The Boston Bruins needed to respond after being blown out by the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.
The Black and Gold did just that by showing what type of team they can be, thanks to a Morgan Geeekie goal, the airtight goaltending of Joonas Korpisalo, and outstanding penalty killing, shutting out Ottawa at TD Garden.
“I thought it was a really solid game from our group defensively,” Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco told reporters after the game, per team-provided video. “… Korpi made some big saves for us, some timely saves for us, which you need. Good for him, he played an outstanding game.
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“I thought overall our compete was excellent, and that was the thing we were really focusing on. We knew this was going to be a competitive, hard-fought game, and I really thought our guys did a good job by responding tonight.”
The Bruins held a lead over the Senators in Saturday’s disappointing shootout loss in Ottawa. Josh Norris tied the game with just 12 seconds remaining in regulation. This time, Boston didn’t collapse with an extra attacker on the ice.
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“It’s gratifying,” Sacco said. “Our guys really dug in there at the end. We had better execution as far as what we wanted to do tonight and their opportunities.”
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David Pastrnak had a great dish coming out from behind the Ottawa net to feed Geekie, who was driving toward the crease and beat Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg with the tip.
“What happened is exactly what I was trying to do,” Pastrnak told reporters about the feed to Geekie, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “I knew he was going to move to the far post low and those are high chances to in the skates. If you have chemistry with the player, he’s probably going from that high slot to the backdoor there, the chances of going in are high.”
Pastrnak scored an empty-net goal to secure the win, extending his scoring streak to six games with six goals and seven assists. He not only helped the team offensively but also recognized how well the Bruins played across all three periods.
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“I think we were focused,” he said. “We were dialed in for the whole game and focused on the details, and you could see it in the game. We were focused on the details, taking care of our house. Korpi was outstanding for us, made important saves and we limited their chances. That’s what we haven’t done in the last couple of games. … The focus and determination were there today.”
In a season that finds the Bruins teetering in and out of a playoff spot, points are at a premium when Boston plays division rivals. The win over the Senators not only resulted in a four-point swing, but the Bruins also catapulted to third in the Atlantic Division behind the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panther — for now.
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Here are more notes from Thursday’s Bruins-Senators game:
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— Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves for his ninth win and third shutout of the season against his former club.
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“You just got to play the game and take care of the fundamentals,” Korpisalo said, per team-provided video. “You have to see the puck and just enjoy the moment. Those are the times that you enjoy, and you’re supposed to thrive.”
— After allowing three power-play goals to the Devils on Wednesday, the Bruins were a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill against the Senators.
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— The Bruins improved to 5-0-1 in the second game of back-to-backs this season, 15-7-3 at home and 9-2-1 when Geekie scores a goal.
— The Bruins get back to work on Saturday afternoon when they host the Colorado Avalanche. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled at 1 p.m. ET, and you can catch all the action on NESN, following an hour of pregame coverage.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a close call between two commercial flights at Boston Logan International Airport on Saturday morning.
Flight tracking data shows the pilots of Delta Air Lines Flight 2351 aborted their approach for landing around 11:30 a.m. as American Airlines Flight 3161 was accelerating for takeoff on an intersecting runway.
Delta pilots performed an evasive go-around maneuver before the Airbus A319 landed safely and passengers deplaned normally, a Delta spokesperson said in a statement.
The two aircraft got within several hundred feet of each other, according to a CNN analysis of tracking data from Flightradar24.
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An air traffic controller asked the departing American Airlines flight where it was going, to which its pilot said the tower had cleared the aircraft for takeoff, according to air traffic control audio captured by ATC.com. American Airlines deferred questions from CNN to the FAA.
While experts say flying remains an incredibly safe way to travel, Saturday’s close call is the latest in a recent spate of aviation-related incidents the US, including four dramatic plane crashes, the ever-worsening problem of turbulence and strikingly similar close call and go-around investigations.
A go-around, or aborted landing, is an aviation term for discontinuing a landing and beginning an immediate climb, then following further instructions. The safety maneuver is used to prevent runway incursions – when aircraft, vehicles or people are incorrectly positioned on a runway – as well as to counter other hazards, like sudden wind shifts and less-than-ideal approaches.
While go-arounds can feel jarring to passengers, they are still considered common and happen daily in the US, Michael McCormick, a former FAA air traffic manager and an associate professor in air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, previously told CNN.
“Passengers aren’t told in advance it’s going to happen, but they’ll recognize it when suddenly they’re coming in to land and the aircraft just starts rising back up again,” McCormick said, again noting go-arounds are routine.
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“This is something that pilots practice in flight simulators on a regular basis,” he added.
The Boston Fleet have signed defender Rylind MacKinnon to a one-year contract bringing back the 5-foot-10 defender.
Last season was MacKinnon’s first with the Fleet, whhere she recorded one assist in 28 appearances, and also played in three games.
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According to the Fleet MacKinnon added “grit and physicality to the team’s blue line.”
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The 26-year-old British Columbia product signed as a free agent with the Toronto Sceptres after going unselected in the 2024 PWHL Draft playing 22 games for the Sceptres as a rookie.
Collegiately, MacKinnon was the University of British Columbia’s all-time leading scorer by a defender.
