After splitting a five-game road trip at 2-2-1 that ended with a dismal 7-4 loss to the Seattle Kraken, the Boston Bruins are back in Boston and have a quick turnaround in beginning a five-game homestand on Thursday night.
The Bruins have 11 games remaining this month, eight at the friendly confines of the TD Garden beginning on Thursday night against former teammate Johnny Beecher and the Calgary Flames. The Black and Gold will be looking for some revenge for a 2-1 overtime loss 10 days ago as part of their recent trip.
Boston is three points out of the final Eastern Conference wild card spot, and they need a big homestand if they are going to stay within striking distance. The Bruins will host the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon, the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, and the Kraken next Thursday night when Zdeno Chara's No. 33 will be raised to the TD Garden rafters.
“It will be great to see the family and be back in Boston,” defenseman CharlieMcAvoy said after Tuesday night's loss in Seattle. “We’ve got to have a really good homestand here.”
Morgan Geekie scoring drought
Morgan Geekie was on a scoring heater to begin the season. However, you knew that at some point, he was going to cool off. It comes with all scorers, but Geekie is in a rut putting the puck into the net over the last couple of weeks.
Geekie is hoping that returning to the TD Garden is going to help him find his scoring touch again. He has been held without a goal in the last seven games and is still sitting on 25. His last goal came on Dec. 20 in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks at home.
NHL News
- On Wednesday, the NHL announced that the 2027 Winter Classic will be in Utah, where the Mammoth will host the Colorado Avalanche at Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
- Former Bruins forward Brad Marchand did not play in the third period of Tuesday night's 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it was a coach's decision after he suffered an injury late in the second period, according to Paul Maurice. He said his star is "dealing with something" and decided to hold him out as a precaution.