BOSTON —  Battling through adversity and earning wins was not something the Boston Bruins excelled at in what was a miserable 2024-25 campaign.

So far this year, they appear to be up to the challenge.

At least they were on Thursday night at TD Garden where they won a back and forth contest with the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, in overtime.

“Those are the kind of wins you need to build what we want to build here,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said. “It’s not always pretty, but the guys got the job done. We got into a little bit of grinding game, and those are the games you have to win. Those are the games that I think are going to be huge.”

Fraser Minten was the hero of the night, lighting the lamp 2:12 into the extra frame as he carried the puck the full length of the ice on an odd-man rush before snapping a wrist shot from the right-face off circle for his first goal of the season.

“I assumed they’d be in a little deep, so I just got some steps,” said Minten. “There’s always room in OT to shoot and make plays like that.”

FRASER SAYS: DOWN GOES CHICAGO 🥊 pic.twitter.com/eFOqTbsnQu

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 10, 2025

Minten’s game-winner almost never was. Chicago had multiple opportunities to take the extra point for itself in overtime, including a point-blank chance for Connor Bedard in the slot, but was stalled each time by Boston netminder Joonas Korpisalo, who finished with 21 saves on 24 shots.

“He was excellent,” Sturm said. “We had no business, probably, in OT, to come out as a winner, but we did because of him.  Unbelievable.”

The Bruins grabbed the first lead of the game at 3:53 of the first period off a goal from Casey Mittelstadt.

With a burst of speed through the middle of the ice, Viktor Arivdsson carried the puck into the attacking end. Just as he began circle around the back of the net, the winger dished a pass out in front that a crashing Mittelstadt buried past Blackhawks netminder Arvid Soderblom for his first goal of the year.

Zacha – Mittelstadt – Arvidsson could be a sneaky fun line for the Bruins this year.pic.twitter.com/M8nKt7JtwA

— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) October 9, 2025

The advantage didn’t last long, though. Not many did throughout the night.

A turnover defensive zone turnover by Nikita Zadorov soon led to a wide-open Connor Bedard blasting a one timer from the left face-off circle, tying the score at 8:19 of the first, as the Bruins lost track of the one member of the Blackhawks who demands constant attention.

Chicago grabbed the lead at 2:22 of the middle frame with a goal from Louis Crevier. Korpisalo never had a chance of stopping the shot after it deflected off Tanner Jeannot’s skate on its way into the back of the net.

It wasn’t the best way for the newly Jeannot signed to introduce himself to the hometown crowd. But the forward made up for his mistake with his first goal as a Bruin when cleaned up a puck that was loose in the crease to tie the score once again at 9:10 of the second period.

Tanner time ⏰ pic.twitter.com/nwfI20zdyQ

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 10, 2025

Boston jumped back in front 15 seconds into the period, capitalizing on a two-man advantage with Elias Lindholm’s second power play goal in as many nights, only for Andre Burakovsky to draw the Hawks back even minutes later.

Two games, two goals on the power play for the Bruins and Elias Lindholm.pic.twitter.com/DI70SoJcfI

— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) October 10, 2025

It was then that intensity kicked up a few notches.

The final 10 minutes or so of regulation were a constant stop and go, as each whistle from the referee was soon followed by a scrum that further galvanized the team down the stretch.

“We like to stick up for each other, and it creates a lot of energy on the bench,” Lindholm said. “Obviously, the rink got fired up, so it helps us for sure.”

It also helped that Boston finished the night a perfect 3/3 on the penalty kill. Through two games this season, the Bruins have killed off all nine shorthanded situations they’ve faced.

“Everyone being on the same page, knowing their reads, knowing their job and assignments, and playing hard,” said Jeannot. “We’re winning every battle. Face-offs are a big thing. Guys are digging in right now and it’s awesome.”

Boston played the majority of the night shorthanded, as defenseman Hampus Lindholm played just 4:26 before exiting in the first period with a what is being described as a minor lower-body injury.

Off to 2-0-0 start so far, the Bruins will host the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night at TD Garden.

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