Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney answers a reporter’s question
The Boston Bruins have given general manager Don Sweeney a two-year contract extension, showing their trust in him to rebuild the team after missing the playoffs this season — the first time that has happened since 2016.
This decision comes a month after team president Cam Neely said he was still deciding whether to keep Sweeney, who has led the Bruins through ten years of strong regular seasons but mostly disappointing playoff results. Sweeney fired coach Jim Montgomery in November, even though Montgomery led the team to NHL records of 65 wins and 135 points in 2022-23. When interim coach Joe Sacco couldn’t turn things around, Sweeney traded away several players at the deadline.
“Don has navigated a disappointing period for our club with conviction, purpose, and a clear vision toward the future of the Boston Bruins,” Neely said. “He made difficult decisions around the trade deadline with the confidence they will pay dividends as we craft a path back to contention.”
In Sweeney’s 10 seasons as general manager, the Bruins have a regular-season record of 458 wins, 233 losses, and 91 overtime losses. They’ve reached the playoffs eight times. Their 1,007 points and .644 points percentage are tied for the league’s best during that time.
But the Bruins have advanced past the second playoff round just once during Sweeney’s time, making it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 with Bruce Cassidy as coach. Cassidy was fired three years later and led the Vegas Golden Knights to a championship in his first year there.
Boston Bruins Win Over Capitals (NHL)
Montgomery took over in Boston and won 112 games in two seasons, but won only one playoff series. He was let go 20 games into this season. With the team out of playoff contention, Sweeney traded captain Brad Marchand — the last player from the 2011 title team — marking the close of the team’s most successful stretch since Bobby Orr played at the old Boston Garden.
Neely said Sweeney is working on hiring a new coach and getting ready for the upcoming draft.
“I am confident in the plan he has followed these past few months — and excited for what’s to come for our team,” said Neely, who once played for the Bruins, about Sweeney, a former defenseman for the team. “The expectations in Boston have always been clear. It’s about winning championships.”
Sweeney played 16 NHL seasons, all but one with the Bruins. He became the team’s general manager in 2015 and won the NHL’s General Manager of the Year Award in 2019 after the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final. This winter, he was general manager for Team Canada in its 4 Nations Face-Off win, and he will be the assistant GM for Canada at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
“It’s an honor to be part of a franchise with such a storied history and passionate fanbase,” Sweeney said. “I fully understand and embrace the responsibility that comes with this role. Our fans have high expectations for this team, and so do I. The collective goal is to build a team that makes Bruins fans proud and ultimately brings another Stanley Cup back to Boston.”
Boston Bruin goalie Jeremy Swayman gives a shove to Colorado Avalanche forward Parker Kelly during the second period
Morgan Geekie scored two goals, and David Pastrnak added a goal and two assists to help the Boston Bruins beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden.
The Bruins (25-20-6), now 5-1-1 in their last seven games, were led by goalie Jeremy Swayman, who made 26 saves in his return after missing one game due to a minor upper-body injury suffered during a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.
“It’s something we wanted to monitor and get solved pretty quickly,” Swayman said about the injury.
“The trainers worked their magic, and I was able to get back out there today and feel really good … (Friday) was a good practice to get back into a rhythm, feel the puck, see plays develop, and I was able to watch our game against Ottawa as well, so visually learning allows me to get back on the ice and hopefully to have a seamless transition.”
Artturi Lehkonen scored for the Avalanche, and Scott Wedgewood made 12 saves. The Avalanche (28-20-2) have now lost three games in a row.
“I thought our guys did a nice job,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said about playing less than 24 hours after Mikko Rantanen was traded after spending 10 years with the team.
“They came ready to play and play hard and play well. They’re all pros. I’m sure their minds thinking of that kind of stuff last night and their teammate prior to the game at points.
But I thought they did a great job with their focus. I thought we played hard, played to the game plan, didn’t capitalize on some of our chances and we kind of fell asleep for a couple minutes and it cost us the game, but I thought they did a nice job with their focus.”
Lehkonen gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at 1:30 of the second period. Juuso Parssinen controlled the puck, gained the offensive line, and fed a backhand pass to Lehkonen. He received it in the right face-off circle and his shot from the dot beat Swayman to the stick side.
The Bruins, who had only eight shots on goal through the first two periods, tied the game 1-1 when Geekie scored 25 seconds into the third period.
