Boston, MA

Oskar Steen has one goal: Stick with the Bruins – The Boston Globe

Published

1 year ago

October 28, 2023

Oskar Steen has one goal: Stick with the Bruins – The Boston Globe

But for a guy who has yet to sink his skates into NHL ice with any regularity, that $800,000 one-way deal told Steen he had a place with the Bruins — one that came to fruition again Saturday when he was summoned from AHL Providence and placed immediately in the lineup hours later to face the Red Wings at the Garden.

Now, for the fifth year running since leaving his home in Sweden to play in North America, the 5-foot-10-inch “brandpost” (Swedish for fire hydrant) would like the Providence-Boston shuttle to end. He prefers to be a Boston Bruin, one who doesn’t show up like he did Saturday morning, a WannaB with all his hockey tools shoved in a big Spoked-P bag, needing to convince one and all that he’s a legit, don’t-let-me-ever-see-Route-95-again NHLer.

“For sure, I was disappointed,” said Steen, noting how he felt when the fall’s varsity camp ended here and he, once again, was pointed back to Rhode Island. “I felt like I was very close to making the [Boston] team and I felt I had a really good camp.”

Had it not been for Sweeney’s July supermarket sweep in the UFA bargain aisle, Steen very well could have been in the opening night lineup vs. the Blackhawks. Veterans like Milan Lucic and James van Riemsdyk were added for money not much above Steen’s $800,000. The depth chart closed Steen out, along with the addition of rookie pivots Matthew Poitras and Johnny Beecher.

“Steener” was called back because Lucic, dinged with a lower-body injury on the recent four-game road trip, was placed on injured reserve. The Bruins also returned to Jesper Boqvist, another summer UFA signing, to Providence.

Lucic will be out a minimum two weeks and potentially longer, according to coach Jim Montgomery. Albeit without a promise beyond Saturday night, Lucic’s prolonged absence could allow the 25-year-old Steen a chance finally to gain a foothold on the Boston roster. It’s a place he’s never stayed more than his 20-game stint in 2021-22. All his other visits here, including Saturday, totaled seven games.

“I know what I have to do,” Steen said after the morning workout in Brighton, sounding almost like he was reading from a tattered script he keeps tucked in his back pocket. “I feel much more comfortable every time I get up here. I’ll try to bring my good hockey that I have played so far this season — so that’s what I am aiming for.”

He arrived with a solid endorsement from Ryan Mougenel, his coach in Providence, who told Montgomery that Steen had been “really impactful the last three games” in the AHL.

“Playing fast and going to hard areas,” said Montgomery, reflecting on what he saw in Steen’s game in training camp. “Playing inside the dots is a real strength of his … When you bring guys up, you want them feeling good about their games, feeling confident, and he’s a confident player right now.”

For size and body type, the 5-10, 195-pound Steen is just a bit bigger and thicker version of fellow brandpost Martin St. Louis, the prolific Hall of Fame winger who starred at the University of Vermont before becoming an NHL sensation. Steen never has displayed St. Louis’s touch, but he is similar in speed and, more important, his willingness to venture into high-contact areas around the net.

It’s his savviness down low that earned Steen the call-up again, in part because the Bruins today — without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci — do not score as much off the rush. Their best scoring bids are a product of sustained puck possession around the net.

If this audition shows Steen worthy of getting in front, getting chances, maybe potting one or two, then he has a chance of stay in town, now seven-plus years since the Bruins claimed him with pick No. 165 in the 2016 draft.

“Being inside the dots and playing heavy at the net,” mused Montgomery. “We are a significantly better O-zone-playing team, creating scoring chances this year, because of our presence at the net. It makes sense, the way we’re built.”

In his 201 AHL games, Steen has a career offensive line of 44-61–105. He delivered at better than twice that rate (3-2–5) in his five games back down there this season. If he could mirror that point-a-game rate at this level — something only 38 NHL regulars accomplished all of last season — he would be here to stay, backed with a contract far richer than that $800,000 confidence spaceholder.

