Ryan Johnston Optimistic About Bruins’ Home Opener After Rocky Start

This morning on Toucher & Hardy, Bruins play-by-play announcer Ryan Johnston talked about the team's season opener against the Florida Panthers and the upcoming home game against the Canadiens. He pointed out that the loss to Florida mainly came down to a lack of chemistry, with so many new faces on the team. He also mentioned how the Panthers’ strong forechecking and physical play really got the better of the Bruins. Even though they gave up six goals, Johnston stressed that it wasn’t just the goalie’s fault—the defense struggled to clear rebounds and protect the crease. They also touched on the rough night for defensemen like Zadorov and Lohrei, but Johnston is confident they’ll improve as the season goes on. The segment wrapped up with some fun banter about hockey puns and the next game.

Season Opener Breakdown: Johnston called the Bruins’ loss to the Panthers an anomaly due to the high emotions in Florida’s building, noting Boston’s struggles with team chemistry and defensive positioning.

Goaltender Performance: Despite the 6-goal game, Johnston defended goaltender Korpisalo, attributing the blame to defensive breakdowns and failure to clear rebounds.

Bruins’ Defense Concerns: The Bruins' defense, while physically imposing, lacked mobility and failed to protect the net effectively, especially when handling Florida’s relentless forechecking.

Key Players' Struggles: Zadorov and Lohrei were among the defensemen who struggled, but Johnston believes both will improve as they adapt to the system and new team dynamics.

Home Opener Expectations: Johnston is optimistic about the Bruins' ability to bounce back in their home opener, expecting better team coordination and defensive adjustments.