After a little bit of a sluggish begin in each ends for the Boston Bruins, followers had been hoping that their crew would give them a purpose to be extra optimistic on the finish of the second month of the season after ending October in 14th place. With a report of 4-6-1, so long as they didn’t keep stagnant or fall two spots to final place, it was a fairly protected assumption that followers can be pleased with any form of progress.
Associated: Boston Bruins’ 3 Stars of the Month: October
One month afterward Nov. 30, situations had improved, no less than within the standings. The Bruins sat in ninth place with a report of 11-11-3, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning for the coveted eighth spot within the Japanese Convention by only one level.
With two months gone within the 2024-25 NHL season, there are the three people who stand out as Most worthy from November for Boston and stand because the Bruins’ three stars for the earlier month.
*Disclaimer: this record is not going to embrace gamers from the earlier month*
Third Star – Joonas Korpisalo
By no means in my wildest desires did I feel I’d be placing a goaltender not named Jeremy Swayman on this record. Nonetheless, for a man who is taken into account to be the “backup” goalie for Boston, Joonas Korpisalo has put collectively considered one of heck of a season regardless of his enjoying time being restricted this season since being traded to the Bruins for Linus Ullmark.
Korpisalo has put collectively a 5-2-1 report by 9 video games (eight begins) and picked up a 2.45 goals-against-average (GAA), and .907 save proportion (SV%). Extra importantly for the Finnish netminder is that he has turned it round of late for the Bruins.
In November, Korpisalo solely performed 5 video games, however he made probably the most of his time on the ice. In these video games, he went 4-0-1 stopping 125 of 134 pictures, and choosing up two shutouts alongside the best way—one on the street in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers, and one at dwelling in opposition to the Utah Hockey Membership. He additionally made a season-high 34 saves in a matchup in opposition to the Calgary Flames, one other win for the 30-year-old from Pori, Finland.
Whereas he will be the backup to Swayman for now, he actually isn’t enjoying prefer it and doesn’t seem prepared to surrender his spot on the bench for any up-and-coming netminder anytime quickly.
Second Star – Joe Sacco
Following the firing of Jim Montgomery and fast alternative by affiliate coach Joe Sacco, followers had been not sure what to make of the choice by Don Sweeney and questioned if he must be checked out as the rationale all of it went awry. In truth, some noticed it as an indication that the crew had given up on the season, regardless of it being so early. As a substitute, Sacco instantly took the reins and has steered them away from the metaphorical mud pit in entrance of them and again heading in the right direction.
Now, whereas he’s solely the interim head coach and solely coached in 5 video games in November, he does deserve some credit score for main the Bruins to 3 victories in these 5 video games. Amongst these three victories was a powerful 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders, tying their largest win margin all season.
Probably the most notable half about Sacco’s first stretch of video games as interim head coach is that each losses the crew suffered had been by two objectives or fewer. Whereas any loss is often not excellent news for a crew, Boston can take some solace realizing that its objective differential was minus-19 on the finish of the month when it may have been a lot worse, particularly given its opponents on the finish of the month.
Sacco nonetheless has loads to show behind the bench however has given followers and gamers no less than a glimmer of hope.
First Star – Brad Marchand
After Brad Marchand gave followers a little bit of a scare to start out the season after revealing he underwent three surgical procedures within the offseason, he has proved that the surgical procedures had been only a minor hiccup he needed to overcome to start out the season as he racked 10 factors in November on six objectives and 4 assists in 14 video games. He additionally held a plus-4 plus-minus score.
What was most spectacular about Marchand’s play in November is that he had three totally different stretches of two consecutive video games or extra with no less than one level.
On this stretch of the street for the 36-year-old veteran, he additionally picked up his first multi-goal sport of the season. Marchand did so in a matchup on Nov. 27 on the street in opposition to the Islanders, a sport the place he tallied his sixth-lowest time-on-ice (TOI) whole for the season.
With Marchand within the closing yr of his contract in Boston, he’ll look to maintain his numbers up because the season goes on, particularly if he needs to steer by instance with the “C” on his sweater.
What’s Subsequent for the Bruins?
Whereas the Bruins handled their followers to a rousing 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens of their Centennial Sport on Sunday on the TD Backyard, they are going to look to provide Sacco his fifth win as interim coach versus one other Authentic Six foe within the Detroit Purple Wings on Tuesday evening at dwelling. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m.