Geekie drills it past Wedgewood to tie the game 1-1 in the 3rd period
Geekie played a major role
Geekie then put the Bruins ahead 2-1 at 5:44. Pastrnak controlled the puck behind the Colorado net, skated around Wedgewood’s right side, and found Geekie on the far post for a tap-in goal.
Geekie has now scored six goals in his last seven games.
“It’s growing,” he said of his chemistry with Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. “We’ve played together for a while now and it’s always easier when you learn the habits of the guys you’re playing with and it’s always fun to play with guys with lots of skill.
For me, you’re in awe with the things [Pastrnak] does with the puck and I just try to get open. It’s lots of fun right now, so let’s keep having fun.”
Pastrnak scored an empty-net goal with three seconds left to seal the 3-1 win. He extended his point streak to seven games, with seven goals and 10 assists, and has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in his last 12 games.
“He’s finding his game,” Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco said. “He’s getting that confidence level up to where it usually is. We’ve said it before, he was going to find his offense sooner or later.
He’s too talented of a player and he’s competitive. He wants to help the team win offensively, and that’s how he feels he helps the team in most cases.
He takes it upon himself to make sure he’s producing at a high level and that’s what he’s doing now. He’s seeing the game very well and he’s feeling good about himself again.”
The Ottawa Senators delivered an unforgettable performance, rallying to defeat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout at Canadian Tire Centre. In a game brimming with playoff-like intensity, Nick Jensen and Josh Norris scored late third-period goals with the goalie pulled to erase a two-goal deficit. The Senators capped off the electrifying comeback with Tim Stutzle’s decisive goal in the shootout. “Probably the greatest comeback I’ve ever been a part of,” said Ottawa goalie Leevi Merilainen, who made 23 saves. His statement encapsulated the high emotions and thrilling energy that defined the contest.
Key Contributions Fuel Senators’ Resilience
Ottawa demonstrated remarkable resilience as contributions came from all corners of their roster. Norris, who netted two goals, tied the game with just 12 seconds left, capitalizing on a well-placed pass from Claude Giroux. “It was a lot of fun; the crowd was great,” Norris said, praising his teammates and the electrifying atmosphere. Stutzle, who added a goal and an assist, continued his pivotal role by scoring the only goal in the shootout. Ottawa’s fourth consecutive win showcased their determination and ability to perform under pressure, a sentiment echoed by coach Travis Green, who highlighted the valuable lessons his team is learning as the season progresses.
Ottawa Senators vs Boston Bruins (NHL)
Despite valiant efforts, the Bruins fell short for the seventh time in nine games. David Pastrnak led Boston’s offense with a goal and two assists, continuing his streak of three-point performances. Pavel Zacha and Morgan Geekie also contributed with multi-point games, while goalie Jeremy Swayman made an impressive 39 saves. However, Boston’s defensive lapses during Ottawa’s 6-on-5 attack proved costly. “We have to do a better job,” said interim coach Joe Sacco, lamenting the team’s inability to protect their lead. Pastrnak added that the Bruins relied too heavily on their goalie and needed to block more shots, conceding they “didn’t deserve to win.”
Momentum Shifts Define the Battle
The game was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts. Ottawa started strong, with Adam Gaudette and Stutzle giving them a 2-0 lead in the first period. Boston responded with a surge, tying the game through goals from Zacha and Pastrnak. The second period saw Boston take a 3-2 lead thanks to Geekie, but Norris quickly evened the score with a power-play goal. In the third period, Boston appeared to pull away after goals from John Beecher and Vinni Lettieri, but Ottawa’s late surge rewrote the narrative. Each twist heightened the intensity, making the outcome all the more dramatic.
The Senators’ victory not only boosted their confidence but also gave fans a glimpse of their potential in high-stakes games. “It felt like a playoff game,” said captain Brady Tkachuk, emphasizing the energy and importance of the match. Meanwhile, the Bruins face mounting pressure to address their defensive shortcomings and regain consistency. Both teams have significant challenges ahead, with Ottawa aiming to sustain their momentum and Boston striving to rectify their struggles. As the season progresses, this game will stand out as a defining moment of determination, resilience, and thrilling hockey.
