Need to Know: Bruins at Mammoth

Korpisalo will start in net for Boston on Sunday in Utah

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By Belle Fraser / BostonBruins.com
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SALT LAKE CITY –– The Boston Bruins close out their three-game road trip with a matchup against the Utah Mammoth on Sunday at the Delta Center.

The B’s are looking to turn things around after falling 4-1 to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday at Ball Arena.

“It is between your ears – that is what it is. It is a quick turnaround,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “[The Mammoth] have been pretty solid. They have a lot of young talent, they come out hard, and we just have to be ready for that.”​

Sturm made some adjustments to his forward lines to try to find a spark ahead of the 7 p.m. ET puck drop.

The first line of Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak is back together. Pavel Zacha is shifting over to center the second line between Marat Khusnutdinov and Viktor Arvidsson. Tanner Jeannot, Fraser Minten and Mikey Eyssimont are reunited on the third line, and the fourth line of Johnny Beecher, Sean Kuraly and Mark Kastelic will remain the same.

Casey Mittelstadt draws out of the lineup as Khusnutidov enters.

“I think today is a speed game. That is why a guy like [Khusnutdinov] is in,” Sturm said. “What I want to see is a response today. We are better than that. It is a work in [progress], though. A lot of moving pieces, new coach, new system. I get all that. We just have to find a way to buy in as quick as possible.”

Sturm speaks with the media ahead of matchup @UTA on Sunday

Wait, There’s More

  • Khusnutdinov is slotted into the lineup for the first time this road trip. The 23-year-old forward is expected to be on the second line with Zacha and Arvidsson. Khusnutdinov was traded to Boston from Minnesota in March and had five points (three goals, two assists) through 18 games with the Bruins last season.
  • Joonas Korpisalo gets the start in net for Boston. The goaltender last played on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning and made 21 saves. Korpisalo has a 3.50 goals against average and .851 save percentage in two games thus far. Jeremy Swayman started last game against the Colorado Avalanche and had 34 stops.
  • Jordan Harris returns to the lineup on the second pair with Andrew Peeke. The defenseman is filling Hampus Lindholm’s spot. Lindholm played on Saturday after missing three games with a lower-body injury. Sturm said the team “just wants to be careful” using Lindholm on a back-to-back. “We need him in the long run, so didn't really want to risk anything,” Sturm said.

Opposing View

  • The Mammoth are coming off a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Friday. Nick Schmaltz had a hat trick, and Liam O’Brien, Michael Carcone and Clayton Keller also scored in the victory. Karel Vejmelka – Utah’s regular starter – made 18 saves.
  • Dmitri Simashev is skating in his rookie season with the Mammoth. The defenseman is on the first pair with Mikhail Sergachev. Utah is missing Sean Durzi from their backend, who is out for three to four weeks with an upper-body injury.
  • The Mammoth are led by captain Keller, who is on the first line with Barrett Hayton and Schmaltz. The forward has five points (one goal, four assists) through five games, ranked second-most on the team. Keller and Charlie McAvoy were teammates at Boston University during the 2016-17 season before turning pro.

Sunday’s Projected Lineup

FORWARDS

Morgan Geekie - Elias Lindholm - David Pastrnak

Marat Khusnutdinov - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson

Tanner Jeannot - Fraser Minten - Mikey Eyssimont

Johnny Beecher - Sean Kuraly - Mark Kastelic

DEFENSEMEN

Mason Lohrei - Charlie McAvoy

Jordan Harris - Andrew Peeke

Nikita Zadorov - Henri Jokiharju

GOALIES

Joonas Korpisalo

Jeremy Swayman

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