The Boston Bruins edged the Winnipeg Jets 4–3 in overtime on Friday, but calling it a convincing effort would be generous. Still, style points don’t count in the standings — a win is a win; however it arrives.
The first ten minutes of the opening frame had all the familiar warning signs — the kind that make you mutter, here we go again. The final two minutes weren’t much better. The second period played out like a rerun of the first. Only in the third did the Bruins finally settle in and start playing their game.
The so‑called kid line of James Hagens, Fraser Minten, and Marat Khusnutdinov delivered a largely encouraging effort. There were stretches where their pace, chemistry, and competitiveness really popped. More reps together will only sharpen that cohesion and elevate their impact.
The second line of Casey Mittelstadt, Pavel Zacha, and Morgan Geekie was another bright spot. It wasn’t flawless, and like the kid line, it should only sharpen with more reps. Their puck‑possession game has been the strongest on the roster so far, consistently tilting possession in Boston’s favor when they’re out there more then the other lines.
With the exception of Mark Kastelic — whose first‑period fight noticeably swung the Bruins’ momentum — the fourth line had a forgettable night. Kastelic was the lone bright spot. Tanner Jeannot and Sean Kuraly were virtually invisible, and the underlying numbers for both reflected exactly that.
It was best outing of the year — preseason included — for Elias Lindholm. JJ Peterka and David Pastrnak ultimately combined to deliver the overtime winner. For long stretches, they drove play at even strength and dictated the tempo. Now they need to start cashing in more of the chances they’re generating.
The defense had its shaky moments, and it’s worth taking a deeper look — because changes are on the horizon.
It was the best game I’ve seen from Mason Lohrei in quite some time. He moved the puck with real authority and played with a level of confidence that stood out shift after shift. I’ve been reluctant to move on from Lohrei — and vocal about it — often pointing back to Denis Potvin’s old line that “it takes 250 games for an NHL defenseman” to truly settle in. I also wanted to see how Lohrei would look under a coach willing to let him play to his strengths, and Matt McIlvane has done exactly that. So far, the results are encouraging.
Hampus Lindholm has looked noticeably sharper than he did a year ago, when lingering effects from knee surgery held him back. If this is the version of Lindholm the Bruins get — and he stays healthy — the outlook on the blue line improves dramatically. His mobility has ticked up, his reads look closer to vintage form, and he’s taken only one ill‑advised penalty so far in this young season. And once Charlie McAvoy returns, Lindholm won’t have to shoulder the load as the primary driver on the back end, which should ease the pressure and allow him to play an even cleaner, more efficient game.
Nikita Zadorov followed up an excellent debut with a noticeably more conservative effort. He wasn’t as mobile or as physically assertive as he looked on opening night, and there were stretches where he appeared hesitant in his reads. The encouraging part? Through two regular‑season games and two preseason outings, he hasn’t taken a single penalty — a critical detail for a player expected to be a key piece of an improved penalty kill. If Boston is going to tighten things up shorthanded, Zadorov needs to be on the ice, not in the box.
Will Borgen turned in another quietly effective performance — the kind that doesn’t jump off the page but absolutely matters. Through two games, he’s delivered exactly what the Bruins hoped they were getting: steady defending, reliable reads, and a calming presence in his own end. Shutdown defensemen rarely draw headlines, and the lack of offense will always lead some to undervalue what he brings. But Borgen isn’t coming out of this lineup. And once McAvoy returns and everyone slots into more natural roles, his impact should only grow.
Connor Clifton followed up a strong opening‑night performance — where he led all Bruins defensemen in ice time — with a far rougher outing. And you could see the ripple effect on Zadorov. Twice, the body language from Jeremy Swayman said everything about Clifton’s reads in front of him. Clifton has the tools to rebound, but consistency has always been the challenge. He’ll give you four or five solid games, then vanish for a stretch. Friday night fell squarely into the latter category.
If there’s one defenseman who has played himself out of the lineup once McAvoy returns, it’s Jonathan Aspirot. His preseason was underwhelming, and the first two games haven’t been much better. His zone exits have been shaky, and too often he’s deferred to Lohrei, putting unnecessary pressure on his partner. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Marco Sturm sit him against Minnesota in favor of Frederic Brunet on Saturday night.
If Aspirot ends up being the odd man out when McAvoy returns, it’s tough to identify another candidate to sit in favor of Brunet. This may turn into one of those situations where Brunet and Clifton rotate, given Clifton’s tendency to run hot for a few games and then cool off just as quickly.
Matthew Poitras is inching closer to a return, and his timeline will dictate some tough roster decisions. If he and McAvoy come back simultaneously, the straightforward move is waiving Aspirot. If Poitras returns first, Mikey Eyssimont becomes the likely casualty.
The bigger question is who Poitras actually bumps from the game‑day lineup. Right now, all signs point toward Kuraly.
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