The Boston Bruins were trying to win back-to-back for the first time in a month on Saturday afternoon at the TD Garden against the New York Rangers, the last team they won two in a row against at Madison Square Garden back on Feb. 11 and 13.
Unfortunately for the Black and Gold, they were flat from the drop of the puck and lost 4-0. Here are some notes and takeaways as the Rangers flipped the script on the Bruins in less than 48 hours after losing 4-0 themselves Thursday night.
Bruins notes from Saturday’s game.
- Jake DeBrusk, coming off his best game of the season with his first 5-on-5 goal after being a healthy scratch Tuesday night, missed the game because of the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. He is the second Boston player forced to miss a game because of protocols after Charlie Coyle missed a March 3 game against the Washington Capitals for the same reason. DeBrusk practiced Friday, so it will be fingers crossed for the Bruins that nobody else has to enter the protocols in the coming days. Beginning Monday, the B’s have three games in four nights.
- Before Saturday’s game, the Bruins called up goalie Jeremy Swayman and forwards Anton Blidh and Greg McKegg from the Providence Bruins. If Tuukka Rask is not able to play in one of the back-to-back games Monday and Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Steel City, then Jaroslav Halak will start one of the games, and either Dan Vladar or Swayman will play in the other.
- Veteran defensemen Kevan Miller will join his teammates on the upcoming four-game trip that ends with two games Thursday and next Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 33-year-old Miller has not played in a game since Feb. 18 against the New Jersey Devils because of issues with his surgically repaired knee.
- After making his season debut on Thursday night and playing well, Zach Senyshyn’s spot in the lineup lasted just one game. He was out of action Saturday with an upper-body injury. The Bruins injury list seems to grow by the game.
- Artemi Panarin collected his 10th career assist in the win against Bruins in his 15th career game. He has three goals against the B’s in those games.