“They’ve had our number — we haven’t beaten these guys.”
It will take at least another month for the Stanley Cup Playoffs to start.
However, the Bruins will face many litmus tests in the last half of the season to gauge their postseason readiness.
Beginning with the Rangers game at home on Thursday, eight of Boston’s remaining twelve regular-season games are against teams that will make the playoffs, including two matchups with the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes.
The Bruins vs. Blueshirts game on Thursday was billed as a contest between the two best teams in the Atlantic and Metro Divisions, providing Jim Montgomery’s squad with a much-needed benchmark.
In light of the above, it was not shocking that Boston’s bench manager gave brief explanations for the Bruins’ lack of success against a strong Cup candidate, particularly at home.
When asked if he was shocked by Boston’s lack of resistance in a 5-2 loss to New York, Montgomery responded, “Yes.” “Disappointed and surprised.”
Demoralizing losses have occasionally dogged Boston’s 2023–24 campaign, particularly when it comes to preserving third-period leads and making the most of three-on-three overtime situations.
But given the Bruins’ stellar record versus playoff opponents and the type of game that left them perplexed in a possible postseason preview, Thursday’s loss could have been the most depressing blow for Boston in weeks.
After the game, Jake DeBrusk remarked, “We knew it was a big game.” “Clearly, they’ve had our number; we haven’t overcome them. Therefore, I don’t believe that the emotions were a question at all. I believe all we needed to do was respond to their pressure, which we didn’t do.
The Boston Bruins’ inconsistent play since the All-Star break has been encouraged by the idea that this squad can improve against elite opponents on any given night. However, Thursday marked the team’s first regulation loss against a playoff opponent since January 24 (3-2 to Carolina).
Even though Jeremy Swayman’s poor play (26 saves on 29 shots) and expensive puck handling errors won’t look well on film, Boston’s failure to get to inside the ice against a strong Rangers team should raise major concerns.
The Rangers created 13 high-danger looks over 50:29 of 5-on-5 ice time, while the Bruins managed only four high-danger scoring opportunities despite two goals each from DeBrusk and Justin Brazeau.
When questioned about whether Boston’s difficulties skating to inside the ice were due to weariness, Montgomery responded, “We should not be tired.” And I don’t believe their defense is reflected in it. We simply weren’t attacking center ice, where we ought to be able to gain a lot of ground.
The Bruins have a number of shortcomings, much like any other NHL team. Over a lengthy period of time, two anticipated pillars of Boston’s success this season have crumbled.
The Bruins’ 5v5 defensive zone structure is giving up 11.29 high-danger scoring opportunities per 60 minutes, which is 18th in the NHL. Asking your goalies to save you from countless Grade-A opportunities is an unsustainable strategy, especially if Swayman has given up 12 goals in his last three games.
Boston still has four weeks to strengthen some defensive positions and restore Swayman’s form.
In the event that the Bruins are incapable or unwilling to compete for Grade-A ice, it is not encouraging for when the task becomes even more difficult in the postseason.
