shots came in the third period.

Foerster broke the scoreless deadlock 5:32 into the second. Andrae slipped a pass from the half-wall through traffic and right to Foerster between the circles, where a straight-on wrist shot beat Korpisalo.

The Bruins had a prime scoring opportunity before the game was six minutes old but were unable to convert on 1:37 of five-on-three time.

On the other end, Korpisalo made a big save on Garnet Hathaway, who shot off a two-on-one break with Scott Laughton out of the penalty box.

One of Ersson’s best saves of the opening period came with 5:21 left when a crisp passing sequence resulted in Elias Lindholm getting a point-blank chance at the left post.

Ersson did not see a shot on goal on either of Boston’s last two power plays, including attempts in both the second and third frames.

The opening minutes of the third saw 19-year-old Flyers star Matvei Michkov attempt a lacrosse-style goal, only to be thwarted by Korpisalo, while Ersson pounced on a loose puck that Brad Marchand threw on from behind the goal line during a short-handed sequence.

–Field Level Media

 

Bruins, Marchand Face Philly

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Bruins captain Brad Marchand has the monkey off his back.

Marchand scored his first goal of the season on Saturday — an overtime game-winner to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs — and the Bruins will try to ride that momentum into Tuesday’s homestand finale against the Philadelphia Flyers.

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“It’s one game. It’s not going to completely turn things around,” Marchand said. “But … it’s a great way to start building our foundation of understanding the way that we need to play to have success. It’s something to build on, but again, it’s one game.”

Marchand’s goal lifted Boston out of a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Following the game, coach Jim Montgomery was quick to recognize the lift that his team’s bench got when Marchand was the player to win it.

“You could tell how happy the bench was when he scored that goal,” Montgomery said. “He’s our leader, he’s someone that embodies what it is to be a Bruin — the right way.”

Marchand and David Pastrnak each registered a goal and an assist while Justin Brazeau and Mark Kastelic also scored for Boston in the 4-3 win. Montgomery saw better overall effort from his group, including better puck management and fewer odd-man rushes.

Boston held its opponent to three power plays for only the second time this season, though it has still been short-handed more times than any other team (43).

From Montgomery’s eyes, there was improvement in that area, and he wants to see more in another area as well.

“Our puck pressure last game was the best it’s been, but it’s still not where it needs to be,” Montgomery said. “I would not come close to describing our team as relentless and that’s where we want to get. … Someone’s got to be pressuring the puck.”

The Flyers arrive in Boston at 2-6-1, looking to climb out of the Eastern Conference cellar.

A winning streak has eluded Philadelphia as it was unable to follow up a 7-5 Saturday win over the Minnesota Wild — which broke a six-game losing skid — with another victory, falling 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens in the second half of a back-to-back.

“We’re just not working as a group,” defenseman Travis Sanheim said. “Last year, the reason we were so successful was it was five-man units, one after another, every line. We had an identity, we were working hard.”

Some of that togetherness appeared on Saturday in the Flyers’ first regulation win of the season, but it did not last into Sunday. Sanheim did score twice against Montreal, but Aleksei Kolosov (20 saves) could not manage a win in his NHL debut.

Marginal improvement aside, the Flyers have not hit the 30-shot mark in their last six games. With leading scorer Travis Konecny and much of the team’s core returning from a season ago, that result has been a bit of a surprise to coach John Tortorella.

“Some guys, I’m sure, a little frustrated and are gripping their sticks tight,” Tortorella said. “But, it does, it looks disjointed. … We’ve just got to get a little bit of, what’s the word I’m looking for? Just some smoothness in our game, just some good tempo and puck support.”

Konecny has a team-leading five goals, including one in three straight games, and 10 points this season.

However, further evidence of the team’s struggles comes on defense — in a minus-13 goal differential that is tied for second-worst in the NHL. Sean Couturier (plus-1) is the only player with a positive rating.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Break Habs for 6-4 Victory

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Bruins scored four consecutive goals and turned around a 2-1 deficit to hold on and defeat the Montreal Canadiens, 6-4, on Thursday night. It was Boston’s ninth consecutive victory in the club’s home-opener.

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Mark Kastelic scored his first pair as a member of the Bruins, including a key insurance marker with 4:00 remaining that halted a two-goal Montreal rally.

