BOSTON — A Boston Bruins team that has struggled mightily on defense early on this season is shaking up its pairings on the back end against the New York Islanders tonight at TD Garden.
Per Bruins head coach Marco Sturm, Mason Lohrei will serve as a healthy scratch with the freshly activated off injured reserve Hampus Lindholm returning to the lineup, and Johnathan Aspirot making his NHL debut.
Hampus Lindholm will return to the Bruins lineup tonight. Mason Lohrei is a healthy scratch.
Korpisalo is in net vs the Islanders
— Andrew Fantucchio (@A_Fantucchio) October 28, 2025
Through 11 games this year, Lohrei has scored a goal and five points, but has also been on the ice for 11 goals against the Bruins. This comes after he finished last year with a league-worst minus-43 rating.
“Once in a while, it’s good to scratch a player like that,” Sturm said of Lohrei. “We expect more from him, and sometimes you have to press that reset button. It’s not like we want to bury him. No, I want to help him, and that’s part of the process. And again, you get some good things, but too many mistakes lately.”
Lindholm has appeared in just three games so far this year, and will play in his first since Oct. 18 after missing five straight and nine of the last ten with a lower-body injury he originally suffered on Oct. 9. His return comes as the Bruins have dropped seven of their last eight games in regulation while giving up an average of 4.75 goals per outing.
“He’s a really good defenseman,” said Sturm. “We saw that when he was in a lineup. We missed him, but again, that’s no excuse. We’re just excited to have him back.”
Aspirot joins the Bruins after logging a goal and two assists in five games with AHL Providence.
The Bruins will deploy Joonas Korpisalo as their starting netminder against the Islanders. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7:15 p.m. EST.
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