BUFFALO — Whether it was out of embarrassment, frustration or exhaustion — maybe it was all three — Jesse Gabrielle was red-faced after he muffed a glittering scoring opportunity in overtime against Pittsburgh on Friday.

But, to his credit, Gabrielle didn’t quit after the puck slipped off his stick as he closed in on the Penguins net. He shifted into defensive mode and raced back into the Boston end of the ice.

Seconds later, after the Bruins regained possession, Gabrielle again carried the puck into the Penguins zone, with linemate Joona Koppanen alongside. This time, Gabrielle ripped the puck past goalie Alex D’Orio for the winning goal.

“I was trying to go high, but it went low blocker,” a tired but beaming Gabrielle said after Boston’s 3-2 victory in the first game of the Prospects Challenge.

“I got a chance to redeem myself there,” said Gabrielle, a fourth-round draft pick in 2015 who notched 35 goals for Prince George of the WHL last season. “Luckily it went in the second time.”

The 20-year-old left winger has good speed and plays a feisty game. He had a joust with Pittsburgh’s Dylan Zink during the second period on Friday.

Gabrielle is likely ticketed for Providence in his first pro season, but you never know.

“I think I’m ready to make the jump this year. I’ve been putting in the work. Hopefully I get a chance to show them what I can do. They’re going to do what’s best for the hockey club. I’m going to trust the process and whatever’s best for the hockey team, I can accept,” he said.

Slow start, fast finish

Boston was outshot, 14-4, and trailed, 2-0, after the first period.

“There were some jitters and I think we were fancy. There were things that we as an organization don’t want to be,” said coach Jay Leach.

“The great thing about it from a coach’s perspective is it was a teaching point, so hopefully they understood that we’re a little bit more of a straight-line team, a team that wants to get pucks to the net, and I think you saw that in the second and third. It was kind of a night-and-day difference.

Jack Studnicka, a second-round pick in June, put the Bruins on the board with a power-play goal in the second period, assisted by Matt Grzelcyk and Jeremy Lauzon assisted.

Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson tied the game in the third period.

Leach on JFK

Leach’s take on Forsbacka Karlsson: “Smart player. I would have liked to see him shoot the puck more in the first period, but then in the third period you saw him shoot one and it ended up in the back of the net. Clearly, a smart, intellectual player. Makes nice reads. Supports the puck well on breakouts and that sort of thing. Defensively, he’s very responsible.”

Clifton’s debut

Former Quinnipiac defenseman Connor Clifton, who signed an AHL contract with Providence last month, made an impression in his first game.

“I had a lot of fun. We have a good group of guys. We obviously started slow, got the jitters out. It was a good experience for Game 1,” he said.

After knocking a Penguins forward off the puck in the second period, Clifton fed a long pass to a teammate in center ice for an offensive chance.

“At Quinnipiac we were all about quick ups,” he said.

At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Clifton hits hard.

“I’ve been playing against bigger kids (my whole life). That doesn’t bother me much. I’m not going to turn away from a guy because he’s a little bigger or a lot bigger than me,” he said.

Good game for Johansson

Defenseman Emil Johansson, a seventh-rounder in 2014, had a good game, moving the puck smartly and defending well.

After averaging 20 minutes a night for Sweden’s Djurgardens last season, the 21-year-old finished the year with Providence.

“I didn’t think I played to my standard last season in Providence, but it was a good experience to come over and see how everything works. Now I can focus on this year and know what I have to improve. The smaller ice is a completely different game for me,” he said.

He said he tries to model his game after Niklas Hjalmarsson.

“He’s a solid player. Passes the puck fast, joins the rush, blocks shots. He’s maybe more a shutdown player than I am. I’m trying to join the rushes, too, because I’m a good skater,” Johansson said.

Up next: Buffalo

The Bruins will face the Sabres at 7 on Saturday night. After sitting out on Friday, Charlie McAvoy, Anders Bjork, Jake Debrusk, Rob O’Gara and Sean Kuraly are expected to play on Saturday, according to Leach.