Stützle, Merilainen help Senators to shootout win vs. Bruins
The Ottawa Senators pulled off an incredible comeback to beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 in a shootout at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday. The win was highlighted by two late goals with the goalie pulled for an extra skater, one by Nick Jensen and another by Josh Norris.
A Historic Comeback
“Probably the greatest comeback I’ve ever been a part of,” said Ottawa goalie Leevi Merilainen. “Such a crazy game. High emotions. Felt like a playoff game for the most part.”
Jensen scored a snap shot from the right face-off circle at 16:47 to bring the Senators within one goal, 5-4. Boston’s coach Joe Sacco admitted that his team needed to improve their defense when leading with six players on the ice, saying, “We just have to be better defending that lead when it’s 6-on-5.”
Then, with just 12 seconds remaining, Norris tied the game at 5-5 with a one-timed shot from Claude Giroux’s pass.
Norris Reflects on the Goal
“I was so out of breath, I was dying,” Norris said. “‘G’ put it on a platter for me. Just a great play, man, great play. … It was a lot of fun; the crowd was great. Just a couple crazy momentum swings and, yeah, proud of the guys. We hung in there. Man, that was a hard game.”
Shootout Heroics
In the shootout, Tim Stutzle scored the winning goal, and Norris, who had already scored twice in regulation, contributed with a goal and an assist.
Norris knots the game at 5 with 12 seconds left
Merilainen made 23 saves for the Senators (23-18-4), who are now 4-0-1 in their last five games. Ottawa coach Travis Green praised the victory, saying, “Big character win. But we’re going to learn a lot of lessons as we go down the stretch.”
Bruins’ Struggles
David Pastrnak led the Bruins (22-19-6) with a goal and two assists, while Pavel Zacha and Morgan Geekie each had a goal and an assist. Jeremy Swayman made 39 saves in goal for Boston, but the team lost for the seventh time in their last nine games (2-5-2). Coach Sacco acknowledged that the team needed to limit scoring chances: “‘Sway’ was in there tonight and he gave us a chance to win again. We have to cut down on certain scoring opportunities to help him out.”
Scoring Breakdown
The Senators took a 1-0 lead early in the first period when Adam Gaudette scored at 1:47. Stutzle added another goal to make it 2-0 at 7:35. The Bruins responded with Zacha’s power-play goal at 11:07 to cut the lead to 2-1, and Pastrnak tied the game 2-2 with a wrist shot at 19:22.
In the second period, Geekie scored for Boston to give them a 3-2 lead at 1:06. Norris quickly responded with a power-play goal to make it 3-3. Later, a shot from John Beecher gave Boston a 4-3 lead, but Vinni Lettieri extended Boston’s lead to 5-3 in the third period.
Tkachuk Compares Game to Playoff Atmosphere
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk reflected on the game’s intensity, saying, “I’ve never played a playoff game before, but I feel like that emulated it pretty solid tonight. There’s been some pretty awesome atmospheres, but I don’t know, this one just felt different. It felt like a preview of what’s to come.”
The Boston Bruins (23-19-6, in the Atlantic Division) are set to face off against the New Jersey Devils (26-17-6, in the Metropolitan Division) on Wednesday in Newark, New Jersey, at 7 p.m. EST. The Bruins are coming off a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks, with Charlie Coyle scoring two goals in that game.
New Jersey has a solid record of 26-17-6 overall and 13-8-4 at home. The Devils have been very successful when they score three or more goals, with a 26-3-3 record in such games.
Boston, on the other hand, has a record of 23-19-6 overall and has struggled on the road with a 9-12-3 record. However, the Bruins are strong when they score at least three goals, holding a 19-3-2 record in those games.
This matchup will be the first meeting of the season between these two teams.
Top players for the Devils include Nico Hischier, who has scored 22 goals and added 17 assists, and Jack Hughes, who has tallied three goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
New Jersey Devils (NHL)
For the Bruins, David Pastrnak leads the team with 22 goals and 31 assists. Morgan Geekie has contributed three goals and three assists in the past 10 games.
In their last 10 games, the Devils have struggled with a 2-5-3 record. During this stretch, they have averaged 1.8 goals and 2.9 assists per game. They have also committed an average of three penalties and 6.3 penalty minutes per game while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
The Bruins have a 3-5-2 record in their last 10 games. They have averaged 3.2 goals and 5.5 assists per game, along with 3.7 penalties and 9.7 penalty minutes per game. They have allowed an average of 3.2 goals per game in this stretch.
