The Bruins know better than to base an entire outlook off two games. Let us not forget that it was barely seven months ago that the Bruins won their first two games after a trade deadline liquidation sale (and against the Lightning and Panthers, no less) only to lose the next 10 games that followed.
But for the Bruins, the new season has kicked off exactly as they had hoped, with two wins and finding ways to win games in two very different ways.
“Actually, [Zdeno Chara] said it right away in the coaches’ room; he’s like, ‘Those are the kinds of wins you need to build something that we want to build here,'” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said following the victory. “It’s not always pretty but the guys got the job done,” “It was not easy to play a game like that. Last night, we came home at 2 a.m.. Mentally it’s a lot. It’s a home opener and we all wanted to do well [and] we all wanted to win. It was not that flow we wanted it to be and all of a sudden we got into a bit of a grinding game, but those are the games you have to win.”
Where this game differed from Wednesday’s win in Washington really came back to the pace and even the structure. This was indeed more up and down than Wednesday at Capital One Arena, and that was perhaps most notable for the Bruins in a positive light, as the Bruins had just one stretch of at least five minutes without a shot on goal in Thursday’s win, compared to five such segments in Wednesday’s game. But the speed and skill of the Blackhawks forced the Bruins to play with more pace and less of their defensive-zone details, and at times get a little disconnected in their own end.
It was a game that the Bruins would’ve found a way to lose a year ago. And nobody knows that better than members of last year’s team. Elias Lindholm admitted as much following the win.
But on Thursday night, it was one that they managed to win while also showing a different side of Sturm’s club.
“I don’t know about the past. All I know is I can feel it. It’s just a mindset. And we gotta bring it back,” Sturm said. “Our body language is important, our having life on the bench, [and] feeding off the crowd is important. That’s what I remember about the Boston Bruins, and that’s what we need now.”
B’s fourth line working ‘PITA’ role
Oct 9, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) reacts with his teammates after defeating the Blackhawks in overtime at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)
Speaking to Sean Kuraly during training camp, I asked him what he envisioned as the ideal identity of his line. Kuraly kept it simple and true to form. He wanted the line to be responsible, dependable, and help provide energy when the team needs it. But one thing he said really stuck out to me: Kuraly said he wanted the line to be a “pain in the ass” for the opposition.
Through two games, this line, which features Kuraly between Marat Khusnutdinov and Mark Kastelic, has been exactly that.
Through two games, Boston’s fourth line has successfully drawn three penalties (Kastelic with two, Khusnutdinov with the other). And on Thursday night, the Bruins actually held a 6-1 edge on shots with this line on the ice at five-on-five play. The Bruins entered the season envisioning this fourth line getting some heavy, heavy defensive-zone minutes. But when they’re producing like that — be in penalties drawn, on-ice shot differentials, and just being an all around pain in the ass — there’s no denying that that line can be a highly valuable weapon at the other end of the rink.
Jeannot delivers in Garden debut
Oct 9, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom (40) makes a save in front of Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (48) during the third period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Bruins did not bring in Tanner Jeannot to put up points.
But in the first year of a five-year deal, and with the Bruins still starved for secondary scoring help, it definitely wouldn’t hurt. And Jeannot didn’t wait long to deliver some strong results to the Garden faithful, as he found the back of the net for his first goal as a Bruin at TD Garden.
Jeannot would’ve had two goals in this game, too, had it not been for a great save by the Blackhawks’ Arvid Soderblom on a 2-on-1 look for Jeannot in the third period of play. But overall, this was an absolutely excellent performance from Jeannot (and linemates Mikey Eyssimont and Fraser Minten), as they hemmed the Blackhawks in their own zone and had some great chances. They had one especially impressive shift in the second period where they straight-up wore the Blackhawks down and nearly struck.
Elias Lindholm summed up this line best Thursday night, saying they dump the puck in and get to work. The Bruins need those ‘grind’ shifts every single game, especially on the second leg of a back-to-back set.
Everything else
Oct 9, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov (91) checks Chicago Blackhawks center Ryan Donato (8) during the overtime at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
– Losing Hampus Lindholm to a lower-body injury could’ve been trouble for the Bruins. And, hell, it would’ve been trouble had it not been for the play of Nikita Zadorov. Finishing his night with over 25 minutes of action, Zadorov doled out a game-high seven hits and even tied up a Blackhawk to help spark Minten’s overtime rush to win the game. We talk about timely saves, timely goals, and all of that. But it felt like Zadorov had timely hits in this game.
– On Lindholm, the Bruins are stressing that it’s a minor injury. But even so, it’s probably still in their best interest to hold him out of Saturday’s game against the Sabres. Not only is it the third game in four nights for the Bruins, and not only is Lindholm working his way back from missing 65 games last year, but it’s the Sabres and the Bruins have a perfectly dependable veteran option in the press box in Jordan Harris. The Bruins have to think big picture here with their talents, especially with yet another three-in-four on deck next week.
– The Bruins have now won 10 straight home openers. That’s tied for the longest active streak in the NHL.
Up next: The Bruins will host the Sabres at TD Garden on Saturday night.