Daily Bean: Bruins Blow Lead, Penguins Finding Identity, Update on Oilers Goalie Room

The Boston Bruins (32-20-4) picked up a point at the 2026 NHL Stadium Series, but they wanted more. 

The Stadium Series was memorable for the wrong reasons. Although there was a goalie fight, there was also a four-goal lead that dissipated, starting with penalty troubles in the second period. The Lightning completed their first-ever four-goal comeback, and did so on one of the league’s biggest regular-season stages.

Surely, this morning’s flight home will have the same energy as the flight down to Tampa. 

It was a quieter Sunday across the NHL. Only three games filled the schedule. The Stadium Series stood alone at 6:30 PM, and two games sandwiched it in yesterday’s slate. All three home teams collected one-goal wins last night. 

All season long, we have heard about the Bruins’ identity and how they are finding their identity under new head coach Marco Sturm. Well, they’re not the only team doing that; the other one also wears black and gold and has a first-year head coach. Also, the Oilers are in the news on Sunday. First, because no team can figure out how to play them at three-on-three, and second, because there are a plethora of questions surrounding their goalie room. 

Happy Groundhog Day! Now, for the rest of today’s Daily Bean. 

Boston Bruins

The Bruins (32-20-4) took it outside and embraced the cold Florida weather yesterday. The sixth outdoor game in franchise history ended in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning (35-14-4). The Bruins held a four-goal lead, but that vanished due to penalty troubles. 

Charlie McAvoy said it perfectly: “That hurts, that hurts a lot. The way that we lost it is just brutal. We spent half of the game in the penalty box.”

Boston Bruins (video via 𝕏): Jeremy Swayman fights Andrei Vasilevskiy at the Stadium Series

In other Bruins news, Fraser Minten was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for January. The 21-year-old led the Bruins in goal scoring with eight, and he added six assists for 14 points. 

David Pastrnak was also named the league’s second star. He led the black and gold with 25 points (5-20–25) in January.

The two of them were not the only internal wins for the Bruins last month.

NHL News & National Hockey Now

TSN: Anthony Cirelli left the Stadium Series game early with an injury. After the game, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said that the injury is “kind of a stinger.” Cirelli took a hit from the B’s Mark Kastelic and did not return – he was ruled out in the third period. Cirelli is also a member of Team Canada at the upcoming Winter Olympics. 

Carolina Hockey Now: The Hurricanes returned to form yesterday in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The Hurricanes played a full 60-minute game and stuck to patience and their hard-nosed defensive play. Also, it was Anze Kopitar’s last game in Raleigh; the Hurricanes honored his storied career after the game. Rachel Barkley has more from the Canes’ win. 

Vegas Hockey Now: In the late window on Sunday night, the Golden Knights visited Anaheim. Bruce Cassidy’s team attempted a comeback, but a Ducks’ empty net goal with 67 seconds left in regulation put a halt to the Golden Knights’ effort. The Ducks complete a sweep of the season series. Hannah Kirkell has her three observations after the Vegas loss on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Bruins are not the only team that has worked to prove their identity this season. The same thing is happening with the other team that dons the black and gold. Gone are the days of the offensively dominant Penguins; they are a team that works on both ends of the ice, and everyone contributes, per Penguins coach Dan Muse. Dan Kingerski has the latest from the Penguins’ identity search.

San Jose Hockey Now: Nobody can figure out how to stop the Oilers, especially in overtime. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky rolled out a lineup with Alex Wennberg, Mario Ferraro, and Timothy Liljegren. They are not the only team to opt for two defensemen. Sheng Peng breaks down why it was the right move, even if the Sharks lost. 

Sportsnet: Uh oh. It was a move that the Oilers had to make, but the mid-season trade for Tristan Jarry is not even shaping up to be a lateral move. On Saturday, he was pulled for the first time with the Oilers after allowing “three questionable goals” to the Minnesota Wild. In his past five games, Jarry carries an .832 save percentage. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector has the latest out of Edmonton’s crease. 

TSN: So, that’s not all out of Edmonton’s goaltending room. The Oilers placed veteran backup Calvin Pickard on waivers. His last game was on January 8, but this season he has suited up for 16 games (5-6-2, 3.68 GAA, .871 SV%). Pickard helped get the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final last year, stepping in for a struggling Stuart Skinner in the playoffs before getting hurt. 

Connor Ingram has posted a 6-3-1 record this season with the Oilers. He carries a 2.55 GAA and a .901 SV%.