The Boston Bruins secured an important 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday afternoon. With this win, the Bruins now have the same number of points as the Ottawa Senators and have moved ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in the standings.
Here are three key takeaways from the Bruins’ crucial win over the Sharks.
Charlie Coyle Shines for the Bruins
The Bruins were trailing 3-2 as the third period began. Despite the tough situation, Charlie Coyle stepped up and delivered an outstanding performance in the final frame. Coyle tied the game at 8:22 and then scored the go-ahead goal at 14:11. He also assisted on Elias Lindholm’s empty-net goal to seal the win.
Coyle’s strong play was a great sign for the Bruins, especially after some struggles earlier in the season. It will be interesting to see if this performance helps him build momentum for the rest of the season.
Joonas Korpisalo Bounces Back for the Bruins
Before this game, Joonas Korpisalo had allowed 11 goals over his previous two starts, facing some rough patches. However, the 30-year-old goaltender turned things around against the Sharks.
Joonas Korpisalo in the 2nd round
Korpisalo made 25 saves on 28 shots, including several crucial stops that helped his team secure the win. His strong performance was a welcome sign for the Bruins, who needed a bounce-back game from their goalie.
David Pastrnak Keeps Scoring for the Bruins
David Pastrnak continued his hot streak, scoring his second-period power-play goal to extend his goal streak to four games. In addition to his goal, Pastrnak also recorded an assist on Brad Marchand’s empty-netter, contributing to the team’s win.
With this performance, Pastrnak now has nine goals and 15 points in his last eight games, making him a key player for the Bruins as they push forward in the season.
Michael DiPietro Shines in AHL, Earning All-Star Nod as Bruins' Goaltending Future Looms
Boston Bruins goaltender Michael DiPietro has been making waves this season with his standout performances. Recently, he was named to the 2025 AHL All-Star Game, marking a significant milestone in his career. DiPietro’s success is especially notable as he has outperformed fellow goaltender Brandon Bussi, who has become a fan favorite within the Bruins organization.
Impressive Season Statistics
DiPietro’s statistics for the season reflect his exceptional play. In 21 games for the Providence Bruins, he has earned a 13-5-3 record. His .927 save percentage and 2.04 goals against average have positioned him as one of the top goaltenders in the American Hockey League. These strong numbers are a testament to his consistent and high-level play throughout the season.
Michael DiPietro Shines in AHL, Earning All-Star Nod as Bruins’ Goaltending Future Looms
DiPietro’s recent performances demonstrate his ability to maintain excellence under pressure. In his latest game on January 15th against the Syracuse Crunch, he stopped 37 of 39 shots, leading his team to victory. Additionally, in seven of his last eight games, he has maintained a save percentage of .912 or higher, including a notable 21-save shutout against the Hartford Wolf Pack on December 20th.
Bruins’ Goaltending Situation Could Pave Way for DiPietro
Currently, the Boston Bruins’ goaltending duo consists of Jeremy Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo. However, there have been discussions about the possibility of trading Korpisalo, as Swayman’s workload continues to increase. If such a trade occurs, DiPietro would likely be the next in line to step up and could find himself playing a larger role for the Bruins in the near future.
If DiPietro can maintain his strong form, he could become a significant part of the Bruins’ goaltending future. His consistent performances in the AHL make him a promising candidate for an NHL call-up. With the potential for a trade and the team’s evolving goaltending needs, DiPietro could soon find himself contributing to the Bruins at the highest level.
The idea of the Boston Bruins being sellers at the NHL trade deadline is unusual for the team because of their past. But this season, things have been different for the Bruins.
In July, the team signed top-six center Elias Lindholm and top-four defenseman Nikita Zadorov to improve an already solid roster, aiming to build on their first playoff series win since 2021.
However, through 45 games, the Bruins have been an average team. They started with an 8-9-3 record, which led to head coach Jim Montgomery losing his job. As of Thursday, they are technically in a playoff spot, but they are ranked 10th in points percentage among Eastern Conference teams.
Under general manager Don Sweeney, the Bruins have usually been buyers before the trade deadline, but if they fall out of the playoff race, could they sell instead?
Team president Cam Neely said Wednesday that this is a possibility.