Cole Koepke and Elias Lindholm each had a goal and two assists, while Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak (one goal, one assist) each scored their second goal in as many games.

McAvoy became only the second defenseman in Bruins history to score in the first two games of a season.

Nikita Zadorov and Brandon Carlo also had two assists apiece.

Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves in his first start since signing an eight-year, $66 million extension with the Bruins on Sunday.

Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher scored twice and Cole Caufield tallied a goal.

Also for the Canadiens, Boston University product Lane Hutson registered his first multi-point game in his fourth career contest with two assists, while Oliver Kapanen had his first NHL point.

Cayden Primeau (23 saves) lost his season debut.

The Bruins took a 3-2 lead with 1:37 left before the first intermission as Lindholm tipped Zadorov’s point shot through the legs of Primeau.

Benefitting from Zacha’s hard work down low, Pastrnak ripped home a shot in the slot with 4:04 remaining in the second.

Only 55 seconds later, Koepke sprung John Beecher into the offensive zone before following the play and banging home the puck that was left loose to make it 5-2.

Josh Anderson got one back for Montreal at 9:05 of the third, sending a long shot through traffic that deflected past Swayman.

Gallagher tallied from the slot with 4:17 left before Kastelic struck quickly thereafter on an attempted driving pass that deflected off a defender.

The visitors drew first blood 8:26 into the game when Gallagher tipped in a Joel Armia shot.

McAvoy glided across to the top of the left circle to fire in Boston’s game-tying wrister at 11:04.

Montreal regained the lead only 1:14 later as an uncovered Caufield scored a loose puck that stayed at the left post following Kaiden Guhle’s point shot. The star winger now has goals in back-to-back games to begin consecutive seasons.

Kastelic netted the 2-2 goal at 13:24, slotting home a slick wrister after Zadorov slid the puck down from the left point to the top of the circle.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Look for 9th Home Opening “W”

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Bruins want to turn the page.

Two nights after largely being dominated in a 6-4 loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, Boston will aim for its ninth straight home-opening win on Thursday when the Montreal Canadiens visit.

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Defenseman Charlie McAvoy recorded a goal and an assist and was one of four Bruins to find the net on Tuesday, but Florida’s four-goal first period was too much to overcome.

“We weren’t good enough in so many areas,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. “They were. Their execution was really good and ours was really poor. I can’t pinpoint why we looked slow, but we looked slow the entire game.”

An eventful offseason saw Boston bring in the likes of center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov, but the biggest splash came Sunday when now-true No. 1 goaltender Jeremy Swayman signed an eight-year, $66 million extension.

Boston dealt Linus Ullmark, the co-No. 1 goalie last season, to the Ottawa Senators in June.

Joonas Korpisalo, who was acquired in the Ullmark trade, made 29 saves at Florida in what Montgomery thought was a solid opening effort.

The problems were “in front of him,” according to the coach.

“You can’t give up four backdoor tap-ins and expect your goalie to make save after save,” Montgomery said. “… We weren’t good enough.”

Montgomery had not announced his Thursday starting goaltender. Swayman did not see any preseason action.

The Tuesday loss was Boston’s first in a season opener since 2018 against another reigning Cup winner, the Washington Capitals. Perhaps some motivation?

“It’s a symbol of what every team in the league is trying to achieve, but at the end of the day, we’re more concerned about the foundation that we build within the group, with the practice and the way we’re going to prepare from the day forward,” Bruins captain Brad Marchand said.

The Canadiens visit Boston for the second leg of a back-to-back following a 1-0 home win against the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Sam Montembeault made 48 saves — the most ever in an NHL season-opening shutout — while ending Toronto’s 227-game streak of scoring at least one goal.

Despite closing the preseason with a four-game losing streak and seeing the power play go 0-for-30 through six exhibition games, coach Martin St. Louis was largely pleased with his team’s level entering Wednesday, and he had his feelings confirmed.

“This is a very close group, a proud group and this game was an opportunity to show that,” St. Louis said. “This was the first game of the season, and you don’t get to go back and replay it. … There’s a lot of positives.”

There is no longer a three-man rotation in Montreal’s net. Montembeault signed a new three-year deal before Jake Allen was dealt to the New Jersey Devils at last trade deadline.

“I think I showed (last season) that I can be consistent,” Montembeault said. “That’s what I want to do every game again this year. Every time I get the chance to be in net, I want to give the team a chance to win.”

