After splitting a two-game road trip with an overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets and a loss to the Minnesota Wild, the Boston Bruins kicked off a three-game homestand on Monday night against the Ottawa Senators, which is their only Atlantic Division game of the month.
It was a nightmare from the drop of the puck as the Black and Gold gifted Ottawa four goals in the first 27 minutes of the game on their way to a 4-1 loss and a 2-2-0. The only goal they scored was a third-period strike from James Hagens when he banked home a pass from behind the net. Here are two winners and two losers from Boston's second straight loss in 48 hours.
2 winners and 2 losers from Bruins loss to Senators
Winner: Tim Stutzle
What a night for Tim Stutzle with two goals and an assist. He was gifted both of his first-period goals less than two minutes apart. He took advantage of a David Pastrnak turnover at the offensive blueline and scored on a 2-on-1 shorthanded.
Then, at the end of the same penalty, he broke down the left and fanned on his first shot attempt, but was able to get the loose puck and finished it for a 2-0 lead. Stutzle added an assist in the second period when he sent Drake Batherson in on a breakaway off a James Hagens turnover for a 3-0 lead.
Loser: David Pastrnak
We're four games into the season, and Pastrnak has yet to score a goal. In fact, he hasn't really looked to shoot the puck much. He is looking to be a playmaker more than a goal-scorer, and if that is going to be the case all season long, then this Bruins team is going to end up on the outside looking in for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Not only isn't he scoring, but he had the brutal giveaway in the offensive zone that led to Ottawa's first goal, which started the onslaught of odd-man rushes and goals from the Senators. The longer he goes without a goal, the longer this offense is going to struggle.
Winner: Jeremy Swayman
Listen, there was literally nothing that Jeremy Swayman could have done. He finished with 20 saves, but the four goals he allowed were all off unnecessary turnovers by his teammates. The score could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for Swayman. He gave his bench a glare after the poor defensive zone play by his teammates that led to Ottawa's fourth goal. Nothing that happened on Monday was Swayman's fault in terms of the four Senators' goals.
Loser: Hampus Lindholm
If you thought Pastrnak's giveaway was bad in the first period, Hampus Lindholm's wasn't much better. At the end of the same power play Ottawa scored on, he made a bad pass at the offensive blueline, which led to Stutzle's second goal. As if that wasn't bad enough, in the third period, he nearly gifted Shane Pinto an empty-net goal when he went to move the puck from behind the net, and it ended up in front of an empty Boston net. Pavel Zacha prevented a goal with a nice backcheck.
Just a friendly reminder that Charlie McAvoy is still suspended for two more games to begin the season. That means more ice time for Lindholm on the back end.
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