“I think right now we’ve got to look at two paths,” Neely told reporters before the Boston Bruins Foundation gala Wednesday evening. “One that we’re buying. One that we may be retooling a little bit. We still feel like we’ve got a playoff team here. We certainly don’t want to jeopardize getting out of the playoffs because we made some moves that may be good for the future but not good for the present.”
Neely’s comments might be a message to the players. The Bruins are in a tough spot, and if they want management to make moves to improve the team at the trade deadline, they need to start playing better and improve their position in the playoff race.
Boston Bruins (NHL)
If the Bruins decide to sell, it’s unlikely that major players will be traded. The team doesn’t need huge changes to be a contender in the Eastern Conference. However, moving players who could become free agents this summer in exchange for a draft pick could make sense if the team doesn’t see a clear path to the playoffs in early March.
That said, it’s hard to see the Bruins falling so far in the standings that selling becomes the obvious choice.
The main focus for the Bruins should be consistency. They have won more than two games in a row only once this season. After a couple of wins, they often follow up with poor results that halt any progress made.
The Bruins have won their last two games, with their most recent being a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden on Tuesday night. Starting goalie Jeremy Swayman and star right wing David Pastrnak were the team’s top performers in those games.
This is positive for the Bruins, but the question is whether they can build on this momentum or if another poor performance will stop their progress. Now that they know selling is a possibility, it will be interesting to see if this pushes the players to perform better and more consistently.
Internal improvement is best way for Bruins to turn season around originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins aren’t as bad as their recent struggles might make it seem. But if the team is going to turn its season around and become a real contender in the Eastern Conference, the improvement needs to come from within.
In past seasons, the Bruins have filled gaps in the roster by making moves before the NHL trade deadline. Don Sweeney has been one of the most active general managers when it comes to adding players during the season. Over his first nine years as GM, Sweeney made more than 15 pre-deadline trades, and many of those players were helpful additions.
However, making a significant move might be harder this year. The Bruins are almost at the salary cap, with only $1.23 million of room, according to PuckPedia. This makes it tough for the team to take on additional salary in a trade without sending back an equal amount. In fact, 21 out of 32 teams have less than $5 million in cap space right now.
The Bruins also lack many high-value trade assets. Boston’s prospect pool is considered one of the weakest in the league, and many veterans on the team aren’t performing as well as expected, which hurts their trade value.
Even if Sweeney wanted to make a big trade, it could be tough because so few teams are clearly out of playoff contention. The Buffalo Sabres are the only team in the Eastern Conference more than five points out of a playoff spot. In the Western Conference, only four teams are more than seven points out of a playoff berth.
With so few sellers in the market, making trades is difficult. Because of these factors, it’s up to the Bruins to solve their problems themselves.
“It’s on us internally,” Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco told reporters after last Friday’s practice. “It’s on us here. There’s no question. It’s on the staff. It’s on the players to make sure that we get ourselves out of this. We’re not looking for any help right now, any outside help. There’s a standard here that we try to uphold. We try to keep it up to a high level.
Boston Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk in action during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals
Our players have to hold themselves accountable, just like we all do. The solutions, the answers, they’re right here. We need to get it out of them.”
The best players need to perform at their best. It might sound like a cliché, but that’s the easiest way to succeed. So far this season, many of the Bruins’ top players have underperformed.
David Pastrnak leads the team in scoring with 45 points in 45 games, but he hasn’t been playing at the MVP level we’ve seen in past seasons. Charlie McAvoy is good enough to be a real Norris Trophy contender every year, but Boston’s top defenseman isn’t in that conversation right now. Jeremy Swayman is the fifth-highest-paid goalie in the league, but he has a disappointing .895 save percentage in 32 starts.
When you look at the whole roster, it’s hard to find many players who are meeting or exceeding expectations.
Saturday’s win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers was a positive sign for the Bruins. The 4-3 overtime victory ended their six-game losing streak. More importantly, the Bruins’ best players — specifically Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Swayman — were key to the win.
Pastrnak scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime off a lucky deflection. He led the team with six shot attempts, four shots on net, and four scoring chances. His speed and skill helped the Bruins secure the win.
Swayman had his best game of the season. He made 40 saves on 43 shots for a .930 save percentage. The Panthers had a remarkable 111 shot attempts. Swayman was under constant pressure for nearly 65 minutes, and without his outstanding performance, the score would have been much worse for the Bruins.
