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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

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: 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.

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.

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.

Marchand, Bruins Return to Garden Ice

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Two nights after TD Garden hosted the thrilling 4 Nations Face-Off finale, the Boston Bruins are going back to work on their Eastern Conference wild-card chase.

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Boston begins the final stretch of the regular season Saturday with the first of a three-game homestand, facing an Anaheim Ducks team that surged into the NHL’s two-week break.

Bruins coach Joe Sacco knows how important it will be for his team to come out strong. The Bruins remain one point below the playoff cut line — with the three teams both above and below them holding games in hand.

“We have to play some good hockey here in the last 25 games to put ourselves in a position to compete for a playoff spot,” Sacco said. “I don’t know the exact number of (points) that it’s going to take to get in. … But let’s look short term here, two or three games (at a time) and try to take care of business.”

Boston team captain Brad Marchand and goaltender Jeremy Swayman are both expected to play Saturday after concluding 4 Nations on opposite sides of the United States-Canada final. However, top defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm will not suit up.

While Lindholm has remained sidelined with a lower-body injury since November, McAvoy had “an infection in his right shoulder” and suffered “a significant injury to his AC joint” during Team USA’s 4 Nations opener last week, the Bruins said.

“(McAvoy is) such a gamer,” Bruins forward Charlie Coyle said. “He plays hard. Yeah, injuries and things happen, but he was a man possessed playing those games. He was so much fun to watch. It fired me up watching on TV.”

McAvoy was released from the hospital on Thursday and is reportedly on a week-to-week timeline.

The 36-year-old Marchand posted points in six of his final seven games before the break. Now, he looks to carry the momentum of a medal-winning week back to the Bruins.

“It means a little bit more being here,” Marchand said of winning the best-on-best tournament in Boston. “I care tremendously about this city and the people and the fans; have a lot of friends and family here. But at the end of the day, when you get on the ice, you don’t think about that stuff.”

Pastrnak Stays Hot, Bruins Win

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s David Pastrnak registered his first hat trick of the season and an assist to lead the Bruins to a 6-3 win over the visiting New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon.

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The Bruins never looked back after Pastrnak scored a go-ahead goal in the first period before increasing the Bruins’ lead to three on two occasions during the final frame.

The star winger is riding a 10-game point streak. He was named thr NHL’s “First Star” of the month of January.

Pavel Zacha had a goal and an assist, Charlie McAvoy and Charlie Coyle each scored, and Brad Marchand and Matt Poitras each dished out two assists for the Bruins, who snapped a two-game skid.

Boston’s Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves in the win.

J.T. Miller scored two goals for New York less than 24 hours after being re-acquired in Friday’s blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks. Jonny Brodzinski netted the other.

The 31-year-old Miller was playing his 342nd regular-season game as a Ranger and his first in 2,533 days (Feb. 25, 2018).

New York’s goalkeeper, Igor Shesterkin, stopped 19 shots.

After losing a 1-0 lead, Pastrnak flipped the score back in Boston’s favor with 2:51 left in the first, taking a Brandon Carlo feed from behind the goal line and quickly snapping it glove-side.

The game’s first two-goal lead was established 3:39 into the second when Coyle was stationed outside Shesterkin’s crease to deflect an Andrew Peeke point shot.

Jets Beat Bruins, 6-2

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BOSTON – Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele capped a two-goal effort with the eventual game-winner and Wakefield, R.I., native Parker Ford scored in his NHL debut as the visiting Jets beat the Boston Bruins 6-2 Thursday night.

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Scheifele’s second goal 35 seconds into the third period marked the 328th of his Winnipeg career, tying him with Ilya Kovalchuk for the most in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise history.

Nikolaj Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov added a goal and an assist, Kyle Connor scored, and Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves for Winnipeg, which is on a five-game win streak.

The Jets scored four third-period goals and found the back of the net on two of four power plays in the game (50 percent).

Elias Lindholm led the Bruins with a goal and an assist, while Brad Marchand also scored and added 14 penalty minutes.

Joonas Korpisalo stopped 21 shots in Boston’s second consecutive loss and third in a five-game span (2-3-0).

The Bruins climbed out of a 2-0 hole to tie the game when Lindholm buried a shorthanded goal off Pavel Zacha’s faceoff win 11 seconds into the third. Winnipeg never trailed after Scheifele took an Ehlers feed down the middle to provide an answer just 24 ticks later.

Ehlers was credited with the Jets’ insurance goal less than a minute later, poking the puck off Boston defenseman Mason Lohrei’s stick and into an open left side of Korpisalo’s net at 1:17.

Ford extended Winnipeg’s lead to 5-2 at 5:57. After Alex Iafallo settled down a Logan Stanley centering feed in the slot, the former Providence College captain cashed in with a wrister.

Connor scored an empty-net goal with 36.6 seconds remaining.

Namestnikov lifted the visitors to a 1-0 lead just 2:55 into the first, putting home a power-play goal from low on the left side. Cole Perfetti’s shot from the wing created a rebound that Nino Niederreiter sent to Namestnikov across the crease to bang into an open side of the net.

Minutes after a Josh Morrissey snipe past Korpisalo was called back due to offside, Scheifele doubled Winnipeg’s lead with a goal that counted, tipping in Neal Pionk’s point shot at the 11:31 mark.

Marchand scored his second goal on the man advantage in as many games to bring Boston within one at 15:34. The Bruins captain slid down from the top of the left circle and snapped a shot past Hellebuyck.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Win in Matinee at Garden

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Charlie Coyle scored the tying and winning goals in the third period as part of a three-point effort, helping the Bruins surge past the visiting San Jose Sharks 6-3 on Monday afternoon.

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Coyle was the beneficiary of Matthew Poitras’ primary assists on both late-game goals, including the deciding tally at 14:11

David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm each registered a goal and an assist, while Vinni Lettieri also scored for Boston, which is 3-0-1 in its last four games.

Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo made 25 saves.

Rookie Will Smith, a native of nearby Lexington, Mass., led the Sharks with a goal and an assist in his first NHL game in Boston.

Barclay Goodrow and Fabian Zetterlund also scored and Yaroslav Askarov stopped 27 shots for San Jose, which has lost three in a row and six of seven.

Performing well with new linemate Marchand, Coyle took a Poitras feed off the rush and banked the go-ahead goal off Askarov’s pads. The game-tying goal came several minutes earlier at 8:22 when Poitras fed Coyle a backhand pass, who sniped a shot past Askarov from the slot.

Marchand and Lindholm iced the game with empty-netters in the final 1:15.

The Sharks had scored twice in the second period to turn around a 2-1 deficit, with Smith bringing them back even at 8:52. The local native capitalized on a neutral-zone turnover by placing a perfect glove-side wrist shot off a give-and-go with Mikael Granlund.

Smith’s goal was his seventh and the 25th goal by Sharks rookies this season, the most in the NHL.

A successful penalty kill helped vault San Jose to its first lead when Zetterlund scored with 4:42 left before the second intermission. After Smith’s shot was blocked, Zetterlund picked up the puck, skated down the wing and buried his own rebound after a net drive.

Boston’s opening goal came as Vinni Lettieri tipped Jordan Oesterle’s shot from the right point five-hole on Askarov at 9:21 of the first. It was his second tally in as many games.

Goodrow evened the score for San Jose at 13:16, charging down the middle of the ice to snap home Nico Sturm’s centering pass from behind the end line.

The Bruins’ power play converted for the fourth time in as many games at 7:02 of the second. Pavel Zacha circled the cage and fed Pastrnak for a one-time goal from close range just below the right circle for a 2-1 Boston lead.

–Field Level Media