Boston Bruins season back on track

The Boston Bruins have had one of the most disappointing starts in the NHL. This past weekend, the team had a record of 4-6-1 and had been outscored by a goal difference of -13 in their first 11 games. It's been a tough start as the Bruins believe they have a roster contending for the Stanley Cup.

But the Bruins might have saved their season with their recent wins. They earned back-to-back shutout wins against the Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken, increasing their record to 6-6-1 to compete in the mighty Atlantic Division.

The focus is on getting some needed wins, but it was the way the Bruins won that should give the team, their front office and their fans all the hope in the world that their slow start is turning around. Even with the Flyers, it was clear that Boston went into this game with a stifling defensive plan. They held Philadelphia to just 20 shots on goal, allowing goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to record his first shutout with his new team.

The next day could have been an epic disappointment. 24 hours after their dominant win over the Flyers, the Kraken had a chance to pounce against an already tired Philly lineup. That wasn't the case, as the Kraken quickly found out, as the Bruins were even more prepared to beat Seattle.

The Bruins helped star goaltender Jeremy Swayman post a 23-save shutout and beat the Kraken 2-0. Swayman's first shutout of the season is a big step forward after a difficult start to his year. After a long and difficult contract negotiation process, getting the Bruins' top goaltender back into shape was crucial.

The other big highlight was captain Brad Marchand's offensive performance. Marchand has been under a little more scrutiny than usual this season. It's a contract year for the team captain, he and head coach Jim Montgomery had some disagreements on the bench and he got off to a slow start like the rest of his team. He scored one goal and two assists in those two games, giving him a total of three goals and 10 points in his first 13 games.

As the offensive prowess of their top players begins to emerge and their goaltending skills return to the Bruins' standard, they could be on the verge of a turnaround. The Atlantic Division was already tough enough with Boston struggling. Now that the Bruins may have saved their season, the rest of the division should be on high alert.

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