The law of the goal scorer’s averages said Morgan Geekie had to hit an iceberg sooner or later. That time has arrived.
Geekie had scored 50 goals in the calendar year of 2025, finishing strong last season and picking up where he left off to start this one. But going into Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames at the Garden, Geekie had gone seven games without a goal, his worst slump since he started to be recognized as a bona fide goalscorer in the middle of last season.
“I’m just trying not to overthink it,” said Geekie after the morning skate at the Garden. “I hit a couple of posts in Vancouver, could have gone either way. I’ve just been fighting it a little bit. I guess you change the color of your tape or sticks or something like that. I’m trying not to put too much weight on it. I feel like I’ve been pretty lucky the last year or so that everything seems to have gone in, so it’s kind of about time that this would happen. Just one of those things that everybody goes through.”
The Vancouver game, which the B’s won in overtime, was indeed his best game recently and he was his most noticeable self, getting three shots on net and hitting the aforementioned posts twice. But in the first three games of the five-game road trip, he landed just one shot on net in each game. In the trip finale in Seattle, he landed two shots on net but was having some difficulty handling the puck and accepting passes. That could well be the signs of the old “squeezing the stick” syndrome.
“He’s got to remember that it’s the first time in 40-something games in,” said coach Marco Sturm. “It’s actually a pretty good stretch, so don’t kick yourself. Also, he’s been scoring a lot of goals, probably more than everyone expected, so there’s a lot of good things. He’s got to remember that. And he’s got to simplify his game, too. That’s part of being a hockey player, part of being a goalscorer. Everyone goes through it. Now he’s got to go back to simplify his game a little more. He’s got to work his way out of it and not think about it too much because he’s fine.”
A little over a year ago, people might not have noticed his slump as much because he was considered by many to be a quintessential bottom-six forward. But there is no denying that his blistering shot has a special quality. Geekie’s 103.3 miles per hour slapper in the B’s November 11 win over Toronto remains the hardest shot recorded this season in the NHL.
Expectations, Geekie acknowledged, have changed, both from outside the room and when he looks in the mirror.
“I think I have a higher standard for myself now knowing that that’s something I can do,” said Geekie. “But it’s a long season. Like I said earlier, I’ve been pretty fortunate the last little while. The pucks have gone in. That’s hockey. I’m sorry I don’t have a better explanation but it’s one of those things everyone goes through and you try to get out of it as quick as you can.”
Geekie said he’s trying some adjustments that may not mean much in the long run but could mentally help him get over the hump, comparing it to a slumping baseball player changing his batting stance.
“I think guys go about it in different ways,” said Geekie. “Some guys don’t change anything and it’ll come back to normal eventually. “And then other guys try to change everything just for a spark, whether it works or not and then you go back to your old ways. I feel like I kind of meet in the middle on both those things. I change my stick and my curve and then I’ll probably go back to what I was using the last little while. Hopefully that works.”
Sturm has also been doing his part. In the Seattle game, he reunited him with David Pastrnak mid-game in what at least seemed like an effort to get him unlocked. Going into Thursday’s game against the Flames, he was to have new centerman, Fraser Minten, along with wing Alex Steeves.
Geekie has not played much with the 21-year-old Minten and was looking forward to it.
“I think as a young kid, you get a little pigeon-holed sometimes believing there’s one right way to do things. I think he’s done an awesome job just showing his maturity in being able to play on both sides of the rink,” said Geekie. “Obviously, he played with Dave really well in their stint together. He does penalty killing, now he’s on the power play. I think that shows how much of a complete player he is at such a young age. He’s going to keep getting better. He’s a great player already.”…
Hampus Lindholm, who suffered an undisclosed injury last Saturday in Vancouver, was back on the ice skating before the team session.
“I would say that’s good news. He’ll be out this week and we’ll see this weekend where he’s going to be at. Hopefully he’ll be back soon,” said Sturm.
Lindholm had been placed in injured reserve and would be eligible to come off for Sunday’s game against the Penguins.
“That’s something for the doctor’s to decide,” said Sturm….
Joonas Korpisalo was set to get the start against the Flames. His last win was on December 11 and has started only two games since then, losses to Ottawa, when he gave up five goals on 17 shots and was pulled, and to the Sabres on the first game of the road trip.
Sturm was asked if he had figured out just how much he can ride Jeremy Swayman. Swayman played the previous four games and was very good in the first three before having a rough outing in Seattle.
“It always goes by feel and where we’re at as a team. Are we winning? are we losing?” said Sturm. “The last couple of games, we had two days in between so he had plenty of rest. There are different factors. Moving forward, you will probably see a different pattern to it when it gets too much for Sway that we will have to settle him down and get him a little more rest, yes. That’s what we’re going through now. At the end of the day, we want to win the hockey game and a lot of times I feel like ‘Who gives me the best opportunity?’ Lately it’s been him a lot. Today, we’ve got to rely on Korpi. He’s been OK, too, but hopefully he’s going to be better tonight.”