The Boston Bruins started their early-season three-game road trip with a 5-3 victory against the struggling Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night. With this win, Boston improved to 3-2-0, while the Avalanche’s record dropped to a surprising 0-4-0. The Bruins also appear to have avoided any major injuries, and that’s where this edition of Boston Bruins News begins.
Brad Marchand appears to have avoided a major injury
Bruins fans had a moment of concern when captain Brad Marchand collided with Mikko Rantanen during the second period, forcing him to leave the game. He missed the remainder of the period and part of the third but eventually returned to the bench and finished the game.
“Brad’s fine, just a spasm,” said Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, reassuring fans.
Marchand, who has three assists this season after undergoing multiple offseason surgeries, remains a crucial player for Boston. Losing him would be a significant setback for Montgomery’s lineup. Given his recovery, expect Marchand to take several more “maintenance days” between games to manage his health.
Joonas Korpisalo picks up first win as a Bruin
It wasn’t the Bruins’ most polished performance, but a win is still a win, right? One of the key pieces acquired in the Linus Ullmark trade with the Ottawa Senators, Joonas Korpisalo, has had his struggles—something Senators fans know all too well, as Korpisalo was statistically one of the league’s worst goalies last season. He gave up six goals in Boston’s 6-4 season-opening loss to the Florida Panthers.
After Jeremy Swayman handled the next three games, coach Jim Montgomery was tight-lipped about his goaltender choice for the Colorado matchup, but ultimately, he went with Korpisalo for his second start. Korpisalo made 20 saves and allowed three power play goals, but the performance could serve as a confidence boost moving forward.
Former Bruins defenseman retires
One player Bruins fans may have forgotten from their record-breaking 2022-23 season is defenseman Anton Strålman. He appeared in just eight games, finishing without a point and a minus-3 rating while averaging 15:22 of ice time per game.
Strålman has reportedly retired and transitioned into coaching, now leading Skultorps IF, a Swedish women’s soccer team. Last season, he played 48 games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) for HV71, contributing two goals and 14 assists.
NHL Veteran Sign PTO with Providence
Veteran NHL forward Tyler Pitlick received an invitation to attend training camp with the Providence Bruins and signed a PTO (professional tryout) to stay with the P-Bruins on Thursday. Last season, Pitlick recorded one goal and three assists in 34 games with the New York Rangers. While the significance of this move remains to be seen, it could be something to keep an eye on for the future—or it could simply be a depth move. Time will tell how this opportunity develops.