For now, it’s baby steps — footprints like those Steen left in the Boston Harbor sand for 26 games prior to Saturday night. All of them, thus far, have been swept out by the tide.

“Just keep going,” said Steen, sharing his mind-set after his demotion three weeks earlier. “I was just trying to think that I would be back here soon. Now I am. That was my goal.”

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com.

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Boston, MA

Boston’s Southern French Restaurant Marseille Calls It Quits

Published

19 minutes ago

January 13, 2025

Press Room

Boston’s Southern French Restaurant Marseille Calls It Quits

Marseille, an 18-month-old French restaurant located at 560 Harrison Avenue in the South End, has closed down. The restaurant posted a message on Instagram last week alerting diners that it would be shutting down the social media account (which is now gone), and its OpenTable page now reads that Marseille has permanently closed as of Monday, January 13. No specific reason was given for the shutter. Owned by French restaurateur Loic Le Garric, the restaurant was his ode to sunny Southern French cuisine in various forms, including grilled octopus, a rich seafood stew, trout almondine, and more. Le Garric did not immediately respond to questions about the restaurant’s closure. The restaurateur’s other French spots, including Batifol (in Kendall Square) and Petit Robert Bistro (also in the South End), plus bakery and cafe PRB Boulangerie, remain open.

Boston is getting a new Detroit-style pizzeria

Descendant Detroit Style Pizza, a Toronto-based company with two locations there, is opening up a third shop inside the Prudential Center, Boston Restaurant Talk reports. It’ll be the first U.S. location for the pizza shop, which bills itself as Canada’s first Detroit-style pizzeria, and is yet another addition to Boston’s burgeoning Detroit-style pizza scene, which includes stalwarts like the five-year-old Avenue Kitchen & Bar in Somerville and newer additions like Detroit Pizza Co. in Brighton.

A tiny Cape Cod restaurant steps into the spotlight at Raffles

Luxurious Portuguese restaurant Amar, located inside high-end Boston hotel Raffles, is hosting a one-night-only collaboration dinner with Cape Cod tasting menu spot Clean Slate Eatery this month. Amar chef George Mendes and Clean Slate Eatery chef Jason Montigel are putting together a six-course dinner with dishes such as local oysters with a lemon-horseradish granita, bay scallops with Eastham turnips, winter squash, country ham croquettes, and Satsuma citrus, and a quail roulade with quince-vanilla puree, Périgord black truffles, and maitake mushrooms. The event takes place on Wednesday, January 22. Tickets are $175 per person; reservations can be made here.

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Boston, MA

Red Sox's Alex Cora Reveals New Plan For Top Boston Prospect

Published

10 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Press Room

Red Sox's Alex Cora Reveals New Plan For Top Boston Prospect

The Boston Red Sox are setting the bar high for top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer.

Mayer, baseball’s No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will be challenged this upcoming season to showcase his defensive versatility. Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters during Saturday’s Fenway Fest that the plan will be for the 22-year-old to play shortstop, second base and third base, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith.

Boston promoted Mayer, alongside Roman Anthony and ex-Red Sox prospect Kyle Teel, to Triple-A Worcester last season. Mayer, now 240 minor league appearances deep into his professional career, has logged 238 appearances at shortstop. So, the organization’s plan will pose an opportunity for Mayer to get familiar with other areas around the infield before Boston gives him the long-awaited call to its big league club.

It’s not an easy transition, but Cora isn’t alone in believing that Mayer is up for the test.

“I think he has the ability and maturity to be an all the way around infielder,” Red Sox infield instructor Jose Flores said Saturday, per Smith. “That being said, no doubt that he can play the left side of the field. Obviously second base will probably be a position that will be a little bit more awkward for him to learn on a faster pace just because it’s his blind side when turning double plays and all that. And it’s a little bit different. But it’s something that I know for a fact that he can pick up really fast. No doubt.”