 

BUFFALO — The NHL is seemingly getting faster all the time and if the group that took to the ice at the Harborcenter on Thursday afternoon is any indication, the Bruins are doing their part to keep up.

The day before Boston’s first game in the Prospects Challenge, coaches Jay Leach, Jamie Langenbrunner, Trent Whitfield and Spencer Carbery put the 16 forwards, 10 defensemen and two goalies through a fast-paced workout.

“We’ve got some kids that can skate. I think we also benefit having seven or eight guys that have played in the system for a bit and are used to the pace. We’ve got some hockey players that like to skate and play fast. I think that’s what you saw,’’ Leach said after the one-hour-plus workout.

Thursday’s drills emphasized skating and competing, with systems taking a backseat.

“You don’t want to overwhelm them with information but at the same time if we can provide them with a little bit of structure, just so that when they go out there tomorrow afternoon, they’re not either frozen or their heads are spinning,” said Leach.

“We had some D zone coverage and maybe a breakout structure, as well. That’s really all you can do if you have 55 minutes.”

Bjork turns on jets

Some of the best wheels on the ice on Thursday belonged to Anders Bjork.

“That’s the third time I’ve seen him and every time I walk away and say, whoa, I never played like that,” said Leach.

“He’s obviously got exceptional ability with reading things. He’s got that ability to be inside people and he makes these nice little plays that not a lot of people can make. Every day he keeps doing it. For him, he’s just got to get comfortable with the pro game.

“He’ll be playing against bigger guys and stronger guys.  His ability to learn to get inside those bigger, stronger guys is going to be his key to getting where he wants to go. Today he looked pretty good,” he said.

Leach understands the buzz surrounding Bjork, who gave up his senior year at Notre Dame to sign with Boston.

“With guys like that, it’s real easy to get excited. I get it. I see it. Everybody sees it,  but at the end of the day, in fairness to the kid, we try to take it step by step the best we can,” Leach said.

“He’s probably got a lot coming at him right now and that sort of ability does lend to some fanfare and it can get to you. For us, I think our hope is that we can provide him with structure, (make sure) he’s comfortable with his teammates and he can go out there and do what he does.”

For his part, Bjork has been checking in regularly with his buddies at Notre Dame.

“Some of my closest friends are still there. I’ve been talking to them and seeing how that team’s doing , how practices are going, conditioning and tests and stuff. I’ve been kind of making jokes with them about doing homework and stuff like that,” he said.

Grzelcyk gaining

After a good rookie season with Providence (including a two-game NHL callup) and a summer of training, Matt Grzelcyk has gained in both confidence and weight.

“I was able to put on 6-7 pounds, which is what I’ve been wanting to do for a while,” he said.

In his second prospects challenge, the 175-pound Grzelcyk is more comfortable.

“Last year I didn’t know what to expect. I was a little wide-eyed. Coming in here and knowing how everything operates, even something as simple as knowing some of the guys and the staff, it makes a big difference. Just playing more confident and trying to be more of a leader this year,” he said.

He has a fan in Leach.

“I love Grizzy. He’s a hockey player.  He’s undersized but he’s not afraid to play defense. He’s got a nice stick, he can skate and he’s obviously offensive. He’s got a lot of tools there. Like we’ve said with some of these other guys, they’ve just got to figure out a niche. Everyone’s different. He might be a combination of a Tory Krug and a Jared Spurgeon,” said Leach.

Boudrias looks good

Six-foot-four undrafted winger Shawn Boudrias made a positive impression on Day 1.

“He looked pretty good. Made some nice moves, took the puck to the net,” Leach said.

Boudrias, 18, scored a total of 17 goals for Charlottetown and Gatineau of the QMJHL last season. He was picked 13th overall in the first round of the QMJHL Draft in 2015.

