Boston Bruins: Are certain players too comfortable with their spots?

The Boston Bruins showed a lack of emotion Tuesday night in Columbus. What needs to change?

The Boston Bruins fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 on Tuesday night in a lifeless affair. Lifeless really is the best way to describe the game, as the Bruins didn’t show much emotion on the second night of a back-to-back.

This was apparent early in the game when Blue Jackets forward Emil Bemstrom hit Tuukka Rask up high in front of the net. Bemstrom pleaded his innocence after the game, but the contact didn’t look accidental.

Rask gingerly skated off and never returned, something nobody wanted to see. With teams like Tampa Bay and Toronto on Boston’s back in the Atlantic, the Bruins need Rask more than ever.

What’s even worse about the whole ordeal, however, is Boston’s response…or lack of response. An opposing player ran the goalie, and the Bruins didn’t do a whole lot about it. They simply went about their business, played their regular game, and lost.

The lack of response from the Bruins is a bit concerning. It’s not so much that nobody stepped up and fought Bemstrom. The bigger issue is that the Bruins showed little energy after their goalie took a questionable hit in the first few minutes.

You’d think that a play like that would galvanize a team and push them over the edge against an opponent. Instead, the Bruins played on as if nothing happened.

This begs the question: are certain players too comfortable with their spots in the lineup? And if so, what can the Bruins do to change that?

Potential lineup changes for the Bruins

We already saw some things change, as Boston waived Brett Ritchie with the purpose of assignment to Providence. Ritchie never showed enough to earn a permanent role on the ice.

Also, Cassidy sent a message to Matt Grzelcyk on Tuesday with a healthy scratch, something he did recently with Danton Heinen.

These moves are a start, but the Bruins need to do more. One thing Cassidy can do is insert Anton Blidh in the lineup. Blidh isn’t a game-breaker, but he definitely plays with an edge. He can be physical and bring emotion to the game, two things Boston can use right now.

Another move Boston can make is bring up Zach Senyshyn or Trent Frederic from Providence. Lean on some young players with something to bring rather than veterans who feel like their spots are safe.

We don’t want to overreact at this point, but Boston’s lead in the Atlantic Division is now only six points. The Bruins need to refocus and re-energize for the second-half of the season. To do this, Cassidy might have to push some buttons.