Montembeault, who will share the net with Cayden Primeau, came through on Wednesday. His performance allowed Cole Caufield’s first-period power-play goal to stand up.

Caufield, 23, scored in his third consecutive opener, then pointed to the sky to honor the late Johnny Gaudreau, whose former No. 13 he is now wearing. Gaudreau, a Columbus Blue Jackets star, died in an accident in August at age 31.

“(Gaudreau) paved the way for smaller players and proved we had a future in this game at the highest level,” Caufield posted on Instagram following the tragedy last month. “I will forever be grateful to him for inspiring me and others.”

Montreal defenseman Jayden Struble (upper-body injury) did not play on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Tie 8-Year Knot with Swayman

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Boston General Manager Don Sweeney announced that the Bruins have re-signed goaltender Jeremy Swayman to an 8-year contract extension through the 2031-32 season with an annual NHL cap hit of $8.25 million.

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During the 2023-24 season, Swayman appeared in 44 games with the Bruins, compiling an overall record of 25-10-8 with a 2.53 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. In 12 playoff games, he recorded a 2.15 goals against average and a .933 save percentage.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound goalkeeper has played in 132 career NHL games, all with Boston, posting an overall record of 79-33-15 with a 2.34 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. He ranks fifth in franchise history in goals against average and fourth in save percentage.

Among active NHL goaltenders with a minimum of 25 games played in 2023-24, Swayman ranked in the top-10 in goals against average (8th) and save percentage (T-5th).

The 25-year-old was selected to the 2024 NHL All-Star Game through the All-Star Fan Vote. In February 2024, he tallied a career-high 43 saves in the team’s 4-3 shootout win against the Dallas Stars.

In 2022, Swayman was named to the 2021-22 NHL All-Rookie Team after ranking first among rookie goaltenders with a minimum of 25 games played in wins (23), goals against average (2.41) and save percentage (.914).

The Anchorage, Alaska native was originally selected by Boston in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Five Key Questions for NHL 2024-25

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The 2024-25 NHL season is underway and ahead of us is a wild ride until the Stanley Cup is claimed.

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Between now and then, there will be all kinds of thrills, surprises and disappointments. As the campaign begins, here are five questions we’ll be tracking.

– Can the Edmonton Oilers take the final step?

The Connor McDavid-led Oilers came so close to completing a huge comeback in the Stanley Cup Final, reaching Game 7 after dropping the first three clashes to the Florida Panthers. That experience, combined with shrewd additions in forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, gives Edmonton every reason to believe its first Cup title since 1990 is possible.

The Oilers have their share of question marks, especially on defense, but it will be no surprise if McDavid, the league’s most dominant player, adds Cup champion to his resume.

– Can the Florida Panthers repeat?

Speaking of the Panthers, Florida paid a heavy price for the crown, with key defensemen Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson departing via free agency, along with forwards Vladimir Tarasenko, Kevin Stenlund, Ryan Lomberg and Nick Cousins.

The Panthers have a pair of pending unrestricted free agents in Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett and a restricted free agent in Aaron Ekblad. That is an issue for later, but before then the Panthers have a golden shot to hoist the Cup again.

– Will Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s record?

Ovechkin needs 42 goals to surpass Gretzky’s career goal-scoring mark of 894. Can he become the league’s all-time sniper this season? As great has he has been, it appears something of a long shot. Last season, Ovechkin managed only nine goals in the first 44 games before a second-half tear got him to 31.

Ovechkin, 39, has two seasons remaining on his contract and should take the mantle before retiring.

– Whose run of futility will end?

The Buffalo Sabres have missed the playoffs in a league-record 13 consecutive seasons. The Detroit Red Wings last reached the postseason in 2015-16 and the Ottawa Senators in 2016-17. Technically, the Utah Hockey Club, formerly the Arizona Coyotes, reached the playoffs in 2020, but that was because of the expanded playoffs when the league started up following the COVID-19 stoppage. The franchise last made the playoffs during a full season in the 2011-12 campaign.

Can any of them reach the second season? All should be in the mix down to the wire, which is good news for the league. Not all will make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but one or two making a giant leap could be in the cards.

– Which teams are due to step backward?

Every season, one or more clubs take a tumble. Unquestionably, somebody will. Here are our best bets.

