Bruins Game 40: Notes, Lines, and How to Watch vs. Flames

CALGARY, AB – The road trip continues for the Boston Bruins (20-18-1). Tonight, the Bruins are set for a date with the Calgary Flames (16-18-4), and are looking to snap their current five-game losing streak.

This is the first matchup between these two teams this year; the next and final meeting is the next Bruins home game on January 8. Last year, the Bruins went 2-0-0 against Calgary, including a 4-3 overtime win in their most recent trip to the Scotiabank Saddledome. Boston has gone 6-3-1 in their last ten games against Calgary.

Morgan Geekie has 50 goals in the calendar year, which leads the league. There are two more games for him to add to his goal totals before 2026 starts. However, the losing streak has left its mark; in the last five games, Geekie has three points.

After a sluggish start to the season, the Flames have played much better hockey as of late; they are 7-3-0 in their last ten games. Boston, on the other hand, has not played their best hockey – and the players know that. It is a matter of playing their game and getting back to their structure.

Bruins Morning Skate Notes

As was the case in practice on Sunday, David Pastrnak is expected to skate on the third line tonight. He has done so previously, notably picking up seven points (2-5–7) in two games earlier in December. 

“We just wanted to spread it out a little bit,” Marco Sturm said after the morning skate. “We relied a little bit too much on our big boys. [It] cost us a little bit of trouble last game, over the last little bit. Those lines we put together, they’ve played together before and had success.”

Jonathan Aspirot is a “game-time decision” to return to the lineup. He skated on the second pair with Hampus Lindholm during the morning skate. Aspirot has missed the last seven games due to a lower-body injury on December 11. Ahead of Saturday’s game, Marco Sturm said Aspirot’s status changed from “week-to-week” to “day-to-day.”

Before he signed with the Bruins over the summer, Aspirot was a member of the Flames organization from 2023-25. He played in 131 games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) and picked up 62 points; he never suited up for the Flames.

Tonight will be the first time that the Bruins see John Beecher in another uniform. After the Flames’ morning skate, head coach Ryan Huska said, “You always get a player’s best when they first play their former team. So we’re expecting his best game of the year tonight for sure.”

Expected Bruins Lines

Forwards

Alex Steeves – Elias Lindholm – Morgan Geekie

Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson

Marat Khusnutdinov – Fraser Minten – David Pastrnak

Mikey Eyssimont – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic

Defensemen

Nikita Zadorov – Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm – Jonathan Aspirot

Vladislav Kolyachonok – Andrew Peeke

Source: Belle Fraser (Boston Bruins)

Starting Goalie

Jeremy Swayman (14-10-1, 2.91 GAA, .901 SV%)

Source: Marco Sturm

Expected Flames Lines

Forwards

Jonathan Huberdeau – Morgan Frost – Matt Coronato

Yegor Sharangovich – Nazem Kadri – Joel Farabee

Connor Zary – Mikael Backlund – Blake Coleman

Ryan Lomberg – John Beecher – Adam Klapka

Defensemen

Kevin Bahl – Rasmus Andersson

Yan Kuznetsov – MacKenzie Weegar

Joel Hanley – Hunter Brzustewicz

Source: Ryan Pike (Flames Nation) *last game

Starting Goalie

Dustin Wolf (12-14-2, 2.96 GAA, .897 SV%)

Source: Pat Steinberg (Sportsnet 960)

Special Teams

The Bruins’ power play has been their strong suit this season; they are tied for fifth (25.2%). On the other end, the Bruins’ penalty kill is still in 19th (79.6%). Boston’s penalty kill went three-for-three on Saturday, which is the first time they have done that since December 6.

On the other end, the Calgary Flames have the league’s worst power play (13.3%). Their penalty kill sits slightly ahead of the Bruins; it is ranked 17th (80.2%).

Boston has drawn the most penalty minutes this season (528), and sitting right behind them is the Calgary Flames (519). However, Calgary has received the most misconducts (15) in the league, and another game misconduct, heightening their PIM number.

Season Series

Monday, December 29: Bruins @ Flames 

Thursday, January 8: Flames @ Bruins

Upcoming Schedule

Wednesday, December 31: Bruins @ Oilers

Saturday, January 3: Bruins @ Canucks

Tuesday, January 6: Bruins @ Kraken

Thursday, January 8: Flames @ Bruins

Saturday, January 10: Rangers @ Bruins

How to Watch

9:00 PM ET

TV: NESN

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub