RECAP: Bruins vs Jets; Bruins Lose 3-1

Mar 19, 2013; Winnipeg, MB, CAN; Boston Bruins forward

(17) carries the puck while Winnipeg Jets forward

(20) chases during the first period at the MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports

Well, the Bruins blew it. And they blew it big time. There’s no excuse for losing this game.

The Bruins had a 1-0 lead going into the third period. It looked as if they would get out of this game with a win, but then the five minute mark came. Jordan Caron took a dumb penalty and Blake Wheeler, better known as the King of Offsides, came through with a great deflection to tie the game on the power play.

At this point, people began to worry. Many people, including myself, had doubt creep into their minds. Others, like myself once again, began to lose their minds.

That’s when all hell broke loose.

The Bruins continued to play well, but once again, not well enough. They began to get sloppy in their own end, and it wasn’t long before it cost them. Evander Kane scored the game winning goal to put the Jets up 2-1 and they never looked back. After that, the Bruins just ran around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off. When you play like that, you can’t expect to be able to tie the game, never mind win it.

That’s a scary statistic.

I’ve been saying this for a while. The Bruins can not be taken seriously as a contender until they learn how to close out games. Any team that thinks they can go into the playoffs with no killer instinct, hoping to win based off of luck and luck alone, is in for a brutal wake up call. Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton were invisible. Rich Peverley was missing in action. Who knows why Jay Pandolfo if Jay Pandolfo was even on the ice.

To add insult to injury, the Bruins lost defenseman Adam McQuaid to an upper body injury early in the first period. After originally returning to the bench, trainer Donny Delnegro took the mullet man to the dressing room, where he would stay for the remainder of the game.

This game was just painful to watch. The third period was especially difficult. It makes so angry, I just want to:

There’s something different about this Bruins team, and it’s not a good thing. The Bruins of the past few years have had a killer instinct; they knew exactly when to put the pedal to the metal and step on the other team’s throats. The 2013 Bruins seem to lack that necessary sixth sense needed if you want to win anything in the National Hockey League. Right now, these Bruins are not going to win anything. They may make the playoffs, but there’s no way they make it past round 2, assuming they even make it past round 1.

The Bruins are far too complacent, and it’s very alarming. They get one goal, an absolute softie, and they think they can sit on their hands and pray they don’t cough up the lead. Four out of their six regulation losses this season have come after blowing third period leads. If this doesn’t set off alarms in Peter Chiarelli’s head, one can only hope alarms go off in Cam Neely‘s head (they probably will).

On the plus side, Ryan Spooner played a very solid game tonight between Lucic and Horton. He couldn’t have been expected to do much in just his second NHL game, but he played a good all around game, bringing the speed and skill that showed in Providence, where he is the team’s leading scorer. He also showed no hesitation in jumping into the little scrum to defend teammate Milan Lucic.

One final note; Why the hell couldn’t Blake Wheeler play the way he has since being dealt to Atlanta/Winnipeg when he was with the Bruins?

Here’s the Causeway Crowd three stars of the game:

3. Ondrej Pavelec, WPG

2. Patrice Bergeron, BOS

1. Blake Wheeler, WPG