The excellent news for the Bruins is that they have reaffirmed that they’ve bought one other goal-scoring risk past David Pastrnak in Morgan Geekie.
The unhealthy information? Proper now, Geekie is the one participant who’s scoring targets often.
As they attempt to break even of their four-game highway journey on Wednesday in opposition to the Islanders, the Bruins have scored six targets within the first three video games and Geekie has scored 5 of them. Mikey Eyssimont is the one play apart from Geekie to attain a purpose on the journey, throughout which an time beyond regulation win in Los Angeles was sandwiched between losses in Anaheim and San Jose.
The purpose drought as even affected Pastrnak. Whereas he’s bought 5 assists in his final 5 video games – together with a magnificence on Geekie’s purpose in San Jose – and leads the workforce in scoring 11-18-27, he’s and not using a purpose in his final 5 video games.
At Tuesday’s follow, coach Marco Sturm went again with the Czech line of Matej Blumel (a wholesome scratch in San Jose after his turnover led to a shorthanded purpose in LA), Pavel Zacha and Pastrnak, whereas a second line consisted of Marat Khusnutdinov, Elias Lindholm and Geekie.
Sturm instructed reporters after follow at UBS Enviornment that the traces are topic to alter.
“That’s for proper now. We’ll see. We’re going to get up (Wednesday) and see if we nonetheless prefer it,” he mentioned.
At this level, he may as effectively give it one other shot, what with the shortage of manufacturing. It might behoove them to create two scoring traces. He tried separating Pastrnak and Geekie first in LA and it at the very least produced a 2-1 OT win.
On Sunday in San Jose, Sturm tried it once more however, after being shut out via the primary 40 minutes, deserted it within the third interval, reuniting Geekie and Pastrnak and the pair mixed on a purpose after an pressing shift.
One can even moderately hope that Elias Lindholm will likely be a little bit higher as effectively. After lacking nearly a month with a knee harm, he was a hair behind the play in his return recreation in San Jose. In addition they might use extra information on Blumel, who’s pointless in three NHL video games this 12 months however had scored 70 targets in his final two seasons within the AHL with the Texas Stars.
Geekie has been a fantastic story for the B’s this 12 months, constructing off his 33-goal marketing campaign final 12 months to be among the many prime purpose scorers of the NHL this season. And Sturm sees extra room for development there.
“That’s the great half about him. There’s undoubtedly room (for extra),” mentioned Sturm. “Does he rating lots of targets already? Sure, however there’s nonetheless lots of stuff in his recreation, particularly within the O-zone the place he can discover a little bit extra the offensive facet of his recreation. That’s the great half for me as a coach as effectively. You see it and that’s a man who needs it, who needs to study.”
However the B’s might additionally use a little bit extra manufacturing from somebody not named Geekie, too.
Steeves checking in
Alex Steeves was moved to the fourth line left wing with Sean Kuraly and Eyssimont. Steeves has been a scorer on the AHL stage – he had 36 targets final season with the Toronto Marlies – however Sturm sees him extra as a bottom-six participant at this stage, one who can often bump up.
“He’s a man that I feel coaches belief. I do know he scored lots of targets up to now however I see him right here, if he needs to play on this lineup, as extra of a checker,” mentioned Sturm. “Meaning he’s doing the soiled work and I feel he’s been fairly good. I’ve additionally trusted him on the (penalty kill). We don’t have sufficient. He did a superb job leaping within the final two or three video games. On the finish of the day, that’s what retains him within the lineup, too. We’ve simply bought to grasp that.”
The 25-year-old Steeves, whose play little question performed an element in John Beecher turning into expendable, is effectively conscious that his ticket to common NHL responsibility is his versatility.
“It’s undoubtedly been a superb alternative that I’ve tried to take advantage of,” mentioned Steeves. “It’s been actually enjoyable being part of this workforce and play in several roles. I’m simply attempting to soak it in and develop day by day. There are highs and lows and I’m simply attempting to place my greatest foot ahead and actually get increasingly more comfy.”
Free pucks
Jeffrey Viel, who has been out since banging his head on the ice in a battle with Radko Gudas in Anaheim final Wednesday, was again on the ice on Tuesday in Elmont, N.Y. … The Islanders have received seven of 9 video games however, like everybody else, they’re banged up. Alexander Romanov is out for the remainder of the common season with a shoulder harm he suffered on a scary hit from Mikko Rantanen final week, whereas Jean-Gabriel Pageau is out with an higher physique harm.
