Here are three issues to watch in Game 4:
1. Top line has to be at high of its sport
The Bruins’ high line of Geekie, (*4*) and David Pastrnak have been far much less of a drive the previous two video games after Geekie (one objective, two assists) and Pastrnak Pastrnak (one objective, two assists) every had three factors and Geekie scored within the collection opener. Trailing within the collection, there’s no query Boston wants extra from that group, which features a participant (Pastrnak) who reached 100 factors (29 targets, 71 assists) within the common season.
“The best players have got to be the best players,” Sturm mentioned. “That’s simply the underside line. You all the time say that, however it’s true, particularly when it’s playoff time. It doesn’t have to be generally on the 5-on-5, however perhaps it’s on the facility play or perhaps one thing else. But these guys, it’s half of the enterprise — these guys have gotten to present up each evening.
“If they’re not, it’s going to get hard. That’s why we need those guys.”
The Bruins obtained an incredible effort in Game 3 from their fourth line of Tanner Jeannot (one objective), Sean Kuraly (plus-1 in 10:41) and Mark Kastelic (received 5 of 6 face-offs, plus-1 in 11:15), however Sturm was adamant that line can’t be their finest, particularly within the postseason.
2. Confidence is king
When the Sabres received Game 1 in a raucous KeyBank Center per week in the past, it was a brand new expertise for a lot of of the Sabres, an emotional excessive.
But now they know what they are often and have a greater concept of what wants to be finished to advance.
“I talked to the team, I said, ‘We’ve been a good road team. We’ve put together some really good stretches on the road where we’ve played really well,’” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff mentioned. (*3*)
The Sabres will want to achieve this once more if they need to depart Boston with two wins and put the Bruins on the ropes.
3. Changes afoot
Boston is making some modifications to its lineup.
Forward Lukas Reichel will substitute rookie James Hagens, and defenseman Jordan Harris might substitute Mason Lohrei.
“Lukas has something we don’t really have — that’s high-end skill and speed,” Sturm mentioned. “That’s what we’re hoping for from him. He has to dig deep, he has to compete, but those are things you can teach and we’re hoping to obviously get more on the forecheck and get some pucks back, and that’s why we feel good about him, and also on the power play.”
About Harris, Sturm was much less definitive Saturday. He mentioned, “We’ll see tomorrow. We have to make some decisions tomorrow, a few guys are banged up, so we’ll see.”
Neither Reichel nor Harris has any expertise within the playoffs.
Sturm mentioned, “James didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing. This kid is 19 years old, don’t forget.”
Hagens, the No. 7 decide within the 2025 NHL Draft, signed with the Bruins at the tip of his sophomore season at Boston College and performed two regular-season video games earlier than the playoffs. He has three pictures on objective in three video games in opposition to the Sabres.
