Joonas Korpisalo shines in preseason win over Capitals
The backup goalie conversation may be over following Joonas Korpisalo’s latest outing.
Mar 1, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
If there's one thing that's clear, it's that the Bruins have certainly competed under first-year head coach Marco Sturm. But for all that compete, a sneaky-big problem for the Bruins in the 2025 preseason had been the fact that nobody on the bubble has really done anything to become undeniable.
That changed Thursday night in Washington, as Joonas Korpisalo may have very well slammed the door on a backup goaltender controversy by way of a stellar 33-of-34 victory over the Capitals down in DC.
And with this being a veteran-heavy Capitals group against pretty much the entire 'fringe' of the Black and Gold's camp, it was an even more impressive performance for Korpisalo than the box score would've indicated.
Per NaturalStatTrick.com, Korpisalo finished with an expected goals against of 4.13. He, of course, allowed just one goal. He also finished with saves on all but one of the 10 high-danger shots thrown his way by the Capitals, while the Capitals as a team generated 21 high-danger scoring chances in total.
It was as loud a statement as we've seen from any Bruins player this camp. Especially with Michael DiPietro, the reigning AHL goalie of the year and a player who would require waivers to be sent down to Providence if he does not make the team, still lurking about in B's camp as an option for the Bruins.
“We need [Korpisalo]," Sturm said following the victory. "If you look at the schedule, we need all the guys and especially our goalies, too. For sure, there won’t be one guy playing eight games in a row. That’s not going to happen. It is going to be both of them who have to carry us.”
It was always going to take something herculean for DiPietro to unseat the veteran Korpisalo as the backup to Jeremy Swayman, of course. And while it's possible that the Bruins decide to keep DiPietro and carry three goalies on their roster for the first time since 2021, Thursday was likely enough for Korpisalo to truly cement his status as the No. 2 goalie on the depth chart.
Elsewhere on the Boston roster, Brett Harrison made his preseason debut and finished with two goals, while Riley Tufte scored the other goal for the B's.
The Bruins will conclude their preseason on Saturday afternoon when they host the Rangers at TD Garden.
