Korpisalo sharp, Lindholm ends slump, and more: 3 reasons why Boston Bruins won 1-0 in shutout win over Utah Hockey Club

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Nov 22, 2024 04:18 GMT

The Boston Bruins notched a 1-0 shutout win over the Utah Hockey Club at the TD Garden on Thursday night in Joe Sacco's debut as head coach.

Elias Lindholm scored a power-play goal midway through the second period, ending a 17-game scoring slump and lifting the Bruins to the win. Meanwhile, Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves, earning his second shutout of the season.

Here's a look at three key factors that led to the Bruins’ shutout over Utah.

3 reasons why Boston Bruins shut out Utah Hockey Club

#1. The penalty kill got the job done

The Boston Bruins went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. In particular, the Bruins shut down a key power-play opportunity for Utah midway through the third.

Cole Koepke took a slashing penalty that could have tied the game for Utah. Instead, the Bruins held on to their lead, keeping the score 1-0. It’s worth noting that Mark Kastelic took two fighting majors on the night. One of those incidents occurred in the second period when Kastelic took an additional roughing penalty.

Fortunately for the Bruins, they killed off that penalty as well.

#2. The power play came through

The Bruins have been struggling offensively this season. On Thursday night, they managed just one goal, but it was enough to secure the win.

The B’s lone marker came with the man advantage. The Bruins showed strong puck movement, forcing the Utah defenders to skate in circles. The puck eventually reached Pastrnak, who made a shot-pass to Lindholm, who redirected it into the net.

The goal was critical, especially for a power play that went 1-for-7 on the night. Still, that one tally was enough to lift the Bruins past the Hockey Club.

#3. Joonas Korpisalo was sharp

Korpisalo was sharp against Utah. While he didn’t have to stand on his head to earn the shutout, he did his job.

The B’s played their usual stifling, tight-checking style, keeping the Utah Hockey Club under wraps all night. In the end, the Bruins outshot Utah 31-21.

The overall effort bodes well for the Boston Bruins in Sacco’s debut, as the team seemed much more willing to play hard to earn the two points. Moving forward, the B’s will aim to tighten up their defensive game, hoping the offense will follow.

The Bruins will get a breather on Friday before facing the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night in what could be a highly entertaining game.