The Boston Bruins face the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, looking to rebound from a 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Charlie McAvoy is out after facial surgery from a puck to the face against the Montreal Canadiens, leaving the team to rely heavily on Hampus Lindholm. Secondary scoring remains a concern despite strong play from David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie.
The Boston Bruins (12-10-0) enter their game against the Los Angeles Kings tied for second in the Atlantic Division, but recent struggles highlight vulnerabilities. The team has dropped three straight games after a seven-game win streak, with more than half of their victories coming by one goal. Injuries pose a major threat, particularly on defense, as the Bruins lack depth to handle absences of key players.
Charlie McAvoy, who had 14 points in 19 games with an average of 23:46 ice time, underwent facial surgery after taking a puck to the face last weekend against the Montreal Canadiens. No timetable has been provided for his return, and head coach Marco Sturm has kept details limited. Elias Lindholm is also sidelined, though he traveled with the team on their West Coast road trip. Hampus Lindholm, the other top defenseman, must now shoulder a heavier load, potentially playing 24 to 26 minutes per night. Last season, both Lindholm and McAvoy missed extended time, contributing to the Bruins' poor second-half performance.
The Bruins are 9-2-0 when both McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm are in the lineup, but just 3-8-0 without them. Secondary scoring is another worry; while Pastrnak and Geekie have carried the offense, the team has not won when an opponent scores more than three goals. Flashes from players like Marat Khusnutdinov offer hope, but the attack can appear slow and predictable without broader contributions.
For the Kings matchup, Jeremy Swayman will start in net, posting a 2.99 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 13 games. Tanner Jeannot returns to Los Angeles, where he played last season, and has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 22 games with Boston. Matěj Blümel, recalled from Providence with 13 AHL points in 13 games, joins the first line with Pavel Zacha and Pastrnak. Riley Tufte reenters the lineup on the fourth line.
The Kings, coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks, are led by Adrian Kempe's 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists). Kevin Fiala has nine goals, and Brandt Clarke leads defensemen with nine points. Marco Sturm, who spent seven years with the Kings organization, expressed appreciation for his time there ahead of the 10:30 p.m. ET puck drop.
