Heading into last night’s (Oct. 5) contest against the New York Rangers, the Boston Bruins were hungry for a win. They had been on a four-game losing streak, which included two overtime losses. Although it is only the preseason and games matter far less, it is never a good feeling to lose so often. Thankfully for the Bruins, they broke their four-game losing streak, defeating the Rangers by a 3-1 final score. It was not the prettiest game for the Bruins, as they had just 15 shots on goal. Yet, they still got the win, and here are three takeaways from the game.
Poitras Does It Again, Likely Earns Roster Spot
Heading into this contest, Matt Poitras was the main Bruin to watch. The 2022 second-round pick has been the Bruins’ star of the preseason, and he has been receiving real consideration for an opening night roster spot because of it. His performance last night likely cemented it. The skilled center scored the eventual game-winner early in the third period with a beautiful snipe past Rangers elite goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
With this goal, Poitras’ preseason stats end at three goals and two assists in five games. Yes, the kid was a point-per-game player this preseason. Although the sample size is of course small, he has raised his value as a prospect significantly, and he should have a spot on the Bruins’ opening night roster because of it.
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Nevertheless, this was exactly the kind of game that Poitras needed. Besides scoring a goal, he created chances throughout the game, aggressively forechecked, and looked steady defensively.
Strong Performance From Swayman
Although Poitras naturally caused a lot of excitement during this game, we should not ignore Jeremy Swayman’s performance. The reigning William M. Jennings Trophy winner (along with Linus Ullmark), was on his “A” game. The Alaska native stopped 22 out of the 23 shots he faced. The lone goal he allowed during the game was to Kaapo Kakko early on. After that, he was perfect and made a series of spectacular saves.
This is exactly the kind of game that the Bruins were hoping to see from Swayman against the Rangers. The star goalie has had some hiccups at times this preseason, so it was great that he had a strong 60-minute effort. With the regular season just a few days away, the Bruins are going to need Swayman to be playing at his best and ready to go. Last night’s performance may be a sign that he is just that.
Coyle’s Solid All-Around Game
Charlie Coyle was also very noticeable during this contest against the Rangers. The 6-foot-2 center was a real threat in the offensive zone, as he was quite hungry on the forecheck and strong with the puck. He also was noticeable defensively, as he made some strong plays in the Bruins’ end. However, what was most notable about Coyle’s game was that he got on the scoresheet with a nice goal.
The Bruins were losing 1-0 at this point of the game and had a power play. Coyle, who is expected to see more power-play time during the regular season, was used as a net-front presence for last night’s unit. From there, the Massachusetts native made the most of his opportunity, as he tapped in David Pastrnak’s beautiful feed in front with ease.
Overall, a lot of the Bruins’ success may depend on Coyle this season. With Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, he is now one of the club’s top centers. If he can play a solid all-around game and chip in offensively like last night (Oct. 5) often, the Bruins should be in good shape.
This was a nice win for the Bruins. As noted above, things have not gone too well for them in the win department during the preseason, but they ended it off with a solid effort against the Rangers. Now, the club needs to gear up for their season opener against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 11.