The Vancouver Canucks claimed last season’s Pacific Division crown, but it will be a surprise if they repeat, especially with goaltender Thatcher Demko still battling a knee injury that knocked him out of the playoffs.

The Winnipeg Jets were atop the league in January last season, but the offseason was far from kind to their depth, at both forward and defense.

There are other teams who likely will not be able to replicate last season’s success, namely the regular-season champion New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, but don’t bank on either of them falling from the playoff picture.

The Jets and Canucks, however, are prime candidates to suffer the biggest drops in the standings.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NHL

Unthinkable

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SADNESS @ COMMONWEALTH AND COLUMBUS, OHIO: It seems that every Labor Day there’s unthinkable news stemming from an automobile accident claiming the life of our youngsters. More often than not, the accident involves a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs. … This past Thursday, terrible news hit the Columbia Blue Jackets, the NHL and our local Boston College Eagles ice hockey program quite hard and fully unexpected as NHL standout Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, both New Jersey natives who grew up to play hockey at Boston College, died when they were struck by a vehicle driven by an alleged drunk driver while riding bicycles, according to New Jersey State Police. …

“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement Friday morning, a communique to break the news to most. “While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path,” said the NHL statement. … According to police and media accounts, the two brothers were riding bicycles on County Route 551 — a two-lane highway in a rural area — in Oldmans Township (NJ) around 8:19 p.m. when they were fatally injured. A driver was traveling north when he shifted to the southbound lane so he could pass a car and SUV traveling ahead of him. When one driver tried to return to the northbound lane, the driver of the SUV had moved into the center of the highway to “safely pass the two pedal cyclists traveling north on the right side of the roadway,” police said. The vehicle driven by Sean Higgins, 43, then attempted to pass the SUV on the right and struck the two pedal cyclists [from behind]. As a result of the collision, the two pedal cyclists sustained fatal injuries,” said the authorities. … Higgins stayed at the scene, and after further investigation by troopers, was charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container, and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. He was jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility. … According to the criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press, Higgins told a responding officer he had five or six beers prior to the crash and admitted to consuming alcohol while driving. He failed a field sobriety test, the complaint noted. … “The Gaudreaus will forever be a part of the Boston hockey community thanks to the incredible impact they made as student athletes on and off the ice at Boston College,” the Boston Bruins said in a statement posted on X. … Johnny and Matthew were both scheduled to be groomsmen at their sister Katie‘s wedding on Friday in Philadelphia, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Unthinkable. … “Thank you for the best years of my life,” Johnny’s wife Meredith Gaudreau wrote on IG. “Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours. I love you so so much. You were perfect. Some days it felt too good to be true. I love every single thing about you. You are my forever and I can’t wait to be with you again. I love you so much forever and ever.” … Meredith then shared a follow-up post about Johnny’s role as a father. … “The absolute best dad in the world,” she wrote. “So caring and loving. The best partner to go through parenthood with. John never missed a single appointment. Was the best at putting the baby to sleep and the apple of Noa’s eye. I love how much she looks like him. We are going to make you proud. We love you so so much daddy.”

Bruins Hit Free Agent Market for $82.5m

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Boston Bruins Land Free Agents Lindholm, Zadorov

The Boston Bruins began their offseason by landing free agents Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov in deals totaling $82.5 million, according to multiple reports Monday.

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Lindholm’s deal is for seven years, $52.5 million and Zadorov for six years, $30 million, per news reports.

Both players finished out the 2023-24 season in Vancouver.

Lindholm, 29, tallied 44 points (15 goals, 29 assists) in 75 games last season with Calgary and Vancouver. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2013 draft by Carolina, Lindholm has 557 career points (218 goals, 339 assists) in 818 games with the Hurricanes, Flames and Canucks.

The Canucks traded their 2024 first-round pick, Andrei Kuzmenko, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo and a 2024 fourth rounder to Calgary for Lindholm in January.

Zadorov, 29, had 20 points (6 goals, 14 assists), 125 penalty minutes and 68 blocks in 75 games last season with the Flames and Canucks.

Zadorov has 146 career points (47 goals, 99 assists) and 701 penalty minutes in 642 games with Buffalo, Colorado, Calgary, Chicago and the Canucks. The Sabres selected him No. 16 overall in the 2013 draft.

Among 2023-24 playoff teams, the Bruins are third in the NHL with $21.6 million in cap space entering free agency.

–Field Level Media