When the Boston Bruins' 2025-26 schedule was announced, you can bet that Fraser Minten circled the game on Jan. 3 when the Black and Gold visited the Vancouver Canucks. Why? Well, it will be a homecoming for the talented center acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the trade deadline last March, who sent Brandon Carlo to Boston's division rival.
Minten has been very good this year for first-year head coach Marco Sturm, and his season got better on Saturday night. The Bruins picked up a 3-2 overtime win over the Canucks, and Minten scored two of the three Boston goals, including the game-winner in overtime. He opened the scoring with a first-period power-play goal before potting the game-winner late in the extra session. Imagine being a younger fan growing up and scoring two goals in his hometown. Would he have ever believed it?
“Wouldn’t believe it, probably,” said Minten. “Lots of happiness. Happy to win, happy to do it here. Just a good feeling.”
Sturm couldn't have been happier for his younger forward.
“Can’t describe a better script,” Sturm said. “He’s a young kid growing up here just around the corner and begging for tickets just to see the Canucks play. And what a game he had today. Not just two goals, but overall, just very happy for him and his family.”
Former Bruins forward draws suspension
When Johnny Beecher played for the Bruins, he always seemed like a mild-mannered player. He was placed on waivers by general manager Don Sweeney in November and was claimed by the Calgary Flames. On Sunday, he received a suspension from the NHL.
The NHL's Department of Player Safety suspended Beecher one game for sucker-punching Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron in Saturday night's game. He wasn't the only player who was suspended for a sucker-punch, as Logan Stanley of the Winnipeg Jets received one as well for punching Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators in Saturday night's game.
Bruins prospects returns to college lineup
On Friday night, Team USA was upset in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Junior Championship in overtime, 4-3, by Team Sweden. It ended Team USA's run to two straight championships, but also ended the run of Bruins prospects Will Zellers and James Hagens. With the tournament in Minnesota, it was a short trip back to North Dakota for Zellers, and the next night, he was in the lineup for their game at home.
Fourth-ranked North Dakota completed a weekend sweep of Mercyhurst on Saturday night with a 6-1 win, and Zellers picked up an assist in his first game back, 24 hours after losing in the WJC.