#boston-bruins

#boston-bruins

For the first time in his Bruins career, Joonas Korpisalo received the starting nod in back-to-back games earlier this week against the Islanders and Sabres. Marco Sturm's decision to alter Boston's goalie rotation came after a road bout on Monday where Jeremy Swayman and the Bruins were shredded by Ottawa, 7-2. While Boston's head coach downplayed discourse over Korpisalo's increased reps, the timing was worth noting after Swayman labored on the road in a lopsided loss.

Our top guys were not the top guys again.

We are about to discover a lot more about just who these Bruins are. The B's will begin a short but, likely, telling three-game road Thursday night in Las Vegas against a Golden Knights team that many see as poised to break the Edmonton Oilers' two-year run to the Stanley Cup Final. And if the Golden Knights can't do it, the B's opponent Saturday night, the Colorado Avalanche, have a good shot at it.

The B's had some brutal puck management issues to start the game that would contribute to a 2-0 deficit. Jake Guentzel created two turnovers that led to both goals. On the first one, the high-scoring winger picked Charlie McAvoy's pocket at the Boston blue line and the Bolts went on a quick counter-attack that resulted in an Anthony Cirelli tap-in off a Gage Goncalves pass just 1:09 into the game, Cirelli's first of two in the period.

The Bruins played their most dominant period of the season in the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Sabres 17-2 - it felt like it was even more lopsided - but they managed just a 1-0 lead. The goal came on their 14th shot of the period at 15:48 and for the second time in as many games, it was the second line that gave the B's the first lead of the game.

Nothing will hold as much weight over the Bruins and their fortunes this season than whether or not Jeremy Swayman can regain his form as one of the top young goalies in the league. If the Bruins are going to be a competitive squad under Sturm, they're going to need to be a gritty, grind-it-out club that pummels opponents on the forecheck, capitalizes on special teams - and relies on their goaltending to keep them afloat in what should be plenty of one-goal games.

Forwards Matej Blumel and Alex Steeves, defenseman Jonathan Aspirot, and goalie Michael DiPietro were placed on waivers. All four cleared waivers and will report to Providence. The Bruins also assigned Matt Poitras to Providence, with the young center exempt from the waiver wire. Boston had until 5 p.m. on Monday to get their roster down to 23 players, with the Bruins seemingly settling all business a day earlier.

The Bruins made their final cuts for the opening night roster on Sunday, getting down to the 23-man limit. There were some mild surprises and one feel-good story. Goalie Michael DiPietro, wings Alex Steeves and Matej Blumel and defenseman Jonathan Aspirot were placed on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to Providence while center Matt Poitras, who does not yet require waivers, was sent directly to Providence. Bubble players John Beecher, Marat Khusnutdinov and Jeffrey Viel all made the cut.

If the Bruins can replicate Saturday's dress rehearsal when the games start to count on Wednesday in Washington, they just might have a chance do something this season. In the final preseason game against the New York Rangers at TD Garden, the B's scored three times in the first two periods and then leaned on Jeremy Swayman (30 saves) to pick them up in the third to record the 4-1 victory.

There are still (positions to be filled), especially those guys today. It's a good chance and hopefully one of those guys will grab it because we still need one or two in our lineup. It doesn't matter if it's Saturday (the B's last preseason game at the Garden) or Game 1. There are jobs up for grabs and hopefully someone will step up," said Sturm.