Talking Points: McLaughlin, Beecher Lead Way; Bruins Beat Flyers 4-0

BOSTON – The Boston Bruins improved to 2-1 in the 2022-23 postseason with a 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Bruins rookie forwards Marc McLaughlin and Johnny Beecher each had two goals in the win and goalie Linus Ullmark earned the shutout with a 21-save performance.

GOLD STAR: Marc McLaughlin has become one of a series of forwards on the roster bubble that continue to make the roster decisions tough on Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, his staff and the team brass. After lighting the lamp three times in his first 11 NHL games last season, McLaughlin has continued to impress in training camp and the preseason. The former Boston College forward gave the Boston Bruins a 1-0 lead on the powerplay 7:09 into the second period and then made it 2-0 Bruins 11:55 into the third period.

Marc McLaughlin with the tip from Jack Ahcan and Pavel Zacha pic.twitter.com/t7UHvTtnh4

— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) October 1, 2022

BLACK EYE: Boston Bruins winger Fabian Lysell was originally slated to be sitting up top in the press box Saturday but head coach Jim Montgomery decided to go with the Swedish rookie winger and rest superstar winger David Pastrnak. Montgomery felt Lysell had earned another shot to skate in the top 6 forward group before making a decision on his fate for the 2022-23 regular season. Lysell was the recipient of a devastating back reverse check from Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen 3:02 into the second period and left the ice hunched over in pain. Lysell would not return but following the game, Montgomery told the media that it was a ‘minor’ injury that would only keep Lysell out ‘for a day or two’. The same goes for winger Taylor Hall who also left the game early.

Ristolainen crunches Lysell into the boards. Lysell goes to the locker room pic.twitter.com/9RJTahgUzZ

— Nasty Knuckles (@NastyKnuckles) October 1, 2022

TURNING POINT: Ironically, the hit on Lysell 3:02 into the middle frame seemed to wake the Boston Bruins up. After the Lysell hit, the Bruins clearly had more energy and purpose.  McLaughlin would get his first goal of the game just 4:07 later on the powerplay and the Bruins were on their way, scoring the next three consecutive goals.

HONORABLE MENTION: Johnny Beecher continues to make a case for a roster spot. The former University of Michigan forward lit the lamp twice on Saturday. Beecher made it 3-0 Bruins 15:23 into the final frame and then sealed the deal with a shorthanded empty-netter 1:48 later.

John Beecher makes it 3-0 #NHLBruins with a redirect of Derek Forbort’s shot from the point @ 15:23. 1st NHL goal for Beecher. pic.twitter.com/ElL6Qjugui

— PuckingOff™ (Jason Scales) (@PuckingOff) October 1, 2022

Linus Ullmark should also get some love here as he kept the Boston Bruins in the game in the first period, when they were flat and seemingly skating in quicksand. Ullmark stopped all eight Flyers shots he faced in the opening frame.

BY THE NUMBERS: Tale of the Tape: Nick Wolff (6-foot-5, 223 pounds) vs Zack MacEwen (6-foot-3, 205 pounds)

We have a scrum on the ice! Nick Wolff and Zack MacEwen drop the gloves. #NHLBruins • @BeyondtheMnstr

pic.twitter.com/HTCIn7egf6

— Short Handed Takes: Bruins 🅿️odcast 🎙 (@ShortHandedTks) October 1, 2022

QUOTE TO NOTE: “He had a real impactful game. It’s great; we have a lot of good depth up front, and on the backend. So, decisions are getting tougher and tougher and that’s what us as coaches and management, we’re looking to see.” – Montgomery on McLaughlin and other players making it tough for the Bruins to cut them.