The Bruins opened their preseason slate of games on Monday, with Boston ultimately falling in overtime, 4-3, thanks to 2019 No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes’ second goal of the night.
For reference, here was the Bruins’ lineup for the matchup:
Paul Carey - Jack Studnicka - Brett Ritchie
Anton Blidh - Par Lindholm - Chris Wagner
Ryan Fitzgerald - Trent Frederic - Oskar Steen
Jakub Lauko - Brendan Gaunce - Zach Senyshyn
Robert Lantosi
Urho Vaakanainen - Alex Petrovic
Jakub Zboril - Steven Kampfer
Chris Breen - Axel Andersson
Wiley Sherman
Kyle Keyser
Dan Vladar
Here are three takeaways from Monday’s loss:
Vaakanainen will do his best to break through crowded blue line
He already has plenty of pressure to live up to as Boston’s top prospect, but defenseman Urho Vaakanainen is especially hard on himself when it comes to lapses in the smooth, two-way game he brings from the blue line — a style of play that has put the Finnish defender on the cusp of an NHL spot going into the 2019-20 season.
While last year was marked by multiple injuries for the defenseman, preseason game No. 1 marked a fresh start for Vaakanainen, who still faces an uphill climb when it comes to making the NHL roster in October.
"I didn’t think I played real well,” Vaakanainen said last week of how injuries railroaded his 2018-19 season. “I probably had my worst games in the (AHL) playoffs … Hopefully I’ll get a good healthy season now and no more injuries — knock on wood.”
If Monday’s showing was any indication, the 20-year-old blueliner looks ready to put plenty of pressure on an already loaded B’s D corps, to say the least.
Vaakanainen led all skaters in TOI at 24:54 while recording a primary assist on Oskar Steen’s goal in the second period. But beyond the marks on the box score, Vaakanainen set himself apart thanks to the finer details of his game — whether it be controlling loose pucks skittering out of the Devils’ zone, pushing the puck through the neutral zone or generating Grade-A looks with a couple of nifty passes.
Urho Vaakanainen with a nice set-up on the power play. He's been smoooooooth. pic.twitter.com/bNIjyHqsQe
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 17, 2019
Urho Vaakanainen: *points at head* "can't lose in overtime if you don't let go of the puck" pic.twitter.com/XKwtFpBdN3
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 17, 2019
Jack Studnicka from Carey & Kampfer with 49 seconds left in regulation.
Bruins head to overtime. pic.twitter.com/tUSjqLUteu
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 17, 2019
Oskar Steen snaps one past Cory Schneider. Nice shot for the 21-year-old forward.
1-0 Bruins. pic.twitter.com/VomCIb5Bo1
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 17, 2019
Nice play by Jakub Lauko.
He pokes the puck away from P.K. Subban and skates in on a breakaway. pic.twitter.com/LHTxwQl2wC
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 17, 2019