Boston Bruins Weekly Predictions: End Of The Road
This week will cap off the longest road trip the Boston Bruins have had this season. At this point, most would see the longest road trip of the season as a good sign for the Bruins since their record away from home has just been that good. Lately, however, it hasn’t been whether or not the Bruins win or lose their games; it has been more about how they have won or lost. When they have won, it has been overly decisive and when they have lost it has been embarrassing.
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This week needs to result in the Bruins leaving the circus tent and playing in games that don’t have the winning team scoring more than five goals. They play the Columbus Blue Jackets and then two more Western Conference teams in the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars. Returning to a defensive minded structure for a complete sixty minutes is what this team needs to do first and foremost if they wish to finish off this road trip strong.
Bruins v Blue Jackets
Similar to how the Bruins handled the Winnipeg Jets after allowing nine goals against the Los Angeles Kings, expect Boston to respond in this game after allowing six goals to the Detroit Red Wings. The loss on Sunday stung even more since it was in regulation against a team that is literally running right beside the Bruins in the Atlantic and Eastern Conference standings race.
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The lack of discipline and awareness that was displayed on the ice in that game will be addressed in practice and hopefully refined by the time the puck drops for this one. With Jonas Gustavsson replacing Tuukka Rask against Detroit, I would like to see Rask start this game just to get right back into the mix. The Boston Bruins will still carry some carelessness into this game, but it won’t be enough for Columbus to take advantage of. I see the Bruins winning 3 to 1.
Bruins v Predators
With Tuukka Rask playing against Columbus, I have Jonas Gustavsson taking this game against the Nashville Predators. Nashville is in the thick of it in the Western Conference much like the Bruins are in the East. They will want this game and will go the distance with Boston, though 3 on 3 overtime, all the way to the shootout. This is a feeling that I got right away, but the harder question for me to answer is who comes out with the extra point.
Puck Prose
The Boston Bruins have been decent in the shootout with a 4 to 1 record, but Nashville has only had three shootouts this year and has won two of them. Unfortunately, my gut is telling me that old nemesis Mike Ribeiro might come back to haunt the Bruins this night with an annoyingly crafty goal that either seals the deal or helps the process. 3 to 2 in a shootout, in favor of Nashville, is my pick for this match.
Bruins v Stars
The Dallas Stars have slowed down a little bit from the early season dominance they provided the league with. However, that does not mean that they are any easier to beat. At this point in the road trip, the Boston Bruins will be exhausted, not receiving more than one day off for some time. The fatigue will show and will be quickly used against them by a team that you can not afford to fall asleep at the wheel against.
At the very least, I hope that this game doesn’t get out of hand, and with Tuukka Rask in net, I certainly hope that it doesn’t result in another highlight reel package of save after save only to be followed by a goal which makes all of the amazing saves mean nothing. Having said that, this game has all the ingredients to get out of hand. It’s a far cry from 9 to 2, but I do see the Bruins losing to the Stars, 5 to 1.
Next: Believe In The Young Defensemen
What I’m thinking will happen this week is very similar to last week. The Bruins will not look good in the losses they receive, but will somehow continue to pick up points along the way. If Boston can finish this road trip with at least three of a possible six points, like I predict they will, I will be content with that. Obviously, a .500 record from now on won’t be enough to remain in the playoffs, but for this week, I’ll take it.
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