Bruins beat Sharks 6-3 as Minten scores twice
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Fraser Minten scored twice and now leads Boston with four goals.
- Charlie McAvoy scored in his first game back from a six-game ban.
- Boston has now won three games in a row on the road.
The Boston Bruins beat the San Jose Sharks 6-3 on Tuesday night. The game took place at SAP Center in San Jose. Boston scored six goals from six scorers, with one man scoring twice.
That man was Fraser Minten. He is 22 years old. He scored two goals and now leads Boston with four goals this season.
The night also marked a big return. Charlie McAvoy played his first game of the season. He scored too.
Boston has now won three games in a row.
What happened
The Bruins started fast. Fraser Minten opened the scoring at 12:55 of the first period. Casey Mittelstadt set up the goal.
Minten took a quick shot from the slot. The slot is the prime scoring area in front of the net.
San Jose answered fast. Jacob Trouba tied the game at 1-1 at 15:29. His slap shot beat Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman. It was Trouba's first goal for the Sharks.
Then came the big moment. Charlie McAvoy put Boston back in front at 18:43. JJ Peterka set him up with a smart pass. McAvoy knocked the puck in from close range.
Boston led 2-1 after one period.
McAvoy had missed the first six games of the season. He served a six-game ban for slashing. The slash came against Zach Benson of Buffalo in last season's playoffs.
Tuesday was his first game back. He did not waste it.
The second period brought more swings. Ivar Stenberg tied the game at 2-2 at 5:48. It was his first goal in the NHL. The NHL is the top hockey league in North America.
Macklin Celebrini set up the goal on the power play. A power play means one team has an extra skater.
Boston then took charge. Matthew Poitras scored at 8:42 of the second period. He tapped in a loose puck near the net.
That made it 3-2 for Boston.
Pavel Zacha made it 4-2 with three seconds left in the period. Morgan Geekie set him up on a two-on-one rush. A two-on-one means two attackers face one defender.
Zacha fired a wrist shot past the goalie.
San Jose refused to quit. Celebrini scored on the power play at 5:04 of the third period. That cut the lead to 4-3. The Sharks had life again.
Minten ended the threat. He scored his second goal at 11:47 of the third period. It was a tip-in from close range.
Marat Khusnutdinov got the assist. That made it 5-3.
Will Borgen added an empty-net goal at 18:18. An empty net means the goalie is off the ice. Teams pull the goalie to add an extra attacker. Borgen scored into the open net.
The final score was 6-3.
Swayman was strong in goal for Boston. He stopped 35 of 38 shots. That gave him his third win in a row.
San Jose goalie Yaroslav Askarov made 20 saves.
Minten now has five points in two games. He had three points on Saturday. He added two goals on Tuesday.
Head coach Marco Sturm praised his smart play. Sturm said Minten is often in the right spot at the right time.
McAvoy played a big role too. He led all Boston skaters with 24:41 of ice time. That is a lot for a first game back.
He looked calm and in control.
Why it matters
This win shows that Boston can score in many ways. Six goals came from six players. Minten scored twice.
Five more players scored once. That depth is hard to stop.
Minten is the early story of the season for Boston. He is only 22. He already leads the team in goals. He plays a mature game.
His coach trusts him in big moments.
McAvoy's return matters even more. He is an alternate captain. He is one of Boston's best defenders.
His return makes the whole team stronger. He scored in his first game back. That is a fine sign.
The win also keeps Boston rolling on the road. The Bruins are on a West Coast trip. Road wins are hard to get.
Boston found a way again. Coach Sturm said good teams find ways to win on the road.
San Jose had its own bright spots. Celebrini scored a goal and set up one more. Stenberg scored his first NHL goal.
The Sharks kept pushing all night. They just could not hold Boston back.
Boston also answered every Sharks push. Each time San Jose tied the game, Boston scored again. That mental strength matters over a long season.
The NHL season has 82 games per team.
For more hockey, see our recap of the Blues rout of the Senators. It was another night with lots of goals. The Hurricanes also rallied past the Capitals in their game.
And in basketball, the Breakers edged the Kings 102-101 in a thriller.
What happens next
Boston keeps its road trip going. The Bruins visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. The game is at Honda Center.
Boston will try to win a fourth game in a row.
Minten will try to keep his hot streak going. He has scored in back-to-back games. Teams will now watch him more closely.
That is the price of scoring goals.
McAvoy will keep building his fitness. He missed six games. He still played more than 24 minutes on Tuesday.
His minutes may rise as he gets sharper.
San Jose will look to bounce back. The Sharks have now lost two games in a row. They have lost three of their last four.
Their young stars are still growing. Celebrini and Stenberg are both young players with bright futures.
The bigger test for Boston comes later. A hot start is good. But the season is long.
Boston must keep this level up for months. If Minten keeps scoring and McAvoy stays fit, Boston will be hard to beat.
The Bruins left San Jose with two points. Two points go to the winner of each game. Boston took them with goals, grit, and a star return.
The road trip goes on. The wins keep coming.
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