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Boston selected Mayer, a shortstop out of Eastlake High School, with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, and allowed him to maintain that position.

Mayer made 65 starts at shortstop for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs last season and just one at third base, committing a combined 11 errors including one in four defensive chances at the hot corner.

He also batted .307 with eight home runs, 28 doubles, 38 RBIs and a .370 on-base percentage in 77 games with the Sea Dogs. Mayer didn’t get a chance to take the field with Boston’s Triple-A crew after suffering an immediate lumbar strain upon his promotion, which ended Mayer’s 2024 season in late August.

That concluded Mayer’s fourth season in Boston’s farm system on a rough note, however, it didn’t discourage the organization one bit.

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“I want to see the kids play,” Cora said, per Smith. “(Kristian) Campbell and Marcelo and Roman — I want to see them play.”

Mayer is expected to be ready by the start of spring training.

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Boston, MA

Watch New Orleans Pelicans vs. Boston Celtics free live stream

Published

22 hours ago

January 12, 2025

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Watch New Orleans Pelicans vs. Boston Celtics free live stream

There is NBA action on Sunday, Jan. 12 that sees the Boston Celtics welcoming the New Orleans Pelicans to TD Garden in Boston.

The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Boston. Fans looking to watch this NBA game can do so for free by using DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial. You can also watch on FuboTV, which also offers a free trial and $30 off your first month, or SlingTV, which doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available.

The Celtics have lost two of their last three and are 11-8 since the start of December, and now sit at 27-11, still the second-best mark in the East. The Pelicans are 8-31, but have won three of their last five.

WATCH THE GAME FOR FREE HERE

Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Boston Celtics

When: Sunday, Jan. 12 at 6 p.m. EST

Where: TD Garden in Boston

Stream: FuboTV; Sling; DirecTV Stream (free trial)

Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.

What is FuboTV?

FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and $30 off the first month for new customers.

What is DirecTV Stream?

DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.

What is SlingTV?

SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.

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An NBA 1st: Jokic, Westbrook record triple-doubles in same game for 2nd time this season

By MICHAEL KELLY Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Russell Westbrook made NBA history on Friday night, becoming the first pair of teammates to record a triple-double in the same game multiple times in a single season.

Jokic finished with 35 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds for his NBA-leading 15th triple-double of the season in the Nuggets’ 124-105 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Westbrook had 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

“I think it’s that’s the style both of us play,” Jokic said. “I’m just glad we’re winning the games because that’s more important than the stats. It’s special, the relationship, how the guys are willing to run the lanes and get to the corner. They know the ball’s going to find them.”

They’re also the first to record a 25-point triple-double in the same regular-season game.

“Wow. That’s pretty crazy. We’re watching history, folks,” Denver coach Michael Malone said.

The pair also accomplished the feat at Utah on Dec. 30. Jokic had 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists that night while Westbrook had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Westbrook made all seven of his shot attempts, both free throw attempts and didn’t have a turnover in that game.

Westbrook credited Malone with giving him the freedom to play his game.

“Being able to do that allows me to be able to make guys around me better,” Westbrook said Friday. “Try to bring this team some leadership, some energy, some toughness. We’re just getting started on figuring it out.”

Jokic had missed the previous two games with an illness before returning against the Nets. He went to the bench late in the third quarter one rebound shy of his 145th career triple-double and the Nuggets leading by 18.

Brooklyn rallied to get within five and Jokic returned and had nine points, four assists and three rebounds in the fourth.

Jokic got his 10th rebound after Westbrook blocked Keon Johnson’s shot with 6:51 left.

Westbrook had four assists in the fourth to record his 202nd career triple-double, which is the most in an NBA career. It was his third triple-double this season, his first in Denver.

Westbrook signed with the Nuggets last summer after spending the last three seasons in Los Angeles with both the Lakers and the Clippers.

The Associated Press contributed to this article

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