The Boston Bruins spherical out the California portion of a four-game, pre-holiday street journey Sunday evening in San Jose, assembly the Sharks for the primary time this season.
The Bruins snapped a two-game skid and gained for simply the second time in 5 video games with their 2-1 additional time victory on the Los Angeles Kings on Friday evening.
Morgan Geekie posted his second consecutive multi-goal recreation. The sport-winning tally at 2:27 of the additional session was his sixteenth purpose of the season, one behind Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL lead.
Final season, Geekie had simply two of his career-high 33 targets earlier than the calendar turned to December.
“I imply, I do not know if final 12 months right now I might have taken that shot in additional time, simply the scenario and the place I used to be,” Geekie mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s simple to construct confidence when you’ve gotten confidence. I believe over the past 12 months it is slowly been constructing.”
Boston’s ahead lineup featured a brand new look, with Czech natives Matej Blumel, Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak making up the highest line. Geekie performed on the second line with Alex Steeves and Marat Khusnutdinov.
Coach Marco Sturm shuffled the lineup in hopes of offering extra offensive depth and preferred what he noticed, regardless of the low-scoring output in Los Angeles, however Jeremy Swayman (31 saves) stood tall to put up his sixth win in seven begins.
“I believe it was only a higher total match. We unfold it out slightly bit,” Sturm mentioned. “We simply do not need to put every part on one line and put the strain on them on a regular basis.”
Elias Lindholm could possibly be nearer to a return from a lower-body harm that has sidelined him since Oct. 30. He skated in follow on Saturday in full.
“We’ll see (when he performs), nonetheless going day-to-day,” Sturm mentioned.
The Sharks had gained back-to-back video games in additional time and a shootout earlier than a 3-2 Saturday loss to the Ottawa Senators, however are trying to find their first regulation triumph for the reason that finish of a seven-game level streak Nov. 11.
John Klingberg and Barclay Goodrow scored San Jose’s targets, however in a recreation that was tied 2-2 greater than midway by the third interval, problem within the faceoff circle — profitable simply 24 of 51 attracts — proved to be a key issue.
“We could not win a puck in any respect, defensively or offensively,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky mentioned. “When you do not win pucks, you mainly simply skate and chase it. That is what we did.”
Warsofsky’s workforce managed simply 19 photographs on internet and allowed a power-play purpose for the primary time in 5 video games. Their very own energy play scored for the fourth time in six contests.
“It positively wasn’t our greatest recreation,” Goodrow mentioned. “We had been spending means an excessive amount of time in our personal finish. I believe after we play the best way we’re able to and observe the sport plan, it seems good on the ice.”
From the final supervisor (Mike Grier) and coach on down, the Sharks are chock filled with Massachusetts connections.
Macklin Celebrini, who gained the Hobey Baker Award at Grier’s alma mater, Boston College, in 2024, has had a torrid sophomore season. He’s using a four-game level streak and has 13 targets and 32 factors in simply 22 video games after registering an help Saturday.
Celebrini’s linemate and former Boston School star Will Smith is the workforce’s No. 2 scorer (seven targets, 21 factors in 22 video games). A extra veteran addition has been Northeastern product Adam Gaudette, who scored his fifth purpose of the season in Thursday’s 4-3 shootout win over Los Angeles.
“He is been a pleasant type of jack of all trades, of enjoying totally different conditions,” Warsofsky mentioned of Gaudette.
–Discipline Stage Media
