By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
The Boston Bruins haven’t been in many shootouts this regular season, but head coach Marco Sturm has rolled out the randomizer for most of them. One night it could be Charlie McAvoy earlier than usual during the 1-on-1s, and then the other it could even be Andrew Peeke.
The play of the team in regulation is what really matters, yes, but it’s become surprising how the team utilizes its lineup in post-overtime. The Bruins haven’t immediately used the notable talent on their roster in the shootout.
Go to David Pastrnak or Morgan Geekie Earlier?
Although Pastrnak has 10 goals in 43 shootout attempts and Geekie has far fewer looks, it makes more sense to go to them more often than Sturm has. The scoring history is too vast to ignore, and the snapshot approach used against the Washington Capitals recently is a strategy that either player has a better chance of executing than a pure skater like Viktor Arvidsson.
Sturm did go to Pastrnak earlier in that recent shootout, but to do it this late in the season says a lot about the searching for answers that Sturm has done post-regulation. Consistency earlier in terms of a shootout lineup could have paid dividends by this point, and instead it’s been musical chairs until the season’s game rules end.
Thankfully, Fraser Minten did put things to bed for the Bruins on Saturday, but the team was asking for trouble with how long the shootout went. It helps that Jeremy Swayman is a quality goaltender for a shootout scenario, too.
It’s a learning game for Sturm this season; it’s still his first season as leader of this new era for the Bruins. He’s made it harder for fans to remember this, but not going to the main stars more often in situations like this can certainly raise sporadic questioning.
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