By: Jack Studley | Follow me on Twitter/X @jackstudley13
It has been since April 15, but the Boston Bruins have finally played a hockey game. This one might not count for the standings yet, but it counts in many other ways. The Bruins took the ice in their new home uniforms in front of a decently-filled TD Garden crowd. The roster was filled with returners from Boston and Providence and newcomers to the organization. Michael DiPietro was the Bruins’ starting netminder as the black and gold kicked off their preseason by hosting the Washington Capitals for a 5:00 PM start.
Six minutes into the game, Morgan Geekie opened the scoring for the Bruins in the first period, lasering home a loose puck after a Charlie McAvoy shot was blocked. Patrick Brown found the open lane in the second period and buried home a pass from Riley Duran. Those were the only two goals for the Bruins, as the Capitals found the back of the net five times to spoil the Bruins’ first game at the TD Garden.
Third Line Stands Out
Today, the Bruins’ third line consisted of Tanner Jeannot, Fraser Minten, and Fabian Lysell. From the start, the line was productive. They found each other and connected on the offensive side of the puck, generating scoring chances for a team that struggled to create too many tonight. Jeannot and Minten each had two shots. Lysell, who is in the middle of a great training camp so far, utilized his speed on the ice tonight, flying down the wing to jump into the rush. Jeannot’s five hits led all players on the ice tonight, and in postgame comments, he had high praise for his linemates.
Frederic Brunet Makes a Good Impression
Defenseman Frederic Brunet looked very strong today. He won defensive battles on the boards and turned them into offensive chances. He was also not afraid to use his shot, which carries some weight, just ask Capitals winger Bogdan Trineyev, who blocked the shot and was in pain before eventually making his way off the ice.
With a great showing at training camp, Brunet could emerge as a wildcard candidate for the seventh defenseman role. During his NHL debut on April 15, he led all skaters in blocked shots with five, and added two shots of his own. His game in Providence has grown throughout his two seasons as a professional, jumping from 12 points in his rookie year to 25 last season.
Organizational Depth Should Not be a Problem
Throughout the game, the fourth line of Jeffrey Viel, Patrick Brown, and Riley Duran made the case that they were the best line on the ice, and Marco Sturm agreed during his postgame press conference. “I really liked our fourth line. They were our best line. They worked extremely hard, they brought us some energy, they were buzzing around, and they did exactly what I wanted them to do.” Brown totaled 14:16 of ice time tonight, with a goal, two shots, and two hits.
Final Thoughts
Michael DiPietro made 16 saves!… on 21 shots. Even though the numbers show what they do, there were times where he looked very comfortable on the ice, but not all the time. Both Matej Blumel and Alex Steeves finished with a -3, but fortunately it is a preseason game and does not affect the standings or their individual statistics. After Geekie’s goal to open the scoring, the Bruins could not hold on for the rest of the first period. The Capitals exploded offensively, finding the back of the net four times within the last 13 minutes of the period. That was the name of the game tonight, as the Capitals held on to their lead, and winning by a score of 5-2.
Although the Bruins looked like they struggled to keep up with Washington’s mostly minor-league roster, this game had some positives. Defenseman Frederic Brunet looked very strong today, winning defensive battles and turning them into offensive chances. The third and fourth lines both provided for a team that desperately needed a spark, and Morgan Geekie looks like he is in midseason form with the goal he scored earlier. The Bruins are back at it on Tuesday night when they head to the other Garden for a date with the New York Rangers, set for 7 PM.
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