Bruins vs. Pens

Boston and Pittsburgh are scheduled to face off at 3:30 on Friday. The game will be streamed on penguins.nhl.com. Leach said he was undecided on his lineup.

Just a couple of more days until the Bruins and Penguins rookies face off in the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, and it feels like we are entering uncharted waters.

I honestly can’t recall another year where there was this much anticipation and excitement over a crop of Bruins prospects.

On Friday, we’ll begin to learn more about the kids and start to find out who is a prospect and who is a suspect, who will be able to contribute at the NHL level and who can’t, now and down the road.

A handful of players suiting up in Buffalo – let’s start with Charlie McAvoy and Anders Bjork –  likely will be in Boston’s lineup against Nashville on opening night a month from now. If everything goes as hoped, they will step right in and contribute.

Most of the the young guys, to state the obvious, will spend the year in Providence.

If they don’t make the big club out of camp – and I’m not ruling anyone out at this point — will second-year pros such as Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Sean Kuraly, Rob O’Gara and Matt Grzelcyk continue to make progress?

How will the likes of McAvoy, Bjork, Jesse Gabrielle, Zach Senyshyn, Jacob Forsbacka Karlsson, Jakub Zboril and Jeremy Lauzon fare in their first full season of pro hockey?

A few more questions to ponder before the puck drops:

Can McAvoy pick up where he left off in the postseason?

I don’t see why not. I believe he will be in the discussion for the Calder Trophy by season’s end.

Is Bjork ready for full-time NHL duty? 

I like his chances, but you never know. The Boston lineup needs the speed and skill that he showed off at development camp in July.

Darkhorse candidate to impress in Buffalo: Ryan Fitzgerald gets my vote. The Boston College alumnus played well in Providence at the end of last season. It says here that he’ll keep that up.

What will the first power-play unit be on Friday?

I’m going with McAvoy and Grzelcyk up top, JFK as the bumper, Bjork on right wing and Heinen on the left.

How does Boston’s young talent stack up?

This weekend will provide a good measuring stick as to how good Boston’s young players are. Prospects like Nico Hischier and Will Butcher of the Devils, Alex Nylander of the Sabres and Daniel Sprong of the Penguins should be there. It will be interesting to see how Boston’s guys look in comparison.

When will David Pastrnak’s contract be straightened out?

Okay, this one doesn’t have anything to do with what happens at the Prospects Challenge. Still, it’s a question that is on everyone’s mind these days. Simply put, Pastrnak has to be signed and ready to go on opening night. The success or failure of the Bruins season might depend on it.

Catching up as the clock runs out on August:

— Former Providence College captain Tim Schaller was a nice feel-good story for the Bruins in 2016-17.

After spending the better part of three seasons  shuffling between Rochester and Buffalo, the New Hampshire native was in the NHL with Boston from the start of the regular season all the way through to the final game of the playoffs.

He was one of the last cuts in training camp and cleared waivers, but spent only a day in Providence before being recalled just before the season opener when Patrice Bergeron went down with an injury.

The hard-working Schaller went on to carve out a bottom-six niche for himself and earned a one-year, one-way, $775,000 contract for 2017-18. It’s the first one-way deal of his career.

Generous with his time, the 26-year-old was back on the ice at Schneider Arena last week working with youngsters from the Junior Friars as part of Toby O’Brien’s Ocean State Hockey.

One full season does not an established NHL player make, and with training camp set to open on Sept. 14, Schaller knows he’s in no position to take anything for granted.

“I’m kind of glad I don’t feel established. It’s one of those things – it makes me work that much harder every day to be established. I don’t think I’m there yet, which is a good mindset to have. It makes me push that much harder every day,’’ he said.

There  will be competition in camp for roster slots from young players up from Providence. Schaller knows what he has to do.

“My mentality needs to be that everyone starts with a clean slate. I need to go in there and be better than the guys I’m fighting with for a spot,’’ he said.

“Hopefully I can stick all year again this year – without the 24-hour send-down.’’

