The San Jose Sharks, albeit floundering at the bottom of the sea in the Western Conference, are buoyed by Macklin Celebrini’s rookie pro season as well as Will Smith’s.
Both of these talented products of Hockey East’s Commonwealth Ave. rivalry play top six on a Sharks team that knows Stanley Cup contention is strictly a future endeavor. Today is another day in the beginning of their long runway to developing an NHL impact. Celebrini already makes a big one, to no surprise.
Rink Rap made up its mind about this kid when, during the front half of last season’s BC-BU home-and-home, some of BC’s larger bodies converged on Celebrini post-whistle to give the kid (then 17!) some friendly crosschecks from different directions all at once and he shrugged them off.
Sturdy is everything for the NHL’s youngest players. and Celebrini is that rare skater like Raymond Bourque, Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand … a fire hydrant on skates.
Bruins fans this season are especially sensitive to shiny new toys that only come with a complete bottoming out and the resulting draft picks. Their team is trying not to hang onto the past but is also confronting the reality that reinventing on the fly is navigated one season (2023-24) with high hopes and the next (2024-25) with lots of second guessers.
For Bruins coach Joe Sacco, it’s a results game, especially after squandering the lead on Saturday in Ottawa. Today’s experiment: Matt Poitras is centering the top line between Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle, and Elias Lindholm is on the third line centering Oliver Wahlstrom and Vinni Lettieri.
FIRST PERIOD
Celebrini was momentarily open in the slot after the Sharks used their speed to regain a possession, but when the puck went to the middle David Pastrnak shut him down.
The Bruins needed a few shifts to get their 5v5 game going, but once they did there were boucoup scoring chances, the closest when Morgan Geekie rifled a shot that hit the post. Pastrnak made the pass.
Vinni Lettieri broke through at 9:21, tipping Jordan Oesterle stick-inside shot from the right point to make it 1-0 Boston.
Old friend Barclay Goodrow tied the game at 13:16, beating Joonas Korpisalo from the slot, 1-1. The Mark Kastelic line (with Johnny Beecher and Justin Brazeau) that was out there for Goodrow’s goal (with Andrew Peeke and Nikita Zadorov on D) pushed back with a scoring chance at the other end but without result.
Bruins with a late surge, but Yaroslav Askarov held the fort.
Shots after one: 11-6 Boston.
SECOND PERIOD
David Pastrnak scores a go-ahead PPG at 7:02, caroming the puck off the 10-2 skates of defenseman Jake Wallman.
San Jose’s Will Smith gets it back from the right circle a minute and 50 seconds later. 2-2.
Codi Ceci to the penalty box, and nonstop pressure for the Bruins’ powerplay. However, the bad luck creeps in (Pastrnak stick break on the shot) and, after Marchand carries back in on the Sharks’ wholesale line change, the puck bounces for the visitors. Fabian Zetterlund is isolated on Korpisalo. Save but Zetterlund pots the rebound with 4:42 left in the second period.
[Note: The hockey world has suffered a huge loss with the passing of former minor-league player and NHL/WHA/AHL/ECHL coach Tom McVie at age 89. McVie played for 20 years, coached for 25 and continued to serve the Boston Bruins in various capacities. He was a joy to know, and his booming baritone will be missed.]
THIRD PERIOD
Tremendous shift for the Bruins extended on the line change, and Charlie Coyle’s game-tying goal 8:22 into the third is the culmination of pressure that began with Morgan Geekie peppering Askarov. The assists on Coyle’s go are from Marchand and Matt Poitras.
Marchand off for tripping (interference) Celebrini, and the Sharks go to the powerplay.
Mad scramble in front of the Boston net, but the Bruins survive it and get the kill.
Coyle pushes Boston in front with 5:50 remaining on a bank shot off Askarov, who was buying into the wraparound.
Down to 2:00 … Askarov to the San Jose bench.
Zadorov misses from outside the blue line, but the Bruins get it back and Marchand finishes with 1:15 left. 5-3 Boston.
Drive safely.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 