BOSTON BRUINS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME
- The Bruins visit the Penguins tonight in the 1st of 3 games between these teams this season and the 1st of 2 Bruins visits to Pittsburgh this season.
- They are 8-1-0 this season and are 2-1-0 on the road so far … They are 3-1-0 vs. Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Bruins play game 2 of a 4-game road trip tonight in Pittsburgh (1-0-0), continuing at NY Rangers on 11/3 and Toronto on 11/5.
RECENT GAMES:
- The Bruins have won their last 5 games with a 2-1 shootout win vs. Anaheim on 10/20, 4-3/OT victory vs. Minnesota on 10/22, 3-1 win vs. Dallas on 10/25, 5-1 victory vs Detroit on 10/27 and a 4-0 win in Columbus on 10/28 … That followed a season-opening 3-0-0 start and their lone loss a 7-5 setback in Ottawa on 10/18.
- The Bruins’ start of 16 points on an 8-1-0 record is the best record through 9 games in club history, besting a 15-point start twice previously (last 7-1-1 in 1992-93) … Their 39 goals scored in that span, their best 9-game total since 1992-93 with 49 scored through that stretch.
- Boston 3 vs Dallas 1 … David Pastrnak had a PPG+A, Taylor Hall had the GWG and Patrice Bergeron added the ENG … Hampus Lindholm, Matt Grzelcyk and David Krejci added single assists … Linus Ullmark extended his season-opening win streak to 5 games … SOG: Bos 29, Dal 31 … PP: 1/4 … PK: 0/3
- Boston 5 vs Detroit 1 … Brad Marchand returned to the lineup for his 1st game of the season with 2-1=3 totals with multiple-point efforts also from David Pastrnak (GAA) and 2A each from Hampus Lindholm and Derek Forbort … Craig Smith and Charlie Coyle scored single goals each … Jeremy Swayman notched his 2nd win of his season … SOG: Bos 32, Det 29 … PP: 3/6 … PK: 0/5
- Boston 4 at Columbus 0 … Linus Ullmark recorded his 5th career shutout with 30 svs and David Pastrnak had 1-1=2 totals … Matt Grzelcyk (GW), Charlie Coyle (SH) and Jake DeBrusk had single goals with single assists by Pavel Zacha and Patrice Bergeron … SOG: Bos 35, Cmb 30 … PP: 0/2 … PK: 0/3
INJURIES (Total man-games lost in 2022-23: 6)
- David Krejci – upper body
- Charlie McAvoy – off-season left shoulder arthroscopic stabilization procedure, IR
BOSTON vs COLUMBUS, LIFETIME SERIES
- The Bruins and Blue Jackets are meeting for the 36th time in their histories with the Bruins having a 21-9-5 record and 119-94 scoring advantage in those games.
- The Bruins are 11-5-3 lifetime in Columbus with a 67-55 scoring edge in those 19 contests.
NUMBERS
3: Straight deciding goals Taylor Hall from 10/20-25/2022 – deciding shootout goal vs. Anaheim on 10/20, OT goal vs. Minnesota on 10/22 and GWG vs. Dallas on 10/25.
3: Player on the current roster new to the Bruins organization this season – A.J. Greer (free agent), Anton Stralman (free agent), Pavel Zacha (trade).
4: Points by David Pastrnak (1-3=4 totals) on 10/12/2022 in Washington in the 2022-23 season opener … That is the most points in a Boston opener since Brad Marchand (2-3=5) and Pastrnak (2-2=4) in 10/13/2016.
6: Straight home wins to open this season … That ties the 2nd-longest in club history with the 1976-77 and 1985-86 seasons (8-1983-84).
9: Players on the Bruins current roster who played college hockey – Connor Clifton, Charlie Coyle, Derek Forbort, Trent Frederic, AJ Greer, Matt Grzelcyk, Charlie McAvoy, Craig Smith and Jeremy Swayman.
10: Former first round draft picks on the current roster – Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk, Derek Forbert, Trent Frederic, Taylor Hall, Hampus Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha and Jakub Zboril
16: Points by Boston (8-1-0) through their 1st 9 games … That is the best start in their history, besting a 15-point start twice previously (last 7-1-1 in 1992-93).
19: Consecutive wins by Boston over Arizona after their 6-3 win on 10/15/2022 … That are the most wins by one opponent in club history.
39: Goals scored in Boston’s 1st 9 games of this season, which is their best 9-game total since 1992-93 with 49 scored.
86: Anton Stralman has changed his number to 86.
380-25-20: Boston’s record since 2011-12 in games in which they have had a 2-goal lead in a game … That extends to 249-2-6 over that span when they have led by 3 goals
543: Consecutive Bruins games (regular season & playoffs) currently sold out at TD Garden … Their last non-sellout game was on 12/2/2009 when a Wednesday game vs. TB drew 16,553
FUN FACTS
- The Bruins currently have 23 players on their roster, including 1 on injured reserve … 11 were drafted by the team, 4 were acquired in trade and 8 were signed as free agents.
- The Bruins play 16 matinees this season (local start time 4:00 pm or earlier) … They have a 1-0-0 record in afternoon games so far.
- The Bruins play 14 sets of back-to-back games this season … They are currently 2-0-0 in the 1st game of those sets and are 1-1-0 in the 2nd games so far.
