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The Bruins visit the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Thursday, with Boston goalie Michael DiPietro set to start. Defenseman Frederic Brunet returns to the lineup, while injured forward Matt Poitras is out; Pittsburgh says Evgeni Malkin is available after missing its previous game.
The Boston Bruins visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday at 7 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena, with Michael DiPietro starting in goal for Boston and Frederic Brunet returning to the lineup. Forward Matt Poitras will sit out after breaking his nose in Monday’s game, giving the matchup immediate roster implications for a Bruins team riding a two-game winning streak.
Boston coach Marco Sturm named DiPietro as the starter. The 27-year-old last appeared Saturday, when the Bruins beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 in overtime. He has a 2.26 goals-against average and .929 save percentage through four games this season, according to the team’s preview. Those figures cover his first four appearances and are not a season-long sample for the full Boston roster.
Brunet, 23, returns for the first time since Oct. 27 and is expected to play on the third defensive pair with Mason Lohrei. Jonathan Aspirot and Connor Clifton are set to sit. Brunet has four points—one goal and three assists—in 10 games of his rookie season. Poitras, 22, is out after breaking his nose when he took an elbow to the face Monday against Vegas. He practiced Wednesday wearing a bubble shield, but Sturm said a procedure that day left him recovering. Sean Kuraly is set to center the fourth line in his place.
The Bruins enter after beating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout on Monday. James Hagens scored his sixth goal of the season in that game, and the 20-year-old has 12 points in 16 games, the most among NHL rookies according to the preview. Morgan Geekie has scored in each of Boston’s last two games and is projected on the second line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, as well as the first power-play unit.
Pittsburgh is coming off a 3-2 loss to Vegas on Tuesday. Tommy Novak and Rickard Rakell scored, while Arturs Silovs made 20 saves. The Penguins have lost three of their last five, according to Boston’s report. Defenseman Erik Karlsson leads Pittsburgh with 16 points in 15 games. Forward Evgeni Malkin, who leads the team with six goals, missed Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury but is available for Thursday, the report says.
Boston’s Lineup Faces a Road Test
The game pairs a Bruins team seeking to extend its two-game winning streak with a Penguins club looking to respond after consecutive recent setbacks. Boston’s lineup changes make the status of its depth especially relevant: Brunet returns on defense, while Poitras’ absence reshapes the fourth line. DiPietro’s start also gives him an opportunity to build on his numbers across four appearances.
For Pittsburgh, Malkin’s availability could affect its forward combinations after he missed the previous game. Karlsson’s production and role on the first power-play unit are another key matchup point. These are lineup and performance factors, not a guarantee of how the game will unfold.
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Recent Form and Roster Changes
Boston’s most recent win came Monday at TD Garden, where it edged Vegas in a shootout. The Bruins have now won two straight. Pittsburgh hosted the same opponent Tuesday and lost 3-2, with Novak and Rakell providing its goals. That short turnaround sets the scene for Thursday’s meeting but does not, by itself, establish a broader trend.
Brunet’s return follows his last game on Oct. 27. Sturm said he wants the defenseman to keep his game simple and use his skating to his advantage. Poitras was injured against Vegas on Monday and practiced Wednesday in a protective shield; the Bruins nevertheless listed him out for Thursday. Kuraly, who last played Saturday against Chicago, is projected to replace him at center.
Boston’s preview projects Hagens with Casey Mittelstadt and Elias Lindholm, who is on a two-game point streak. Geekie is expected alongside Minten and Khusnutdinov. For Pittsburgh, Karlsson is projected on the first pair with Samuel Girard and averages a team-high 23:26 of ice time per game, according to the preview. Malkin is projected on the second line with Ben Kindel and Egor Chinakhov.
““It’s a fast team. Always good at home too. That’s going to be our job to stop.””
— Bruins head coach Marco Sturm, on Pittsburgh
Poitras and Pittsburgh’s Final Setup
The Bruins’ report does not give a timetable for Poitras’ return or further detail about his recovery beyond the broken nose, Wednesday’s procedure and his status for Thursday. His practice in a bubble shield does not change the team’s stated decision to keep him out of this game.
The report says Malkin is available after missing Pittsburgh’s previous game, but does not provide further detail on his lower-body injury or confirm his final line assignment. Projected combinations may change before puck drop. The source also does not identify Pittsburgh’s starting goalie for the matchup.
Thursday’s Puck Drop in Pittsburgh
The Bruins and Penguins are scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at PPG Paints Arena. Boston’s stated plan is to start DiPietro, dress Brunet and leave Poitras out, with Kuraly taking the fourth-line center role. Final lineup confirmation and any changes before the game will clarify whether the projected combinations hold.
The next immediate developments are the confirmed game-day rosters and the result of the matchup. Boston will look to extend its two-game run; Pittsburgh will try to respond after its loss to Vegas. The available preview does not provide further information about future injury updates or upcoming milestones.
Key Questions
When and where is Bruins at Penguins?
The game is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, at 7 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
Who is starting in goal for Boston?
Michael DiPietro is set to start for the Bruins. The team report lists his goals-against average at 2.26 and save percentage at .929 through four games.
Why is Matt Poitras out?
Poitras broke his nose after taking an elbow to the face in Monday’s game against Vegas. He practiced Wednesday in a bubble shield but is out for Thursday after having a procedure, according to coach Marco Sturm.
Which Bruins players are returning or replacing injured teammates?
Defenseman Frederic Brunet is returning after last playing Oct. 27. Sean Kuraly is expected to center the fourth line in Poitras’ place.
Is Evgeni Malkin expected to play?
The Bruins’ preview says Malkin is available for Thursday after missing Pittsburgh’s previous game with a lower-body injury. His final lineup status and any limits on his role are not detailed.
Source: nhl.com
