BOSTON — In a thrilling matchup, Charlie Coyle emerged as the star of the evening by netting two crucial goals in the third period, overshadowing fellow Boston University alumni Macklin Celebrini in his debut at TD Garden as an NHL player. This performance propelled the Bruins to a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Monday night. 

This victory marked an impressive 14th consecutive win for Boston against the Sharks. Coyle’s first goal broke a 3-3 tie with roughly 12 minutes remaining, thanks to a backhand setup from Matt Poitras. Just four minutes later, Coyle doubled his tally, taking advantage of a rebound off goaltender Yaroslav Askarov’s pads that found its way into the back of the net. 

Compounding San Jose’s misfortunes, David Pastrnak’s second-period goal also became the Sharks’ second own goal of the game. The shot from Pastrnak ricocheted off Sharks defenseman Jake Walman’s skate while he stood near the crease, resulting in an unfortunate bounce into the net. Vinni Lettieri initiated Boston’s scoring in the first period, while Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm sealed the game with empty-net goals. Boston’s Jonas Korpisalo was solid in goal, stopping 25 shots throughout the contest. 

Will Smith, a Lexington, Massachusetts native and Boston College alum, contributed significantly for the Sharks with a goal and an assist. However, San Jose has struggled against the Bruins, having not secured a win against them since 2016. Askarov, on the other end, made 27 saves but faced challenges as the Sharks lost their sixth game in the last seven outings. 

Key takeaways from the game included the festive atmosphere reminiscent of the Beanpot with Smith, a fourth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, earning two points, while Celebrini was unable to register any points. The Bruins displayed improved defensive play, despite missing top defenseman Charlie McAvoy for the third consecutive game. 

A pivotal moment came when Smith sparked cheers from a considerable number of supporters in the audience after tying the game at 2-2 halfway through the second period. 

An interesting statistic highlights the Bruins managing to outshoot their opponent for the first time in seven games, finishing the night with a 33-28 advantage in shots on goal. 

Looking ahead, the Sharks will face a back-to-back challenge against Nashville on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the Bruins are set to take on New Jersey on Wednesday, before returning home to play against Ottawa on Thursday.