How a near-fight in Boston Bruins practice helped inspire Game 5 revival

BOSTON — Sean Kuraly and Andrew Peeke were already annoyed. On April 27, the two Boston Bruins were practicing at Warrior Ice Arena the day after their 6-1 Game 4 embarrassment against the Buffalo Sabres. It could have been the final practice of the 2025-26 season.Then came a battle drill.Peeke and Kuraly are good friends. They were Columbus Blue Jackets teammates for parts of three seasons. Peeke wore No. 52, Kuraly’s number during his first Bruins tour, when he was acquired from the Blue Jackets. After Kuraly signed with the Bruins last summer, Peeke switched to No. 26, giving No. 52 back to his buddy.In that moment, none of this mattered.The way Kuraly remembered it, Peeke was holding his stick and not letting go. Kuraly got angry.“I kind of pushed his helmet off,” Kuraly admitted.“He may or may not have pulled my helmet off,” Peeke said with a smile. “That’s unconfirmed.”Advertisement