To end the month of November, the Boston Bruins played the San Jose Sharks on November 30. The squad was looking to snap a three-game losing streak after suffering a heartbreaking defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 27.Before the game, head coach Jim Montgomery changed the top two lines in an attempt to get the squad back on track. Brad Marchand, Matthew Poitras, and Danton Heinen made up one line, while Jake DeBrusk, Pavel Zacha, and David Pastrnak made up the other. There were a lot of intriguing storylines going into the game, especially because Jeremy Swayman was starting in his 100th NHL game after having his worst start of the year.
The Bruins ended their losing run with a spectacular performance. It was a really solid bounce-back game, and the timing couldn’t have been more ideal, since they play two tough teams this weekend, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus again.Danton Heinen Places in the Top Six
Heinen is a true chameleon of a player, if that is what he has shown thus far this season. He played all over the lineup and finished with seven points (three goals) in 14 games this season. He has so far been successful wherever Montgomery has chosen to play him, and the Sharks game was no different. Alongside Marchand and Poitras on the top line, he performed admirably.
At the beginning of the second period, he scored a goal thanks to his work.He is currently in his second season with the Bruins, but he has never been the most showy or well-liked player. But he’s proven his worth and value, having made the roster off of a professional tryout (PTO). In every game he has played for the black and gold since the preseason, he has been remarkably reliable and steady.
The Bruins are making good use of the players they already had, including Heinen, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Geekie, even though they lacked the cap space to make any major, eye-catching acquisitions during the summer. Don’t let Heinen’s lack of excitement on the ice detract from the reality that he’s had a strong season thus far and performed admirably against the Sharks last night.
Bruins’ Penalty Kill Back and Powerplay Improvement
A carryover from the previous campaign, the Bruins’ 2023–24 powerplays have not been the best thus far. Recent games have seen an improvement, though. The Bruins scored 11 goals on the powerplay in their 13 games in November. Zacha’s objective from yesterday night as a manup was beautiful.
In general, the powerplay appears to have more energy than it did at the beginning of the season. Despite only scoring one powerplay goal last night, they had other excellent opportunities, and things are clicking better than they have. Even while it’s not ideal, last night was a step forward from some of the genuinely awful chances the club has occasionally had this season.
Speaking of special teams, against the Sharks, it appeared as though they were getting back to normal after conceding goals on the penalty kill in each of their previous three games (in addition to allowing a goal against the New York Rangers). They appeared impressive, stopping each of their five opponents’powerplay opportunities.
Bruins Resuming Their Journey
After losing their previous three games, this game was undoubtedly a step in the right direction, even though it wasn’t a perfect match nor did the Bruins look their best. Swayman looked better than he did against Columbus, despite not playing much outside of the first few minutes. Trent Frederic, who had three hits and three shots, also appeared better than he had. He had only nine shots in the ten games before facing the Sharks, compared to 11 in the first four games of the season. In the last minute of the second period, he engaged in a good battle with Marchand.
The Sharks are, of course, sitting last in the NHL in the standings, meaning that they are a team that the Bruins should beat since they are currently sitting in third. But, to give the Sharks credit, they played decently last night and were tough opponents. It was a good, solid win for the Bruins and exactly what they needed to start getting on track after their three-game losing streak. There were good performances from up and down the lineup.
Concluding Remarks on the Game
Among the best forwards of the evening was Geekie. He was among the select few players who appeared prepared to perform following the Bruins’ subsequent lackluster start. Midway through the first quarter, he had a fantastic shot on goal that gave the club some early momentum.
The Bruins, who were among the NHL’s best first-period teams early in the season, have struggled in recent weeks to get going, and yesterday night was no different. They keep playing catch up for the first ten minutes or so, and then they start to gain some momentum and turn things around. They got a stronger start than they had in the previous few games, but their first ten minutes weren’t the finest.
The Bruins, who were among the greatest first-period teams in the NHL at the beginning of the season, have had trouble starting lately, and they did so again last night. For the first ten minutes or so, they continue to play catch up, but after that, they start to gather steam and make a move. Though their opening 10 minutes weren’t the best, they got off to a better start than they had in the previous few games.
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