- The Bruins are opening a 13-game November schedule tonight (7 hm/6 rd, 0-0-0) … They will play 14 games in December (8 hm/6 rd), 14 in January (5 hm/9 rd), 10 in February (3 hm/7 rd), 15 in March (9 hm/6 rd) and 7 in April (3 hm/4 rd) … They went 8-1-0 in October.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Oct. 25: Jakub Lauko assigned to Providence/AHL.
Oct. 27: Mike Reilly assigned to Providence/AHL.
Oct. 27: Michael DiPietro and rights to Jonathan Myrenberg acquired from Vancouver Canucks for Jack Studnicka.
Oct. 28: Jakub Lauko recalled from Providence/AHL.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS NOTES:
LAST 2 GAMES
Oct. 29: Seattle 3, Pittsburgh 1 – Climate Pledge Arena
PIT Goals: Guentzel
Multiple Points: None
Goalie: DeSmith (27 saves/29 shots)
Key Stats: Jake Guentzel scored in his return to the Pittsburgh lineup, giving him four goals in five games this season.
PP: 0-2
PK: 2-2
Oct. 28: Vancouver 5, Pittsburgh 1 – Rogers Arena
PIT Goals: Rakell (PP)
Multiple Points: None
Goalie: Jarry (24 saves/28 shots)
Key Stats: Rickard Rakell scored his fourth goal of the season, tying Evgeni Malkin (4) and Sidney Crosby (4) for the team lead.
PP: 1-4
PK: 2-4
INJURIES
Position Player Status Consecutive Games Missed Total Games Missed
F Teddy Blueger Upper-Body 9 9
2022-23 Total Regular-Season Man-Games Lost: 15
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Date Transaction
Oct. 31 F Drew O’Connor recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). F Drake Caggiula re-assigned to WBS.
Pittsburgh’s All-Time Record vs. Bruins: 78-115-28
In Pittsburgh: 50-43-18
In Boston: 28-72-10
OT Record vs. Boston: 12-6-2
Shootout Record vs. Boston: 2-2
2021-22 Results: Pittsburgh went 2-1-0.
Penguins All-Time Point Leaders vs. BRUINS:
Mario Lemieux: 43 GP, 73 PTS (31G-42A)
Sidney Crosby: 53 GP, 66 PTS (17G-49A)
Jaromir Jagr: 44 GP, 63 PTS (26G-37A)
TONIGHT’S GAME
-The Penguins return home to PPG Paints Arena to play the Boston Bruins after a five-game road trip (TV: ESPN, ESPN+, TVAS; Radio: 105.9 The X).
-Last year, the Penguins went 2-1-0 versus the Bruins. They shut out Boston, 4-0, in their only home game versus them on Oct. 21, 2022.
-In the last 11 home games versus the Bruins, dating back to Dec. 14, 2016, the Penguins are 9-2-0, outscoring them 39 to 23. In those 11 games, the Penguins are 90% on the penalty kill, only allowing three goals on 30 opportunities.
-Last season, Jake Guentzel led the team in points (5) against Boston, recording (3G-2A) and a plus-4 in three games played.
QUICK HITS
1) Sidney Crosby has 66 points (17G-49A) in 53 career games against the Bruins, which includes 26 points (6G-20A) over his last 23 contests. No active player in the NHL has more points against Boston than Crosby (Alex Ovechkin, 57 points vs. BOS).
2) Rickard Rakell has 13 points (6G-7A) in 13 games played against the Bruins, which includes four multi-point efforts.
3) Pittsburgh has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of its last nine games against Boston.
4) The Penguins were successful on both challenges they initiated Saturday night in Seattle. Including the postseason, Pittsburgh has been successful on its last 11 coach’s challenges dating back to the 2020-21 campaign.
5) Danton Heinen has faced off against the Boston Bruins three times in his career (3G) after spending the three-plus seasons with them from 2016-20.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Penguins have been nearly perfect at PPG Paints Arena this season. In three home games, Pittsburgh is 3-0-0, outscoring their opponents by an 18-5 margin. It’s just the third time in the last 27 years that the Penguins have started 3-0-0 at home along with the 2020-21 and 2013-14 seasons. The team’s plus-13 goal differential at home is best in the league, and the Penguins are one of two teams along with the Boston Bruins without a loss of any kind at home this season.
Below is a look at Pittsburgh’s home ranks this season:
Category Rank
Wins (3) T-7th
Losses (0) T-1st
Points% (1.000) T-1st
GF/GM (6.00) 1st
GA/GM (1.67) T-2nd
PP% (38.5%) 4th
Shots/GM (44) 1st
Dating back to last season, Pittsburgh has won four straight and seven of its last eight games on home ice. Among players that have played at least two home games, Sidney Crosby’s 2.33 points-per-game average at home (3GP, 2G-5A) is tied with Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen (3GP, 2G-5A; 2.33 PTS/GM) for best in the NHL.
AMERICAN SNIPER
Jake Guentzel scored in his return to the lineup on Saturday night after missing the previous four games due to injury. Guentzel’s goal, his fourth in five games this year, ties him with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell for the team lead. Among all NHL players that have played five or more games this season, Guentzel’s 0.80 goals-per-game average ranks fourth.
Guentzel has 10 goals and 16 points (10G-6A) in 20 career games against the Boston Bruins, with seven of those goals coming in nine career home games against them (7G-2A). He netted his fifth career hat trick against them last season on Apr. 21, 2022 (3G).
