By: Kenny Kaminsky | Follow me on Twitter / X @KennyKaminskyy
Yesterday afternoon, the Boston Bruins lost a hard-fought game 4-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Prospect Challenge game two from the Harborcenter in Buffalo, New York. Brett Harrison, Lucas Romeo, and Evan Vierling all scored goals in the loss, which is now the Bruins’ second consecutive loss. Although fans want their team to win, there is undoubtedly some satisfaction for Bruins fans after this game.
Jackson Edwards is a perfect example of starting sluggishly, but then figuring it out, he turned the puck over a lot in the first period. During the first 30 seconds of the game, he lost a race to the puck and gave up an incredible chance. Luckily, former Memorial Cup-winning netminder Andrew Oke was up to the task, as he made one of the best saves you’ll ever see to keep the game knotted at zero. Edwards even took a stupid penalty for putting the Blue Jackets on the Power Play. To begin the Second Period, Jackson looked like a new player. He looked more sound defensively and even had a few assists to finish the game.
The second line of Trevor Kuntar, Adam Mechura, and Evan Vierling was imposing. They used their size and skill to command the center of the ice and hounded the front of the net. On the third goal for the Bruins, Evan Vierling banked one home on a shot from the point. All three players swarmed the net front, overwhelming the young Blue Jacket defense. Mechura and Vierling played in the East Coast Hockey League last season, proving why starting your professional career in the ECHL isn’t the death sentence on a player’s career. I would love to see all three of these guys start on a line in Providence this season.
Although Andrew Oke let in some weak goals to start, he shaped up when it counted. Oke looked nervous at the beginning of the game but still made some incredible saves. A common theme for him was dropping down to the butterfly way too early, and the Blue Jackets saw this and picked him apart. The first two goals for the Blue Jackets were directly related to his positioning.
Columbus forward Luca Pinelli exploited this weakness. When he sped down the wing, he used a subtle fake to force Oke to drop unexpectedly, and Pinelli shot it to the far side of the gaping net. It was clear that Oke had some nervous energy, and when he settled into the game, he was fantastic, turning away 29 of the 33 shots and making some highlight-reel saves. I want to see more of Andrew Oke before anyone writes him off.
Lastly, I would like to discuss Loke Johansson’s play. The Bruins’ sixth-round pick from the 2024 Entry Draft looked comfortable. He didn’t seem fazed by the Blue Jackets’ speed and did a phenomenal job halting the opponent’s forecheck. Johansson was repeatedly tasked with going one-on-one with the Blue Jackets’ best player, first-round pick Gavin Brindley.
Loke bullied Brindley on the walls, making it impossible for the Blue Jackets to get anything going in the offensive zone. Johansson also made great moves, dangling around defenders and taking the puck deep in the offensive zone. He showed flashes of Mason Lohrei with those moves. I’m interested in how he will develop in a year or two if he can show this raw skill at such a young age.
This game had everything: back-and-forth hockey, four fights, and exceptional goaltending. Any hockey fan would enjoy this spectacle. The Bruins were more physical, but I must credit the Blue Jackets. They did not back down. When the Bruins dropped the mitts, an opponent always answered the bell.
The speed of the Blue Jackets was just too much for the Bruins, and it showed in the overtime period. Nonetheless, seeing what these prospects can do was incredible. The Boston Bruins will be back at it on Monday to cap off their Prospects Challenge against the New Jersey Devils at ten o’clock.
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