It’s not hard to figure out what the Bruins want to be in 2024-25.
With an offseason spending spree that saw the Bruins build an even bigger and more expensive defense corps, and have an even more expensive goaltending tandem than they did the year before, the Bruins were all in on building from the net out. Hell, include the club signing the best, high-end two-way center available in Elias Lindholm and that was a simple fact when it came to their vision for this season.
But wanting to be that and what the Bruins had actually put forth through their first 11 games of the season could not have been more different for Jim Montgomery’s squad. Especially after an 8-2 pounding courtesy of the Hurricanes on Halloween night. It was getting a little scary out there.
Like a pillowcase full of raisins on Halloween night scary, actually.
Third Star: Jeremy Swayman
Nov 3, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a save on a shot made by Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde (37) during the second period at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman had a pretty relaxing start to this night, all things considered.
Spotted a 2-0 lead early, and with the Bruins outshooting the Kraken by a 14-0 edge in the opening 15 minutes of the game, it was a whole lot of spectating out of the gate for Boston’s franchise goaltender. In fact, Swayman had to face just three shots through the opening 20 minutes of action, and had to make another seven saves in the middle stanza, giving him a solid 10-for-10 line. Light work. Dude could probably play some iPhone games in the blue.
But when the Kraken turned the heat up in the third period with 13 shots (and absolute chaos in front of the Boston net early and often), the 25-year-old Swayman remained strong and refused to break, and turned his first shutout win of the season by way of a 23-for-23 effort.
Having this kind of bounce-back performance after getting an early hook in Carolina — even if it was more about the team in front of him than Swayman himself — was absolutely key for both Swayman and the Bruins given the outside noise that’s surrounded both his game and the B’s team game through the first month of the campaign.
Second Star: Charlie Coyle
Nov 3, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle (13) reacts after scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
When it came to the struggles of Boston’s middle-six forward grouping, almost nobody was blameless. It was a largely punchless, ineffective start for that group. So much so that the Bruins actually, in theory, dropped Charlie Coyle out of it and into a fourth-line role Thursday vs. Carolina. Now, Coyle was not deployed as a fourth-line player in that game, but it did feel like a message sent to the 6-foot-3 two-way threat all the same.
On Sunday night, Coyle definitely answered, with an absolutely disgusting power-play goal to put the Bruins up by two and a strong all-around game that left his coach pleased with his performance.
I just think the last two nights, Coyle’s been moving his feet and when he moves his feet, he creates turnovers, he takes pucks to the net,” Montgomery said following the win. “Like that play in a penalty kill where he ended up on a partial breakaway. He went through two people, and it was like he had a silverback gorilla on his back, and he just kept going. That’s the effort and the kind of persistence that we want in our group.”
First Star: Charlie McAvoy
Nov 3, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde (37) takes a shot in front of Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) during the second period at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
Like many of his teammates, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy had some soul searching to do after the club’s most recent slide.
And for Boston’s top defenseman, it came back to a simple message: The crest on your chest is more important than anything else. Not producing offensively? Doesn’t matter. It’s about the team and doing whatever you can to help the team win that game. And for McAvoy, a focus on the latter often leads to individual results, as it did on Sunday night, with McAvoy absolutely turning in his best performance of the season in the victory.
After the game, Montgomery noted that it was the best that McAvoy’s looked all season. And it was definitely the best and most comfortable he’s looked offensively this year, with seven shots on goal and the quick-thinking that led to countless chances and opportunities for his club. For McAvoy, simply getting the puck towards the net has often best his best play, for both himself and his team.
In addition to the offensive contributions, McAvoy also had a late-game block that helped preserve Swayman’s shutout, and finished Sunday’s win with three blocks by the night’s end.
