Bruins Return To Boston For Home Opener After Successful Road Trip
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Bruins didn't play perfect hockey in their first three games of the season on the road, but they earned four out of a possible six points - not too shabby for a team that started last season 0-3, at home.
Bruins winger David Pastrnak, who has been superb with four goals and six points in his first three games of the season, echoed the team's anxiousness to get back to the TD Garden to start things off the right way in their home building.
"We're all excited to get to the home opener and we're happy we got four points out of six," said Pastrnak. "So we're all really excited to get back and see our fans and just can't wait to play in the Garden."
Head coach Claude Julien was happy with the competitiveness the Bruins showed in their first three games, despite missing Patrice Bergeron and playing with rookies Brandon Carlo and Rob O'Gara on defense while Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller remain shelved.
"We've got a lot of new faces in our lineup and I think it's probably not a bad way to start, on the road, to take some of the pressure away," Julien told Caryn Switaj of BostonBruins.com. "But, also, anytime you can come off a road trip with a winning record, it's a successful one."
Also returning home from out West are the New Jersey Devils, Thursday night's opponent in the home opener at the TD Garden. They are coming off a 2-1 road win over the Anaheim Ducks, but their record sits at 1-2 on the season after dropping their first two games to the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Devils goalie and Marblehead, Mass. native Cory Schneider is playing well to start the season with a 1.99 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in his first three games.
The Bruins hope to get Bergeron back for the season opener on Thursday and expect him back at Bruins practice at the Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday.
