The ugly: Bruins spend whole game chasing
The Boston Bruins spent the whole game chasing the Philadelphia Flyers, despite it being a Bruins home game and despite the fact their opponent had faced the Maple Leafs the night before.
Given the circumstances, you’d expect that the Flyers would be able to come out strong, but equally you’d also expect a Boston Bruins side with an extra day of rest to come out hard and take the game to their opponent, especially at TD Garden.
Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy put it best when asked about Boston’s start post-game:
"“Why was it poor? I don’t think we had enough urgency, would be the simple answer. We weren’t breaking pucks out, got stuck below our goal line … we never got an opportunity to sort of put them on their heels, in any way, shape or form. So as a result, they’re on their toes, they get a lead, we’re chasing the game.” (NHL.com)"
After conceding the first goal of the game, the Bruins weren’t able to capitalise on the power-play, conceded another and things just didn’t seem to be working for them.
It was one of those nights where things seemed to be working out well; Boston had a penalty shot awarded, after all, but even that went awry. Red-hot winger David Pastrnak wasn’t able to put that one away. Likewise, Connor Clifton put the puck home in the second period only for ‘goaltender interference’ cause it to be revoked.
The Bruins eventually did claw back some semblance of a result, taking the game to over-time but again, they spent most of their time chasing.
Especially as David Krejci found himself sitting in the box for two minutes of over-time courtesy of a ‘too many men’ call. The saving grace was that they defended well and limited the efforts on the shot clock in spite of the man-advantage to their opposition.
On a night that you spend the whole game chasing a lead, chasing a chance, chasing the puck, it’s almost inevitable that you end up losing. To do so but still earn a point in the standings is perhaps the best result the Bruins could’ve wished for.