Out of the lineup vs. Utah, Sean Kuraly has taken a positive approach: head down, and full steam ahead

Bruins center Sean Kuraly showed up to put in his work at Warrior Ice Arena, even though he was not in the lineup for Thursday night's game against the Mammoth.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

Sean Kuraly hopped on to the sheet at Warrior Ice Arena for Thursday’s morning skate with the same energy he brings to every Bruins workout.

“I was out on the ice today. It’s the best part of my day,” said Kuraly, an anchor of Boston’s heavy, forechecking fourth line the last two seasons. “Being around my teammates, just being around the locker room and then you go home and you leave it here and you show up tomorrow and just keep stacking them.”

Kuraly was out of the lineup for the second straight game Thursday night as the Bruins routed the Mammoth at TD Garden. The veteran center’s normal spot was given to Matt Poitras as part of Marco Sturm’s early-season experimenting.

As disappointed as he is at not being in the lineup, Kuraly is not one to pout or complain. The 11-year veteran is coming to work with the same approach he’s always had. Full steam ahead and team first.

“It was the first thing I said when I had the conversation [with Sturm], ‘The last thing you’re going to see is me in here walking around with some attitude of trying to look a certain way,’ ” said Kuraly. “Come on, I’m not happy I’m not in the lineup. You’d be crazy to think anything else. But I’m not going to be a distraction. I think I’m at my best when I’m being myself and everyone in here knows that.”

Kuraly said he’s seen examples of how players react to sitting. The way former Bruin David Backes carried himself during a similar spell always stuck with him.

“I think I’ve been lucky. I’ve been in this locker room a long time and I’ve seen some really good examples,” said Kuraly. “I think he was just an actual example of how to handle himself in all situations with that one — especially in a position you don’t want to find yourself in. But here we are in another challenge and another opportunity to just be who you are and show that to your teammates.”

Kuraly is making the best of a situation that is not ideal because he knows, as a leader, he can continue to set an example for his teammates. Including Poitras, the guy skating in his stead.

“You can say all you want. No one gives a crap what you say. It’s what are you doing? So now you go through something like this and then someone else is in my position in a month or two or three and do you have a little more standing to look at and be like, ‘Hey, how are we handling this?’ ” said Kuraly. “I think I have an opportunity to set an example and whether I agree that this is my example to set or not, that’s not what we’re talking about here. I think it’s just the fact of the situation. I think it’s less about thinking and getting caught up in this or that or the reason for what’s going to happen or what is happening. It’s more about waking up today and let’s keep going and enjoy these parts of it that I enjoy.”

After he was held out of the lineup against the Mammoth Thursday night, Sean Kuraly (right) showed up and went right back to work after his straightforward and honest chat with Bruins coach Marco Sturm.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

Kuraly appreciated the straightforward and honest chat he had in his meeting with Sturm, who acknowledged he’s been on the other side of the situation as a former player.

“He’s been handling [it] pretty well. I mean, obviously he’s very upset and I think might be his first time ever [being sat]. I don’t know. I have been in those shoes and it’s not fun, especially as an older guy to have to sit,” said Sturm. “But for me, personally, I always try to be honest with my players, but he took it real well and I can see it already in practice.

“He’s having a good jump, and he already told me he’s going to push hard to get somebody out of the lineup and that’s what I want.”

First time for everything

In surging to a 3-0 first-quarter lead over the Mammoth, the Bruins recorded a number of firsts with Casey Mittelstadt (10:06), David Pastrnak (power play, 14:22) and Mason Lohrei (15:51) all tallying their first goals of the season. Not to be outdone, James Hagens, Frederic Brunet, and Poitras were credited, respectively, with their first assists of the season . . . It was more of the same in the second period. After Pastrnak scored his second goal of the game (power play, 4:40) for a 4-0 lead, Morgan Geekie (power play, 7:57) and Poitras (14:08) also tallied their first goals of the season. In both instances, Pastrnak was credited with the helpers, giving him four on the season . . . JJ Peterka, who collected 25 goals and 47 points with the Mammoth last season, skated on a line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov against his old team. “Maybe with Fraser and Kooz can get him a little bit more offense,” said Sturm. Peterka wound up going scoreless and was held without a shot on goal in 12:28 of ice time . . . When asked why his stay in Utah was a short one, Peterka said, “I think overall just the fit maybe wasn’t there. Then, I also wasn’t playing my best hockey probably. I wasn’t really, really happy with myself the way I played.” . . . The Bruins play their first matinee Saturday when they host the Flyers at 1 p.m. The team will then take off for its longest road trip of the season, an 11-day, four-game journey with stops in San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Dallas.