— Dave Creighton enjoyed a long and productive playing career, starting with the Boston Bruins in 1948-49 and ending with the Providence Reds in 1968-69.

Creighton, whose son Adam is a scout for the Boston Bruins, passed away at age 87 on Aug. 18.

I called my friend Buster Clegg, president of the R.I. Reds Heritage Society, to get some perspective on Creighton’s time in Providence.

Clegg, who was assistant general manager in the mid- to late ‘60s, recalled the day in November 1965 when GM Fernie Flaman traded Ed McQueen to the Baltimore Clippers, run by longtime Reds player, coach and executive Terry Reardon, in exchange for Creighton.

McQueen, a steady player and a fan favorite, was on the verge of tears, Clegg said.

After finishing out the 1965-66 season as a player only, Creighton took over as player/coach /GM for the next two seasons, then was a coach/GM only in 1969-70.

The Reds, without an NHL affiliate, had a terrible team when Creighton arrived.  The low point was ’66-67 when they went 13-46-13.

“We had a miserable team. Absolutely bad. We couldn’t win on the road,’’ said Clegg.

He wasn’t exaggerating.

The Reds set an AHL record that probably will never be broken by going winless in all 36 of their road games in ’66-67. The road winless streak stretched into ‘67-68 and reached a record 64 games – 0-57-7.

It finally ended on Dec. 30, 1967 in Hershey.

“Dave said to me the afternoon of the game, ‘What do you think if we started (backup goalie) Ross Brooks, give Marcel (Paille) a night off?’’’ said Clegg.

“I said, ‘That couldn’t hurt with a record like we have.’  Brooksie came through. Jimmy Mikol came through,’’ in a Reds win, Clegg said.

“ That changed the complexion of the team and their attitude toward winning on the road.’’

Creighton presided over a Reds revival that season, going from 13 wins to 30.

The Reds needed a win at home on the last night of the season to get into the playoffs.

“It gives me goose bumps to think about it. We played Terry (Reardon and the Clippers) and we beat them. We had over 6,000 people, I believe, in the building. They were all over the place,’’ said Clegg.

Creighton had a season for the ages, centering a line with Eddie Kachur (47 goals) and Brian Perry (31 goals). The player/coach put up 22-53-75 in 72 games.

He won the Les Cunningham Award as AHL MVP even though he wasn’t a first-team all-star and finished tied for 10^th in points.

In the playoffs, Providence lost its first game against Springfield. “In the second game, Dave was outstanding, the best player on the ice,’’ said Clegg.

The Reds went on to win the next three games and take the best-of-five series before losing to Quebec in the second round.

“Dave was a prince to work with, absolutely.  He was a quiet leader. His strength was leadership by example,’’ said Clegg. “The players knew he was busting his backside out there to make something out of nothing.’’

The Neponset Valley River Rats jamboree is all grown up. Not that long ago it was just a handful of teams of varying skill levels playing at Foxboro. Now it is much more than that. Some of the top teams in the Northeast are invited, it is played in the Big House in Marlboro and it is a fitting kickoff to the U15, U16 and U18 season.

While spending some quality time there on Monday, I chatted up some NHL guys and came away with five prep kids who will be getting looks from the scouts this fall and winter. These aren’t the only five, of course. Other players will emerge as the season goes on, but we’ll start with these guys.

D Peter Diliberatore, U-18 Yale and Salisbury. He is a Quinnipiac commit.

D Jordan Harris, KUA, a Northeastern commit.

D Mike Kesselring, New Hampton and NH Avalanche, a Merrimack commit.

F Aidan McDonough, Thayer and Cape Cod Whalers, a Northeastern commit.

F Jay O’Brien, Thayer and Cape Cod Whalers, a Providence College commit.

The River Rats jamboree starts tomorrow morning. It’s the unofficial start of the 17-18 season, at least for U15, U16 and U18 teams. There’s a pretty good chance that I’ll have a thought or two by later in the day.