Boston now has 13 players signed including MacKinnon, Loren Gabel, Ella Huber, Laura Kluge, Shay Maloney, Olivia Mobley, Jill Saulnier, Liz Schepers, Sophie Shirley Susanna Tapani Amanda Thiele, Megan Keller, Haley Winn, and Aerin Frankel.
Despite concerns about transportation and crowd management, the region’s biggest World Cup day yet appeared to unfold largely without major problems.
Morocco fans, many of whom celebrated on Shirley Avenue in Revere, rejoiced after their win against Scotland.
“We’re going to go very far in this World Cup,” predicted David Lalou, a Moroccan fan from Casablanca who saw the game live.
Here’s how Friday’s festivities unfolded.
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The drinks continued flowing
Mayor Michelle Wu announced Thursday that in two zones in the city – the Temple Place Social District and the Union-Marshall Street district – it would be legal for patrons to consume alcohol outdoors.
The measure took effect Friday, and bygame time the two zones hadquickly become lively block parties, complete with live music and hearty Scottish accents.
Zachary Lobel, 22, of Newton, and Ruairidh Davidson, 24, of Inverness, Scotland, independently brought their bagpipes to Union Street. The pair found each other, and acrowd of people gathered to watch them play.
Zachary Lobel (left) and Ruairidh Davidson, both carrying a set of bagpipes, meet at a World Cup street party.Ariela Lopez
George Comeau, a senior event manager with the Downtown Boston Alliance, organized the outdoor alcohol consumption zone on Temple Place. He estimated at 6:30 p.m. that 4,000 fans were watching the Scotland-Morocco game from the party there.
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Onthe Common, a free watch party attracted fans of every competing team.
Stan Abraham, 38, of Jamaica Plain, came with friends to support Haiti in itsmatch against Brazil.
“I just got to be around my people, around the energy,” he said.
Stan Abraham, 38, waves a Haitian flag at Boston Common.Ariela Lopez
Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, who isup for reelection this year, shook hands and posed for pictures with gleeful Scottish fans outside The Dubliner, the popular Government Center bar.
“I would’ve said it was impossible to drink Boston dry, but clearly [the Scots] are here and they are testing the capacity of the city to serve them,” Markey said. “It’s just a happy week.”
Scotland fans wear jerseys as they wait outside The Dubliner bar before a FIFA World Cup watch party June 13 in Boston.Mel Musto/Getty
In the Boston Public Market, which extended its hours for FIFA Fan Fest, thirsty Scottish fans did just that, lining up through the narrow Boston Beer Alley, their arms filled with as much alcohol as they could carry.
“I don’t think we’ll last all night,” said owner Dawa Sangpo.
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Also in the Public Market were Moroccan fans, many of whom frequented Mo’Rockin Fusion, a fast-casual restaurant where the food is inspired by owner Morad Bouzidi’s childhood in Morocco.
“It’s 100 percent the Moroccan experience,” Bouzidi said.
Yes, the World Cup is in Boston, but, like, not actually in Boston.
As was the case before last week’s game, South Station was packed, but some fans reported an easier commuting experience this time and Globe reporters observed a quick-moving queue.
“I had a pretty smooth experience,” said James Pennie, who is visiting from Vancouver but is originally from Scotland.
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Near 3 p.m., as a final few fans jogged through the queue to enter South Station, MBTA employees yelled out encouragement.
“No Scotland, no party!” they said.
Members of the Tartan Army sing and cheer together as they take a school bus to Boston Stadium in Foxborough for Scotland’s World Cup game against Morocco on Friday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
Richard Sullivan, the Transit Police superintendent, said the fans were “a very orderly crew.” The MBTA sold over 19,000 tickets to and from Foxborough as of 3 p.m. Friday.
“The queues were very minimal,” said Phil Eng, the MBTA’s general manager. “We got everyone through.”
But not everyone took the commuter rail. A Globe photographer witnessed a convoy of 12 school buses, packed to the brim with Scottish fans, pulling into South Bay to pick up online alcohol orders, before going on to Foxborough.
Members of the Tartan Army stop at South Bay to load up on alcohol as they take a school bus to Foxborough for Scotland’s World Cup game against Morocco on Friday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff
A duck ? Leading a parade? And what was that about Gronk?
Patriots legends Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman appeared on Fox’s pregame show wearing kilts, accompanied by a man playing bagpipes.
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Edelman and Gronkowski applauded the Scots’ drinking prowess after they drank some Boston bars out of beer over the last week.
“The last time it happened was after we won the Super Bowl in 2015 against the Seattle Seahawks,” quipped Gronkowski.
And in Providence, a famous duck named Dawn led Scottish fans on a very orderly march. In a video shared on Dawn’s Tiktok page, the little creatures waddles forwards, a small Scottish flag on its back, while leagues of kilted men with bagpipes march behind it.
Jessica Rinaldi, Omar Mohammed, and Amin Touri of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Globe correspondents Ariela Lopez, Aayushi Datta, Lauren Albano, Audrey Tomlin, Jaden Perry, and Emily Spatz also contributed.
Truman Dickerson can be reached at truman.dickerson@globe.com.