boston
Morgan Geekie finally found relief on Saturday afternoon. The veteran winger ended a nine-game goal drought at a crucial moment, firing a shot past Chicago netminder Arvid Söderblom with an extra attacker on the ice to tie the game at 4-4 with just 10.2 seconds remaining in regulation.
Despite entering the matinee with only one goal in his first 14 games, Geekie wasn't shocked to see the puck finally find the net, especially after hitting several posts during the dry spell. He was equally unsurprised when Elias Lindholm delivered the heroics in overtime.
"He's been unbelievable," Geekie said of his teammate. "I know a lot of people rip on him the last couple of years. But he brings his all every night, and you see it up and down the ice."
Just past the midway point of the extra session, Lindholm made his presence felt in the offensive zone. After taking a bank pass from Charlie McAvoy, he crossed the blue line and charged toward Söderblom. Despite Oliver Moore's attempts to dislodge the puck, Lindholm brushed aside the Blackhawks forward, pinning him to his back as he carried the puck to the doorstep. After getting Söderblom to commit to the right post, Lindholm deked back to his forehand and tucked the puck past him, sealing a 5-4 comeback win for Boston.
"He's a 200-foot player, and I don't think he gets enough credit for how good he is, night in and night out," Geekie added. "So we all see it here, and to see him get rewarded like that, taking it to the net and getting the game-winner was huge. Definitely genuinely happy for him."
As Geekie noted, Lindholm's tenure with the Bruins hasn't been the smoothest. After signing a seven-year, $54.2 million contract with Boston in July 2024, the two-way center's first two years were marred by nagging injuries and underperformance. Recurring back injuries—initially suffered during offseason training in 2024—seemed to put Lindholm behind the eight-ball before the 2024-25 campaign could begin in earnest. A productive start to the 2025-26 season gave way to struggles after his back flared up in the winter. While he tallied 37 points in his first 44 games last year, Lindholm's play cratered after the Winter Olympics in Italy, as he scored just six goals and 11 points in 25 games.
Those lingering back injuries raised legitimate questions about what to expect from the 31-year-old center over the final five years of his contract—with even Don Sweeney noting that his dip in play might be his new level at this stage of his career. So far, Lindholm is proving he has much more to give in his third go-around with the Bruins, especially after getting slotted into a third-line role.
Lindholm said all the right things entering the season about finally getting past his back woes after amending his offseason training. So far, that has translated out on the ice. With his OT winner on Saturday, Lindholm has scored five goals and 12 points in 15 games, ranking second on the club in scoring behind David Pastrnak. He's also won 60.2 percent of his faceoffs, while averaging 2:45 of power-play reps and 1:59 on shorthanded ice time per game as a Swiss Army Knife for Marco Sturm.
Whereas Lindholm initially felt like a square peg in a round hole in Boston's top-six unit, he's looking like an impact player on a third line between James Hagens and Casey Mittelstadt—with that trio serving as Sturm's de facto shutdown line so far this year.
"He's been great from day one," Sturm said of Lindholm. "You could tell he had a better jump, but also I feel like now with that line too, he takes a lot of pride in playing against top lines, getting the job done. He's been great in the circle too. Using him on the power play, PK, you name it. So it's great to see. I know the people were always really hard on him. It's definitely nice to see that he is a big part of our team, and he's showing it right now."
The Mittelstadt-Lindholm-Hagens line has already offered plenty of value by bottling up other top lines—negating daunting matchups like Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks' top line last weekend. But that grouping is also landing punches down the other end of the ice, with Boston outscoring opponents 6-2 in their 100:52 of 5-on-5 reps so far this season.
Lindholm has often been a lightning rod for criticism over his first two years with Boston, especially given his contract and his initial promise as a productive top-six center. His role has shifted this season for the Bruins. But it's a change that has benefitted all parties for a 10-4-1 Bruins club.
"I've learned a lot, especially defensively," Hagens said of skating alongside Lindholm. "He's such a good player, and he's great all around. He's a guy that you want on your team if you want to win. He shows that every single night. So to be able to see how good of a guy he is off the ice as well, it makes you love him even more. He's taught me a lot, and he's teaching me a lot every day. And just to be able to have a mentor like that, I'm super grateful."
Key Analysis
Lindholm's resurgence comes at a critical time for Boston, as the team navigates a competitive Atlantic Division. His ability to contribute in all situations—even strength, power play, and penalty kill—while anchoring a shutdown line has eased concerns about his long-term contract. If Lindholm can maintain this level of play, he could silence critics and prove that his early-season form is no fluke.
Originally reported by boston.