2. Better games from Brandan Carlo and Torey Krug
Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo both had tough games in front of Rask last time out against Montreal. This needs to change for the Bruins to have more success.
Krug and Carlo each finished with a -3 rating. That’s certainly not something with which the Bruins can live.
Plus/minus doesn’t always tell the whole story, so let’s look at some advanced stats. Krug’s CF% was 63.8%, which is actually above his season average.
Carlo’s CF%, on the other hand, was 40%. This means that when he was on the ice, the Bruins surrendered more shots on goal than they had. As a defensive-defenseman, the Bruins need stronger, more reliable play from Carlo.
In addition, Carlo finished the game without a hit or blocked shot. He must be more engaged and physical against the Canadiens forwards on Tuesday night.
The Bruins typically don’t expect that same level of defense from Krug, as he is more of an offensive-defenseman. He did in fact have a power play assist against Montreal.
That said, Krug plays on the second defense pairing for Boston, so he can’t be on the ice for three goals against.