Bruins Look to Regain Momentum at Home After Narrowly Missing Sweep on Road Trip

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The Boston Bruins are gearing up to face the Utah Mammoth at TD Garden on Tuesday night, marking the beginning of a five-game homestand through the Christmas holiday break. The team's recent three-game Central Division road trip ended on a high note, with wins over the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets, before a 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. Despite the setback, Bruins coach Marco Sturm is pleased with his team's overall performance, citing their ability to adapt and navigate the ultra-competitive Eastern Conference playoff race. The Bruins have received a boost in recent days with the return of injured players David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy. Pastrnak has made an immediate impact, scoring two goals and five assists in his first three games back, including a four-point performance in Thursday's 6-3 win over the Jets. McAvoy also made his presence felt, providing the primary assist on a Pastrnak power-play goal in that game. However, the team is facing a challenge ahead of their matchup against the Utah Mammoth. Forward Morgan Geekie left the game early on Sunday after blocking a shot, and his status is currently uncertain. The Bruins will need to regroup and refocus for their upcoming games, particularly with the Mammoth looking to sweep the head-to-head season series following a 3-2 win in Salt Lake City on October 19. Utah, which has won back-to-back games since a three-game skid, is coming off a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Dylan Guenther scored the deciding goal just 42 seconds into the extra session, marking his league-leading 14th game-winner since the start of last season. The Mammoth's true team effort was a key factor in their comeback, with contributions from defensemen Nate Schmidt and Sean Durzi. The Bruins will need to put their recent success on the road behind them and focus on their upcoming home games, where they can capitalize on their home cooking advantage. As defenseman Hampus Lindholm noted, 'We've been doing some good stuff,' and the team is eager to translate that into wins at TD Garden.