Bruins-Ducks Game 8: DiPietro Starts as Boston Looks to Extend Win Streak
Michael DiPietro gets his second start as Boston takes a three-game win streak and a 17-5 scoring run into Anaheim.
Boston arrives in Anaheim with momentum, but the matchup brings two clear tests: a Ducks team that has beaten the Bruins five straight times and a special-teams unit that ranks among the league’s best. The Bruins have won three in a row by a combined 17-5, including a 6-3 victory in San Jose to open their four-game road trip. They’re 5-2-0 through seven games; Anaheim is 4-2-0.
Michael DiPietro will make his second start of the season for Boston, coach Marco Sturm confirmed in Anaheim. DiPietro’s listed record is 0-1-0, with a 3.11 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. Sturm said the club wanted to get him into a game after he had gone without playing for a while, and that the rotation made this a good opportunity during the trip.
“First of all, he didn’t play for a while, so [we] want to get him in as soon as possible,” Sturm said. “And I think the rotation kicked in, and even after this road trip, [we] thought today was the best time to put him in.”
The rest of Boston’s lines are expected to stay as they were at Thursday’s practice and in the previous game. That continuity has accompanied the Bruins’ current run. The defense pairings came together Monday, when Charlie McAvoy returned, while the forward groups have remained intact since the streak began.
McAvoy’s return adds a needed element
McAvoy made an immediate impact in his first game back, scoring a goal and leading Boston in ice time. He also took shifts on both the power play and penalty kill, giving the Bruins a high-use option in every situation. Sturm had pointed to blue-line offense as something the team had been missing, calling it “a piece that was a little bit missing in the past.”
That contribution will be worth watching against an Anaheim club with dangerous special teams. The Ducks’ power play is converting at 33.3 percent, tied for second, and their penalty kill sits at 90.5 percent, fourth. Boston’s corresponding figures are 16.7 percent on the power play, tied for 20th, and 76.0 percent on the penalty kill, 23rd. Those numbers make special teams a meaningful part of the matchup, particularly if the game stays close.
Sturm said Boston needs to keep the contest at five-on-five and win the special-teams battle. He described Anaheim as skilled, with young players in its lineup, and said the Ducks are difficult to play against. He also acknowledged that Anaheim has several players hurt, without identifying them in the source account.
A matchup with recent history
Anaheim has won the last five meetings between the clubs. Boston’s most recent win over the Ducks came at Honda Center on Oct. 22, 2023. Anaheim took the rematch four days later in Boston, winning 4-3 in overtime and beginning its current run in the series.
Hampus Lindholm knows the building and the opponent well. He spent the first nine seasons of his NHL career in Anaheim before Boston acquired him in a March 2022 trade. Lindholm said this is the first time he has had a chance to spend a little time back in his former home, but his focus is on the result. “But I’m here to work. I’m here to get two points.”
Boston assistant coach Matt McIlvane also has a connection to Anaheim’s group. Before joining the Bruins this summer, he coached the San Diego Gulls from 2023-26. Nine players in the Ducks’ expected lineup spent time playing for McIlvane in San Diego, giving him familiarity with a substantial part of the opposition.
Expected lineups and goaltenders
Bruins forwards
Morgan Geekie – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak
Marat Khusnutdinov – Fraser Minten – JJ Peterka
Casey Mittelstadt – Elias Lindholm – James Hagens
Tanner Jeannot – Matt Poitras – Mark Kastelic
Bruins defense
Hampus Lindholm – Charlie McAvoy
Frederic Brunet – Mason Lohrei
Starting goalie: Michael DiPietro (0-1-0, 3.11 GAA, .897 SV%). The start was confirmed by Adam Pellerin of NESN. Line information was reported by Belle Fraser.
Ducks forwards
Alex Killorn – Leo Carlsson – Nikita Klepov
Nikita Nesterenko – Cutter Gauthier – Beckett Sennecke
Frank Vatrano – Roger McQueen – Judd Caulfield
AJ Greer – Tim Washe – Jeff Malott
Ducks defense
Jackson Lacombe – Noah Warren
Pavel Mintyukov – Tristan Luneau
Tyson Hinds – Drew Helleson
Starting goalie: Lukas Dostal (3-2-0, 2.98 GAA, .892 SV%), confirmed by Derek Lee of THN. Ducks lineup information came from Zach Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune.
Game details and schedule
Boston and Anaheim meet Friday, Oct. 16, at Honda Center, with puck drop set for 10 p.m. The game will air on NESN, with radio coverage on 98.5 The Sports Hub. The clubs are scheduled to meet again Monday, Feb. 15, in Boston at 2 p.m.
The Bruins continue their road trip Saturday, Oct. 17, at Los Angeles (9 p.m.), then visit Dallas Tuesday, Oct. 20 (8 p.m.). They return home to face Nashville Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. and San Jose Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m., before visiting Carolina Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 8 p.m.
Sturm sees a difference in the group from this point last season, when Boston won its first three games and then lost six straight. The Bruins have five wins in their first seven this year. He credited greater comfort and experience for how he feels about the team, saying he’s enjoying each day more and focusing less on the grind. The immediate measure in Anaheim is whether Boston can keep its pace while handling the Ducks’ special teams.
