By: Chad Jones | Follow me on Twitter/X @ShutUpChadJones
The Boston Bruins have gotten off to a successful start in the 2026-2027 season. Six games into the young campaign, the Bruins have posted a record of 4-2-0.
One up-and-down aspect of Boston’s game has been special teams. Specifically, the Bruins’ power play has flashed brilliance but has also struggled to find consistency early in the season.
Boston’s power play is clicking at an 18.8% success rate, which is good for 20th in the NHL. In 16 chances on the man advantage this season, Boston has potted three power play goals.
All three of these scores came against the Utah Mammoth this past Thursday night at TD Garden. Before the power play erupted against the Mammoth, Boston had started the year with no goals on their first ten situations on the man advantage. What worked against Utah was a terrific combination of different looks, decisive decision-making, and accurate passes.
The first Bruins power play score of the season came off the stick of David Pastrnak. After Elias Lindholm earned a clean faceoff win at the start of the man advantage, Frederic Brunet slid the puck to Pastrnak, who had found space near the top of the right circle. His quick wrister found the back of the net.
The change of putting Pastrnak occasionally in that area of the ice last season, as opposed to the one-timer launching pad of the left circle, opened up options for Boston’s power play and will again this year. He can look for his shot from that angle or set up his teammates with his world-class passing ability.
Later in the contest with Boston again on the man advantage, Pastrnak had set up shop across the ice in the prime scoring area. Anchored in the left circle, Morgan Geekie beautifully laid a saucer pass right in the winger’s wheelhouse. Pastrnak promptly hammered a one-timer into the back of the net.
This dynamic duo would link up again for a power play lamplighter, but they would trade positions. Pastrnak found himself in the right circle again. He faked a shot and instead deliver the puck right to Geekie, who was stationed across the ice. The back-to-back 30-goal scorer rifled the puck home for Boston’s third tally of the night on the man advantage.
While it is a very small sample size, it is no coincidence Pastrnak has factored in all three Boston scores so far on the power play. His creativity, vision, and ability to both score and rack up helpers on the man advantage are among his best attributes.
But there have been times early on when Boston has struggled on the power play to gain the offensive zone with possession or has been too stagnant when setting up shop. There are multiple players with enough skill to interchange positions to give penalty killers different looks throughout the contest.
Also, Charlie McAvoy is set to return from his six-game suspension when the Bruins return to action Tuesday night in San Jose against the Sharks. His smooth skating and passing ability will help stabilize Boston’s power play.
Over this now-84-game season, power plays will ebb and flow. But the Bruins’ top-end guys must not fall back into predictable passing sequences and identifiable one-timers. There is enough creativity and skill in Boston’s lineup for the man advantage to be a strength this season.
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