Shorthanded Bruins need more from Joonas Korpisalo in net

The percentages weren’t wanting good for Marco Sturm and the Bruins on Friday morning. 

A number of hours forward of a matinee matchup towards the Rangers, Sturm introduced that an already banged-up Bruins roster was going to trudge forward with out each David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha — each “each day” with accidents. 

“It’s very simple, as a result of we’ve finished it earlier than,” Sturm stated pregame of weathering the storm after these newest damage setbacks. “I simply instructed the group, I’m not nervous in any respect, as a result of I’ve finished it. We’ve finished it as a gaggle earlier than with a variety of guys out, and so long as we play with our construction, particularly with out the puck, we can be good.”

That optimism dissipated in brief order. Boston was dealt its most lopsided Black Friday loss since a 5-1 defeat through Carolina in 2006 — with the Rangers leaving the ice with a 6-2 victory at TD Backyard.

There have been few positives to attract from.

A shorthanded Bruins roster struggled to begin on time, and had been tormented by a number of turnovers and miscues that made life simpler on a quick-strike Rangers offense.

Penalty woes as soon as once more sprouted up for Boston, with a pricey double-minor infraction whistled towards Hampus Lindholm immediately main to 2 power-play tallies from Mika Zibanejad. 

However in what has been a recurring pattern this yr, a Bruins group working with a slim margin for error additionally wanted extra from its backup netminder Joonas Korpisalo. 

Regardless of a number of spectacular stops on one Blueshirts energy play, Korpisalo as soon as once more was knocked for a lopsided loss — giving up 5 targets on 35 Rangers photographs. 

After all, a few of that was a direct results of some important breakdowns in entrance of him on Friday afternoon.

However as Jeremy Swayman begins to re-assert himself as one of many prime younger netminders within the league, the Bruins are going to wish their backup possibility to begin discovering his groove in brief order. 

Following Friday’s loss, Korpisalo is now 4-6-0 on the season with an .875 save share. The underlying numbers haven’t been significantly better.

On the subject of targets saved above anticipated this season — a metric that elements in shot high quality and the saves made on these makes an attempt — Korpisalo at present ranks seventieth out of 76 certified goalies with a targets saved above anticipated fee of -4.9, per MoneyPuck.

For these retaining tabs, Swayman at present ranks first amongst all NHL netminders in targets saved above anticipated at 17.5 up to now this season. 

In different phrases, Swayman’s particular person play between the pipes has taken over 17 targets off the board for the opposition up to now this season, whereas opponents are scoring almost six extra targets than anticipated when Korpisalo has been out on the ice. 

Korpisalo has had his moments this season, reminiscent of his stellar OT efficiency in Boston’s home-opening win over the Blackhawks on Oct. 9. 

However as Swayman’s current rise (7-2-0, .935 save share in November) retains the Bruins afloat, Boston wants its backup to search out his sport in brief order.

Accidents or not, this present Bruins depth chart can’t reliably accrue factors with a .875 backup netminder.

 

Conor Ryan is a employees author overlaying the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Crimson Sox for Boston.com, a task he has held since 2023.