Need to Know: Bruins at Capitals 

BOSTON –– The Boston Bruins are focusing on simplicity.

With nearly three weeks of training camp completed, the systems and messages that were once new have grown more comfortable to the players.

Thursday’s 7 p.m. game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena presents another opportunity for a group of Bruins to prove their fluency with head coach Marco Sturm’s vision.

​Alex Steeves, Matt Poitras and Matěj Blümel are expected to skate together on a line, and said they do not want to overthink their purpose on the ice.

​“I think there is a lot of talent on the line. I think the big thing for tonight is, like Marco said, play straight lines,” Steeves said. “I think – at least in my experience in my career – when you get a skilled line, sometimes playing with a little bit of simplicity and a little bit more physicality, all of a sudden, you get the puck back in skilled positions more. And then your skill takes over and you can make plays.”​

Steeves signed a one-year deal with Boston in July and has played in multiple roles throughout camp. Thursday will be his fourth exhibition game. The 25-year-old forward spent last season in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies and had 62 points (36 goals, 26 assists) in 59 games.

“I think each guy is just trying to show their best hockey. Obviously, we want to go there tonight and play a competitive game, hopefully come away with a win,” Steeves said. “A lot of guys, myself included, are trying to put their best foot forward.”

Poitras will center the line with Steeves and Blümel. He has flipped between the pivot position and wing in both practices and preseason games as Sturm experiments with the best fit. Poitras said he is happy to play either, as long as it helps the team win.

“I think for me, just finding a little bit of consistency in my game,” Poitras said. “I feel like I’ve shown some good things and just keep showing confidence on the puck. Hopefully get something going tonight.”

Wait, There’s More

• Brett Harrison is expected to play in his first preseason game with the Bruins. The 22-year-old forward practiced on a line with Patrick Brown and Riley Duran during morning skate. Harrison – a 2021 third-round pick – had 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 46 games with Providence last year.
• The Bruins’ blueline will feature fewer NHL regulars on Thursday. Players like Jonathan Aspirot, Frederic Brunet, Michael Callahan and Victor Soderstrom will get another chance to prove themselves in a game setting. Mason Lohrei, Henri Jokiharju and Jordan Harris – who have been skating with the main group – will also play against the Capitals.
• Joonas Korpisalo and Michael DiPietro are both options in net for the Bruins. DiPietro has played in three exhibition games, and Korpisalo was in net for the overtime win against the New York Rangers on Sept. 23. DiPietro had a 2.05 goals against average and .927 save percentage in 40 games with Providence last year. Korpisalo posted a 2.90 GAA and .893 SV% in 27 games with the Bruins.

Opposing View

• Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is expected to make his preseason debut on Thursday against the Bruins. The forward missed the first half of training camp with a lower-body injury. Ovechkin logged 73 points (44 goals, 29 assists) last season en route to setting the NHL scoring record at 897.
• Martin Fehérváry will also play in his first exhibition game for Washington. The defenseman underwent knee surgery in April and has been working back from the injury. Fehérváry – a 2018 second-round pick – had 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 81 games last season.
• Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery won the Jack Adams Award in June following his second year behind the Washington bench. Carbery was the assistant coach for the Providence Bruins for the 2017-18 season, and was the head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears from 2018-21 – a similar path to Sturm.