Can the Bruins Salvage the Final Game in New York?

That good feeling that the Boston Bruins had following their 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Lake Tahoe is a distant memory following their last performances in New York.

Thursday night against the New York Islanders, tied 2-2 going into the third period, the Bruins imploded in the final 20 minutes giving up five goals in a 7-2 drubbing by the Isles. Twenty-four hours later at Madison Square Garden, the Bruins gave up three-second period goals, including two 12 seconds apart in the final 1:08 of the period for a 4-1 deficit heading into the second intermission on their way to a 6-2 defeat to the New York Rangers.

Can the Bruins salvage the final game of their three-game road trip through New York?

After a day off Saturday, the Bruins will look to win the final game of their three-game, four-day road trip with their fourth and final game of the season at MSG against the Rangers in a matinee beginning at noon.

If the Bruins are going to break their two-game funk, in which has seen them play some of their worst hockey of the season, they’ll have to do it against a Rangers team that put together one of their better efforts of the season.

From the opening faceoff Friday night, the Blue Shirts were physical against a B’s team that played the night before. They also were also being physical with David Pastrnak.

In order to head home with a victory Sunday afternoon, it would be in the Black and Gold’s best interest to get ahead and stay ahead, something the Rangers did Friday night before pulling away. Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand scored both Boston goals Friday night and the Bruins also would benefit big time from offensive production from their bottom-nine forwards.

The Bruins power play has struggled in recent games and it will not be an easy task trying to get it right against a Rangers team that has been killing penalties near flawlessly as of late and has moved up to eighth in the NHL.

Is it time to panic? No way. Like every other team, the Bruins have some key injuries to some key pieces and they have spent most of the first six weeks of the season on the road. All teams go through their rough patches, even during a shortened 56-game regular season. Sooner or later they will figure it out and this afternoon would be a good time to do it and wrapping up their trip on a positive note.