The Bruins took a hit in Bleacher Report’s latest power rankings, but not enough to knock them out of the league’s top tier.
Boston had been sitting at No. 1 before last week’s two-game road trip, only to drop both contests to the Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues while getting outscored 6-2. That slide was followed by a return to TD Garden, where Marco Sturm’s team needed extra time in both of its home games to keep the wins coming.
Against Chicago, the Bruins erased a late third-period deficit with goals from Mason Lohrei and Morgan Geekie before Elias Lindholm finished it off on a breakaway in overtime. Then on Monday night, Boston built a 2-0 lead on Vegas, watched the Golden Knights claw back to tie it in the third, and eventually won 3-2 when David Pastrnak scored the lone goal in the shootout.
That stretch was enough for Lyle Fitzsimmons to move Boston down three spots to No. 4 in his newest rankings. Carolina jumped to No. 1, with the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild slotting in behind them.
Still, Fitzsimmons made it clear the Bruins remain a force, writing: "The Bruins kept October momentum into November, defeating Vegas on Monday for their sixth straight home win. Boston hasn't lost at the TD Garden since October 5. The team's 29 home wins last season were tied for the top in the league.''
The schedule now tilts heavily toward home ice for Boston, with nine of its 11 November games set for TD Garden. The Bruins have already opened that run with the Vegas win, but tougher tests are coming as the month rolls on. Florida, Montreal, Minnesota, Toronto, Jake DeBrusk, and Vancouver are all on the slate.
Boston’s only road games this month are Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins and, a couple of weeks later, a trip to face former teammate Viktor Arvidsson and the Detroit Red Wings.
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Bruins Fast Start Has Created A Bigger Question In Boston
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Still, the bigger question in Boston is whether this pace can survive the grind that comes later. Fast starts are one thing in the NHL, but holding position through injuries, road trips and the long middle of the schedule is another, and the Bruins have already shown enough to invite that conversation. For now, the early returns have put them in a favorable spot, but the real test is whether this version of Boston can keep answering the same questions well into the season. [Read more 🡒]