McAvoy got an assist, recorded two shots, five hits, and blocked four shots in 21:54 of ice time.
However, the Bruins can’t just depend on these three players to turn the season around. It has to be a team effort.
Elias Lindholm, who was the team’s big free-agent signing last summer, is being paid top-six center money ($7.75 million cap hit), but he has been playing like a third-line center, with only 21 points in 45 games.
Charlie Coyle set career highs with 25 goals and 60 points last season, but he’s on pace for just 14 goals and 25 points this season. Pavel Zacha is on track for 38 points after setting a career-high 59 last year. Trent Frederic’s scoring has dropped after he set career highs in points the last two years.
Boston Bruins (NHL)
Morgan Geekie had a tough start to the season and was even a healthy scratch at one point. But to his credit, he has been one of the team’s best players recently, with 11 points (six goals, five assists) in the last 14 games, including a goal in Saturday’s win in Florida.
The Bruins are 28th in shooting percentage (9.32) but eighth in expected goals scored (135.96). This means they’ve been unlucky offensively. While bad luck isn’t the only problem, it certainly hasn’t helped.
But it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bruins start scoring more, especially on the power play. There is too much talent on this roster for them to stay ranked 28th in goals scored per game and 30th in power-play percentage for the entire season.
The Bruins are not guaranteed a playoff spot. As of Monday morning, they are in the first wild card spot, but they rank 11th in the East based on points percentage.
The good news is that 37 games remain, so there’s still plenty of time to turn things around and improve their playoff position. If the Bruins do make the playoffs, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they won a round, especially if they end up in the Metropolitan Division side of the bracket. Swayman has the ability to steal a playoff series, as shown in past games against teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Sweeney might be able to make a trade to add depth for the playoff race, but the best way for the Bruins to get back on track is for the players already on the roster to perform to the level expected of them consistently.
When David Pastrnak says he’s feeling good about his game, it’s a positive sign for the Boston Bruins.
Despite a 5-4 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday night at TD Garden, Pastrnak scored two goals – his 16th and 17th of the season. He also scored twice during Saturday’s 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s clear that his confidence is growing, which is crucial since the Bruins have not won in four straight games since the holiday break.
“Today, I felt really good,” he said. “It was one of my better games. I felt good energy-wise. I felt confident. I was making plays, and our line was all around it the first two periods, and then in the third, we scored two goals. It’s crazy how hockey works. Our first two periods as a line, we spent almost every shift in the offensive zone but just couldn’t score. Then in the third, it finally broke, and I felt great today.”
Pastrnak, who scored 47 goals last season, hasn’t had the same offensive spark this year, but he’s starting to find it. He scored two goals in the third period against the Islanders to tie the game at 4-4, and almost ended it with a great chance in overtime.
“It’s obviously always nice to score goals,” he said. “You don’t take it for granted in this league, but it would definitely feel better if you end up with the win. There are mixed emotions, but I just want to get on a winning streak.”
Pastrnak had a great chance in overtime, but Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin made a solid save when Pastrnak tried to stuff the puck in on the short side.
Boston Bruins (NHL)
“I had so much speed, I should’ve just gone to the forehand and put pressure on the goalie to match my speed,” he said. “Looking back, if I put it to the forehand, I don’t think he could’ve matched my speed and I could’ve stayed on the strong side. Yeah, I definitely regret that one. I could’ve put the game away.”
The Bruins haven’t been playing their best during this stretch, but even coach Joe Sacco is encouraged by Pastrnak’s recent performance.
“88 came up big for us,” Sacco said. “It was a good weekend for him with back-to-back multiple-goal games. He wants to produce for the team. I thought he did it really well tonight, especially with the way he played his overall game.
He was solid and logged a lot of minutes on back-to-back nights. Certainly, whenever you have a guy like him, a goal scorer, and they start feeling good about themselves, that confidence is a good sign.”
The Boston Bruins are back from a three-game road trip and will host the New York Islanders for their first home game of the 2025 calendar year on Sunday evening.
Both teams are looking to break three-game losing streaks after both suffered defeats to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the last three nights. The Bruins lost 6-4 in Toronto on Saturday to start a back-to-back set, while the Islanders lost 2-1 to the Leafs on Thursday in the second game of a home-and-home series.
