Tue Dec 30 11:00:00 UTC 2025: News Article:
Bruins’ Travel Plans Thawed, Team Faces Mental Test in Buffalo
BUFFALO – The Boston Bruins’ return from the NHL’s holiday break got off to a bumpy start Saturday morning when their flight to Buffalo was delayed due to de-icing and heavy air traffic. The team’s charter plane faced a couple hours of delay, preventing the team from holding their usual morning skate at KeyBank Center.
“You beat us here!” Bruins coach Marco Sturm exclaimed to a reporter as the team arrived in Buffalo after a delayed flight.
Instead of hitting the ice, the Bruins stretched briefly before heading to a nearby hotel for food and rest.
“These days are always kind of tough,” defenseman Charlie McAvoy said. “We’ll try to pick up the schedule like a normal day — eat something, get a nap, and get back here ready to go.”
The Bruins are hoping to rebound from a four-game losing streak on home ice. McAvoy expressed optimism that the break allowed the team to refocus, emphasizing their goals for the “second half of the year.”
Coach Sturm acknowledged the mental challenge the disrupted schedule presents before the evening’s game.
In roster news, Joonas Korpisalo will start in goal. Tanner Jeannot is out with an undisclosed injury. Injured defensemen Jonathan Aspirot and Henri Jokiharju are traveling with the team, but their return to the lineup remains uncertain.
On a lighter note, McAvoy shared that his 11-month-old son received hockey gloves for Christmas, adding, “it was a wonderful Christmas.”
First Piper 