The Boston Bruins are looking to keep things rolling against the New York Islanders tomorrow night. Boston's won three straight, and four of their last five games.
So, for those of you prone to whiplash, that's all this season's had through one month.
The Bruins began 3-0-0, then lost six straight in regulation, and have since gone 4-1-0, with a current three-game win streak to boot.
Hampus Lindholm's injury plays a massive role. Without Lindholm, Boston is 2-6-0. With him in the lineup, Boston's gone 5-1-0.
It's hard to fathom one player playing that big of a role, but it's exactly what Lindholm's done to this point. The stability he brings to Boston's defense becomes glaringly obvious when he's absent.
Elias Lindholm, meanwhile, exited last Thursday's game against Buffalo with an injury and did not return. Bruins' Head Coach Marco Sturm revealed he underwent an MRI, but did not reveal a timetable, but indicated it would at least be a few weeks.
Without Elias Lindholm, Boston shifted Marat Khusnutdinov to the top-line center, keeping the middle six the same as it's been all season, and reintroducing John Beecher to the lineup.. The result?
Boston's best win of the season came on Saturday afternoon against the Carolina Hurricanes.
A thoroughly dominant display, where they all-but ran the Hurricanes off the rink at TD Garden.
Armed with that momentum, Boston heads down to Long Island, where the Islanders await. New York had one of the craziest comebacks you'll ever see last night, scoring twice in the final 70 seconds to turn a regulation loss into a regulation win.
It's the same team Boston ran off the rink in TD Garden last week, blowing away the Islanders after a slow start.
Boston won't look too much different, just a team without Elias Lindholm, like the one on Saturday. This morning at practice, only one slight change. The Bruins shifted Mark Kastelic to the third line, as a result of his continued to strong play.
Mikey Eyssimont shifted down the fourth line.
Here's what it'll look like tomorrow, with a starting goaltender not yet decided:
Forwards:
Morgan Geekie - Marat Khusnutdinov - David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson
Tanner Jeannot - Fraser Minten - Mark Kastelic
John Beecher - Sean Kuraly - Mikey Eyssimont
Scratch: Jeffrey Viel
Injured: Elias Lindholm
Defense:
Nikita Zadorov - Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm - Andrew Peeke
Jonathan Aspirot - Henri Jokiharju
Scratch: Mason Lohrei
Goalies:
Jeremy Swayman/Joonas Korpisalo