For the fourth time this season, the Bruins and Montreal Canadiens played a one-goal game Saturday.
For the third time this season, the Bruins were the team that came up one goal short.
Boston dropped a 2-1 decision at Bell Centre. Here’s the NHL.com game recap.
So now everyone’s all in a panic. The Bruins lost three out of four to Montreal. But they were outscored by just two goals over the course of the seasons series. While Montreal has clearly been the better team most of the season — and leads the Northeast Division by three points over the Bruins — the difference between these two teams is quite miniscule, especially when healthy.
The Bruins undoubtedly have to be better. With nearly a minute of 6-on-4 at the end of a game, a team has to get at least one shot on net. Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand cannot go an entire game playing the type of minutes they play without landing a shot on Carey Price.
The Bruins are in a little rut right now. They’re missing Patrice Bergeron and Chris Kelly and trying to integrate Jaromir Jagr into the lineup. They’re still 24-9-4 on the season, which if you combine the losses is still 11 games over .500.
This shortened NHL season, since the Bruins have separated themselves from the pack of teams battling just to get in the playoffs, is all about seeding. Right now, Boston is still in solid position to earn home-ice advantage and the Bruins could still catch Montreal. Of course, Los Angeles proved last season that seeding means nothing.
Boston’s three one-goal losses to Montreal are about as important as its four one-goal wins against Ottawa. They’re a gauge of a team’s ability to grit out two points, and lately the Bruins haven’t been doing. Better to struggle now than three weeks from now when the games really count.
Dr. Peter
That should have read “healthy” scratch regarding Daugavins.
David
I agee, the D was pretty good and I thought Paille and Campell were the best Bruins. If Kelly is out for much more, bring Spooner back up. As well, Caron hustles more than Pandolfo and Daugavins combined.
3putts
If you look at the B’s record, over the last twenty games, they would barely be a playoff team. You need to be firing on a few more cylinders than what they are in order to advance. Sadly, I think there is the potential but this has been Julien/Chiarelli worst year. Borque was given far too much ice time/chances to make it work. Claude talks about the importance of net presence, but doesn’t reflect it his lineup or play time. If Bergeron is done for the year, we will be out the first round for sure.
Dr. Peter
I hope you see why Daugavins was health scratch 19 games out of 32.
I was yelling at the T.V. to shoot the puck for about 30 solid seconds during their 6 on 4 “power play.” Agreed with Daugavans and Pandolfo. It’s very much time to give Spooner a shot. We could also try calling up Caron again since he was at least playing better than either of those two.
Peverly has looked pretty damn terrible too. He needs to sit as much or more than Pandolfo. We know he’s better than that, but wow, he was terrible yesterday. Peverly has been losing all the 1 on 1′s has more giveaways than Publisher’s Clearing House, and when he takes a shot, it seems to have a way of just finding its way out of the rink or onto the opponents’ sticks. I think he’s hustling a lot more than Daugavins or Pandolfo, so I wouln’t be too surprised if he had a nagging injury or something on top of his struggles this year.
On the upside, our D was decent, and the Campbell and Krejci lines were looking good, as was Rask. We still haven’t peaked, but what worries me is what game gets them excited? I mean, the effort wasn’t there for a solid period and a half AND it’s against their most bitter rivals AND it’s for the division lead. If this kind of game doesn’t get you engaged, will the playoffs really do the trick?
I agree. Finishing in the top four is all that matters. We all know that if they lose out in the first round there will be changes. For some guys it will be win or go home. Literally.
Stats from last night’s game;
Daugavinis—
0 hits
0 net presence
0 hustle
he should have been recylced at “Blades of Glory” not the Boston Bruins. To use Big Jim’s reference to Corvo last year, “he sucks”.
Pondolfo
hits–1
net presence-1
hustle– 1/2
He should watch from the sky box for a couple of games.
If Claude/Peter continue with this buffoonery, we should have been sellers, not buyers at the trade deadline. I can only imagine next game, Bartkowski will not dress because a puck hit him in the back and Redden takes his spot. Ottawa recycling moving forward.
Wtf? 6 on 4 and the Bruins won’t shoot the puck!! Seriously, you don’t shoot you don’t score! Did I miss something? Were the Bruins showing how they could play keep away from the Canadiens without shooting or are they on strike? I thought the strike was over, play the F@$&ing game!! Shoot the puck on net, come on boys!!