Following their break, the Bruins are expected to play the Penguins.
Through Field Level Media
3, 20248:41 PM GMT+1 January 3,five hours ago was the last update
January 3-On Thursday night in Boston, the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins will play for the first time in three seasons, and they will be looking to continue their recent winning ways.
The last game for both teams was on Tuesday. After the NHL holiday break, Boston continued its perfect record (4-0-0) and reclaimed the top spot in the overall league standings with a 4-1 victory against Columbus. Pittsburgh’s 5-0-1 run came to an end with a 4-3 home loss versus Washington.
During Boston’s recent run of success, Bruins forward James van Riemsdyk became the next celebrity after making three points against Columbus. The Bruins’ victory, which came just before Christmas (0-2-2), was further proof that the break arrived at a perfect time.
Van Riemsdyk stated, “We were playing a little bit uneven going into (the break).” “We really took advantage of that as far as hitting the reset and kind of getting back to the things that made us successful.”
van Riemsdyk, who was scratched for Boston’s 5-3 win at Detroit on Sunday, made an immediate impact with new linemates Trent Frederic and Danton Heinen against the Blue Jackets. The trio scored Boston’s last three goals.
“Really pleased. They played a big, heavy game,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I thought the third goal (by Heinen) that extended the lead was huge for us.”
Lineup decisions will become even harder with rookie forward Matt Poitras due back in Boston after his IIHF World Junior Championship stint with Canada ended on Tuesday in the quarterfinals.
Forward Georgii Merkulov played in three games since being recalled from AHL affiliate Providence.
“(Poitras) won’t be an option for (Thursday), and then we’ll start discussing integration back into the lineup,” Montgomery said.
Defenseman Mason Lohrei, who was hit in the mouth with a puck and required stitches on Tuesday, should be available against Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh spotted Washington a 4-0 lead in Tuesday’s first period, but a three-goal comeback fell just short against a team that it was tied with in the Metropolitan Division entering the game.
“I didn’t think (goalie Tristan Jarry) had his best, but I didn’t think the team had its best either early in the game,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I loved our compete level and climbing back in the game. We certainly made it a game, but we can’t spot a team those types of goals early on.”
Sidney Crosby, who passed Joe Thornton as the 12th-leading point scorer in NHL history with 1,540, was one of three Penguins to post a goal and an assist.
Despite the loss, the Penguins are within three points of rival Philadelphia, which holds the No. 1 wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, although four other teams also are within three points.
The Penguins’ recent win streak included a pair of two-goal victories following a 7-0 shutout of the New York Islanders.
The Penguins’ 7-3-3 December result saw Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic, who came in as replacements against Washington, register a.910 save percentage.
The Penguins have been particularly effective lately in killing penalties. After Pittsburgh gave up five goals on the power play in three straight games, Washington only allowed two goals on the power play in its subsequent seven games.
The forward for the Penguins, Noel Acciari, spent four seasons (2016)–19 playing for the Bruins. “Some guys might be playing with different guys,” he stated. “But all in all, we’re just kind of all on the same page, knowing each other’s jobs.”
Bryan Rust, a forward with the Penguins, made his comeback on Tuesday after missing time due to an upper-body injury on December 6.
