bruins vs devils is the focus Monday at 7 p. m. ET at Prudential Center as the Boston Bruins continue their road trip in New Jersey. Boston head coach Marco Sturm confirmed Joonas Korpisalo will start in net for the Bruins, with lineup adjustments rolling in ahead of puck drop. The matchup is the second of three regular-season meetings after Boston won 4-1 on Dec. 6 at TD Garden.
Korpisalo gets the start as Bruins open a back-to-back
Boston enters the night coming off a 3-2 shootout win against the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Monday’s contest begins a back-to-back set for the Bruins, who are scheduled to face the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
The game also comes with a clear warning from Sturm about what the Bruins are facing. He described the Devils as “a tricky situation, ” pointing to their recent run while stressing Boston’s priority to keep New Jersey off the scoreboard.
Bruins vs devils: Sturm reshuffles the forward group
Sturm made tweaks to the forward lines ahead of the matchup, moving Marat Khusnutdinov up to the first line alongside Fraser Minten and David Pastrnak. Morgan Geekie shifts to the third line with Elias Lindholm and Alex Steeves, with Steeves stepping in for Mikey Eyssimont. On the fourth line, Tanner Jeannot returns with Sean Kuraly and Mark Kastelic.
Sturm said the Khusnutdinov-Minten-Pastrnak trio has earned another look, calling it “the kids line. ” He said the group did “a good job” in the last game, but he felt “there was something missing” overall, leading him back to that combination.
Minten, a 21-year-old rookie, remains in a prominent role after centering the top line against Washington. He has 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) through 66 games, and Sturm pointed to confidence and two-way calm as key factors in Minten handling the responsibility.
Jokiharju returns on defense as competition ramps up
On the blue line, Henri Jokiharju is entering the Bruins lineup for the first time since Feb. 28. The 26-year-old defenseman is expected to slot on the third pair with Nikita Zadorov.
Sturm’s message for Jokiharju was direct: play fast, be strong defensively, and close quicker. He also framed the move as part of internal pressure across the roster, saying competition is pushing not only the forwards but the defense as well.
Immediate reactions from the bench
Sturm, speaking in New Jersey ahead of the game, emphasized the Devils’ scoring threats while focusing on execution on Boston’s side.
“It is always a tricky situation when a team like this, they’re not really happy, but they’re 5-2-0 in their last seven games, I think, so they have a lot of weapons, and they can score, ” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said. “We just have to make sure we do our job. We’ve got to keep them off the scoresheet. ”
On Minten’s growth in the role, Sturm added: “It’s the confidence, for sure. When you have that, I think it automatically gives you more boost… I think he’s just still growing, he’s still becoming a man. ”
What’s next after the final horn
Once bruins vs devils wraps up Monday night, Boston’s schedule offers no breathing room, with the Bruins set to turn immediately to Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. In the short term, the spotlight stays on how Korpisalo settles in early, whether the reshuffled “kids line” can create momentum, and what Jokiharju’s return looks like against a Devils team Sturm says has the weapons to strike if Boston slips.
