The Boston Bruins wrapped up their road trip with a sense of déjà vu after another tough overtime loss, this time against the Montreal Canadiens. Coming off a stinging 4-3 overtime defeat to the New Jersey Devils, the Bruins were eager to snag a win and climb the Atlantic Division standings. Instead, they faced another heartbreaker, falling 4-3 in OT as Cole Caulfield sealed the deal with just 22 seconds left.
Let’s dive into the key takeaways from this frustrating outing.
Defensive Zone Struggles Continue
It’s a familiar story for the Bruins: trouble with puck possession in their own zone. This recurring issue reared its head again, leading to costly goals for Montreal. Despite leading 1-0 in the first period, a miscue at the blueline saw Andrew Peeke’s pass to Pavel Zacha go awry, setting up Nick Suzuki for a slick backhander to tie it up.
The second period was no different. With a 2-1 lead, the Bruins failed to clear the puck multiple times, allowing Josh Anderson to redirect a shot past Swayman, knotting the game at 2-2. These lapses in puck management are proving to be a thorn in Boston’s side.
Power Play Woes
The Bruins’ power play woes continued to plague them. They started strong with Zacha capitalizing on a double minor, but things quickly unraveled.
Despite two more power play opportunities in the second period, Boston failed to register a single shot. Even worse, they allowed a breakaway that forced Swayman into making a spectacular save.
This lack of execution on the power play is something the Bruins need to address moving forward.
A Road Trip of Mixed Results
Securing four out of a possible six points on this trip is a positive takeaway, especially given their struggles on the road this season. Though they’re still below .500 away from TD Garden, every point counts at this stage.
However, the Bruins will be left wondering what could have been. They had control early in the overtime against Montreal, with Zacha missing a golden opportunity on a breakaway. The Canadiens capitalized on the Bruins’ missed chance, delivering a gut-wrenching blow with Caulfield’s game-winner.
As the season progresses, the Bruins will need to tighten up their play in critical areas. With the playoffs looming, addressing these issues could be the difference between early exits and a deep run.