In Toronto, the Bruins came back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to tie the game, but it wasn’t enough against the high-powered Leafs offense led by a Matthew Knies hat trick and five-point performances from Knies and Mitch Marner.
“It’s difficult in this league to play catch-up hockey, but it was 2-2 going into the third (period) and we had two breakdowns that they capitalized on,” Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco said. “When you get three or four (goals), you hope to come away with at least one or two points and that didn’t happen, so we’re disappointed with that.”
Boston hasn’t won since Dec. 28 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, with losses on the road to the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers (3-1 and 2-1) before Saturday’s defeat.
Despite the loss, Boston showed signs of breaking out of a recent scoring slump, as they had scored just eight goals in their previous four games.
Against the Maple Leafs, David Pastrnak scored his first multi-goal game of the season, reaching 15 goals with a pair in the third period, tying captain Brad Marchand for the team lead.
New York Islanders and St. Louis Blues
“Hopefully it … gives guys confidence, myself included, that we can start helping out the team here and getting some more goals,” forward Trent Frederic said.
Although the Islanders have only won three of their last 10 games, coach Patrick Roy believes his team is playing well recently. That includes their most recent loss to Toronto, which came on a tiebreaking goal with 2:59 left in regulation.
“Overall I wouldn’t change a thing in our game, we’d love to see just better shots, the quality of our shots, that’s all,” Roy said. “The guys are working and playing hard. … I have no complaints other than not scoring goals. If we get those goals, it’ll turn around for us, I still believe in that.”
In fact, the Islanders’ last three losses were decided by a total of four goals.
With the team moving closer to the bottom of the competitive Eastern Conference, finding ways to win is crucial.
“I think right now I’d take a horrible game out of our team to win a hockey game,” forward Mathew Barzal said. “That’s really the only thing that matters right now is to win a hockey game. That’s really the only thing that matters right now is wins and losses.”
New York’s injury report still isn’t clear, despite Barzal, Anthony Duclair, and Adam Pelech returning around the holiday break. With Semyon Varlamov (lower body) still out, Ilya Sorokin has started 14 of the past 15 games in goal.
Dennis Cholowski will be added to the defensive pairings for Sunday, as Isaiah George remains day-to-day after taking an elbow to the head from Toronto’s Max Domi during Thursday’s game. George is now in concussion protocol.
Marchand and Pavel Zacha each scored twice in the Bruins’ 6-3 win over the Islanders in Elmont, N.Y., on Nov. 27, their first meeting of the season. Brock Nelson had two goals and one assist for the Islanders in that game.
Jonathan Quick made 32 saves and earned his 399th career regular-season victory as the New York Rangers ended their four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
Quick, who was made New York’s No. 1 goalie for at least three games while Igor Shesterkin recovers from an upper-body injury, got his first win since defeating the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 30.
He is one win away from reaching 400 career victories, joining Marc-Andre Fleury of Minnesota and Sergei Bobrovsky of Florida as the third active goalie to reach that milestone.
After allowing 14 goals in his previous three starts, Quick helped the Rangers secure their fifth win in 20 games (5-15-0) and end a four-game home losing streak.
Mika Zibanejad and rookie Brett Berard scored within 3:05 of each other in the first period after the Rangers started slowly.
Quick only allowed a goal to Elias Lindholm 7:57 into the second period and made several key saves, including a diving stick save on a slap shot by Charlie McAvoy with 5:27 left in the second.
New York Rangers players celebrate after scoring
He also stopped David Pastrnak twice early in the third period and made a glove save on Andrew Peeke’s long shot with 3:45 remaining. Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves in the loss.
The Rangers took the lead with 10:12 left in the first after Boston defenseman Nikita Zadorov mishandled the puck in front of the net. Zibanejad took advantage, receiving a backhand pass from Reilly Smith and tapping it in for a 1-0 lead.
New York extended its lead after another misplay by a Boston defenseman. Mason Lohrei lost the puck at the blue line, and Filip Chytil set up Berard for a 2-on-1. Berard drove down the right side, stopped at the faceoff circle, and shot the puck past Swayman’s arm for a 2-0 lead.
Quick kept the shutout going with a diving save on Johnny Beecher with 12:35 left in the game, but just 32 seconds later, Lindholm slipped behind Smith, took a cross-ice pass from Pastrnak, and scored to make it 2-1.
