Boston Bruins
“I’m simply glad I didn’t screw it up.”
Michael DiPietro was fast with a retort on Thursday when requested if he thought Bruins beginning goalie Joonas Korpisalo was going to return to Boston’s dwelling recreation towards Columbus.
“He higher,” the 26-year-old goalie mentioned with fun after Boston’s eventual 4-2 win.
In any case, Korpisalo’s transient harm scare towards the Blue Jackets seemingly threw Boston’s whole goalie grouping out of kinds within the membership’s first regular-season recreation in over three weeks.
Marco Sturm had each of his traditional beginning goalies obtainable on Thursday in Jeremy Swayman and Korpisalo. However Boston’s head coach opted to provide Swayman — recent off of celebrating an Olympic gold medal with Staff USA — just a few extra days to follow earlier than getting a begin.
As such, Korpisalo bought the nod towards Columbus. DiPietro — an emergency recall from the Windfall Bruins who had skated a number of instances with Boston throughout the Olympic break — was available because the backup.
“Simply give him one other good follow,” Strum mentioned of retaining Swayman off the ice Thursday. “[Wednesday] was probably not a follow. He simply went out and was pleased to be on the rink. As we speak can be an excellent follow and [Friday] can be an excellent follow. And it’s a day recreation [Saturday vs. Philadelphia], so there’s much more to it and we simply wish to ensure that we do the best factor.”
Sturm’s augmented goalie duo was ultimately examined slightly over six minutes into the second interval, with Blue Jackets winger Miles Wooden barreling over Korpisalo within the crease. The 31-year-old goalie appeared shaken on the play, with Wooden whistled for goaltender interference.
Shortly earlier than play resumed, Korpisalo was pulled from the sport by the concussion spotter.
“It’s league protocol. It’s a reasonably large bump,” Korpisalo mentioned of getting taken from the sport. “So I can perceive that.”
For the primary time since 2022, DiPietro was again in an NHL web — pressed into service as Boston went on the person benefit.
DiPietro had little time to heat up, with Bruins ahead Mikey Eyssimont doing his half by firing just a few pucks in towards him earlier than play resumed.
“Simply respiration,” DiPietro mentioned of his strategy after going into the sport. “Dialing it again in and simply taking it one puck at a time and simply all the time being prepared.”
In the end, DiPietro was solely wanted for six:03 of ice time — stopping two photographs earlier than Korpisalo returned to the ice. Throughout that stretch, DiPietro negated one shorthanded likelihood by Columbus, whereas Morgan Geekie ultimately gave Boston a 2-1 lead with a power-play tally.
“I’m simply glad I didn’t screw it up,” DiPietro mentioned. “Made a pair saves and held it down till Korpi was prepared to return in.”
Whereas DiPietro stood tall in his restricted reps, Korpisalo locked issues down the remainder of the best way — stopping 36 of the 38 photographs that got here his manner within the win.
Sturm had loads of reward for Korpisalo, who has posted a .923 save share over his final eight video games.
However he additionally provided up a stick faucet for DiPietro — who was named AHL Goalie of the 12 months in 2024-25 with Windfall.
Whereas the promising goalie awaits his subsequent alternative for NHL reps, he has continued to dominate with the P-Bruins, going 22-6-0 to date this season towards AHL competitors with a .938 save share.
“Korpi was unbelievable right this moment,” Sturm mentioned. “Glad he got here again instantly, from the Olympics. Didn’t waste any time. Wished to be in follow. I believed that the final two days had been crucial for him, simply to be again on the ice and having an actual follow once more. And, yeah he was nice. And Mikey, what a narrative. … Good for Mikey.
“I imply, this man has been rock-solid all alongside. And imagine it or not, that little stretch, he made some key saves. We felt excellent about it. Each goalies had been excellent.”
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