Morgan Geekie using sizzling streak as Bruins face Sharks

The Boston Bruins spherical out the California portion of a four-game, pre-holiday highway journey Sunday night time in San Jose, assembly the Sharks for the primary time this season.

The Bruins snapped a two-game skid and gained for simply the second time in 5 video games with their 2-1 time beyond regulation victory on the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night time.

Morgan Geekie posted his second consecutive multi-goal sport. The sport-winning tally at 2:27 of the additional session was his sixteenth aim of the season, one behind Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL lead.

Final season, Geekie had simply two of his career-high 33 targets earlier than the calendar turned to December.

“I imply, I do not know if final yr presently I’d have taken that shot in time beyond regulation, simply the state of affairs and the place I used to be,” Geekie stated. “However it’s simple to construct confidence when you may have confidence. I believe over the past yr it is slowly been constructing.”

Boston’s ahead lineup featured a brand new look, with Czech natives Matej Blumel, Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak making up the highest line. Geekie performed on the second line with Alex Steeves and Marat Khusnutdinov.

Coach Marco Sturm shuffled the lineup in hopes of offering extra offensive depth and favored what he noticed, regardless of the low-scoring output in Los Angeles, however Jeremy Swayman (31 saves) stood tall to publish his sixth win in seven begins.

“I believe it was only a higher general match. We unfold it out just a little bit,” Sturm stated. “We simply do not need to put all the things on one line and put the strain on them on a regular basis.”

Elias Lindholm may very well be nearer to a return from a lower-body harm that has sidelined him since Oct. 30. He skated in follow on Saturday in full.

“We’ll see (when he performs), nonetheless going day-to-day,” Sturm stated.

The Sharks had gained back-to-back video games in time beyond regulation and a shootout earlier than a 3-2 Saturday loss to the Ottawa Senators, however are trying to find their first regulation triumph for the reason that finish of a seven-game level streak Nov. 11.

John Klingberg and Barclay Goodrow scored San Jose’s targets, however in a sport that was tied 2-2 greater than midway by means of the third interval, issue within the faceoff circle — profitable simply 24 of 51 attracts — proved to be a key issue.

“We could not win a puck in any respect, defensively or offensively,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky stated. “When you do not win pucks, you principally simply skate and chase it. That is what we did.”

Warsofsky’s staff managed simply 19 photographs on internet and allowed a power-play aim for the primary time in 5 video games. Their very own energy play scored for the fourth time in six contests.

“It positively wasn’t our greatest sport,” Goodrow stated. “We had been spending means an excessive amount of time in our personal finish. I believe after we play the best way we’re able to and observe the sport plan, it seems to be good on the ice.”

From the overall supervisor (Mike Grier) and coach on down, the Sharks are chock stuffed with Massachusetts connections.

Macklin Celebrini, who gained the Hobey Baker Award at Grier’s alma mater, Boston College, in 2024, has had a torrid sophomore season. He’s using a four-game level streak and has 13 targets and 32 factors in simply 22 video games after registering an help Saturday.

Celebrini’s linemate and former Boston School star Will Smith is the staff’s No. 2 scorer (seven targets, 21 factors in 22 video games). A extra veteran addition has been Northeastern product Adam Gaudette, who scored his fifth aim of the season in Thursday’s 4-3 shootout win over Los Angeles.

“He is been a pleasant type of jack of all trades, of taking part in totally different conditions,” Warsofsky stated of Gaudette.

–Discipline Stage Media