The Boston Bruins faced the San Jose Sharks last night on Nov. 30 to close out the month of November. The team was coming off of a frustrating loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 27, and were hoping to break their three-game losing streak.
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Head coach Jim Montgomery made some adjustments to the top two lines ahead of the game to hopefully get the team back on track. One line consisted of Brad Marchand, Matthew Poitras, and Danton Heinen with Jake DeBrusk, Pavel Zacha, and David Pastrnak on the other. With Jeremy Swayman getting the start in his 100th NHL game and coming off his worst start of the season, there were plenty of interesting storylines coming into the game.
The Bruins pulled off the victory to snap their losing streak. It was a pretty good bounce-back game and couldn’t have come at a better time as they face two tough opponents this weekend in the Toronto Maple Leafs and a rematch with Columbus.
Danton Heinen Earns Top Six Position
If Heinen has proven anything so far this season is that he is truly a chameleon type of player. In 14 games this season, he had seven points, including three goals, while playing up and down the lineup. So far, he has found success wherever Montgomery has decided to play him and it was no exception against the Sharks. He played well on the top line with Poitras and Marchand. His effort earned him a goal at the start of the second period.
In his second tenure with the Bruins, he has never been the flashiest of guys or one to generate the most praise. But after making the roster off of a professional tryout (PTO), he is proving his worth and value. He has been incredibly consistent and solid in all his appearances so far in the black and gold dating back to the preseason.
The Bruins did not have the cap space to make any big, flashy signings over the summer, but so far, they’re benefiting from the guys they got like Heinen, James van Riemsdyk, and Morgan Geekie. Heinen may not be the most exciting player on the ice, but don’t let that distract from the fact he’s had a solid season so far and played very well last night against the Sharks.
Bruins’ Powerplay Improving and Penalty Kill Back
In a holdover issue from last season, the Bruins have not had the strongest of powerplays so far in 2023-24. But, it has improved in recent games. In the 13 games they played in November, the Bruins registered 11 powerplay goals. Zacha’s goal last night while a man up was beautiful.
Overall, when watching the powerplay, it just looks like it has more energy than it did at the start of the season. While they only registered one powerplay goal last night, they had other good looks and it’s clicking better than it has. It’s still not perfect, but after some of the truly lackluster opportunities the team has put forth at times this season, last night was definitely an improvement.
While on the special teams topic, after giving up goals on the penalty kill in all three of their losses (as well as allowing a shorthanded goal against the New York Rangers), the penalty kill looked like it was returning to form against the Sharks. They looked good, successfully stopping all five of their opponent’s powerplay opportunities.
Bruins Getting Back on Track
It was not a perfect game, nor did the Bruins look their best, but this game was definitely a step in the right direction after their three-game losing streak. Swayman, while not facing much outside the first couple minutes, looked better than he did against Columbus. Trent Frederic also looked better than he has with three shots and three hits. After registering 11 shots in the first four games of the season, he only had nine in the 10 games prior to playing the Sharks. He also had a good fight in the final minute of the second period after a boarding of Marchand.
The Sharks are, of course, sitting last in the NHL in the standings, meaning that they are a team that the Bruins should beat since they are currently sitting in third. But, to give the Sharks credit, they played decently last night and were tough opponents.
It was a good, solid win for the Bruins and exactly what they needed to start getting on track after their three-game losing streak. There were good performances from up and down the lineup.
Final Game Thoughts
Geekie was one of the top forwards of the night. He was one of the few players that seemed ready to go after another slow start from the Bruins. He had a terrific shot on goal midway through the first period, helping the team get some early momentum.
After being one of the better first-period teams in the NHL to start the season, the Bruins have had some trouble getting started in recent weeks, and last night was no exception. They continue a pattern of playing catch up through the first 10 minutes or so, and then turning it around and getting some momentum going. While they started better than they had in the last few games, it still wasn’t the best first 10 minutes.
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DeBrusk continues to get himself going after a slow start to the 2023-24 season, registering his fourth goal of the season. He’s played well over the past few weeks and hopefully that will continue into the month of December.
The Bruins next play on Saturday, Dec. 2 against the Maple Leafs, who currently sit fourth in the Atlantic Division. Follow along with The Hockey Writers to stay up-to-date throughout the 2023-24 season.