Boston, We Have a Problem

For the fourth time in five games this season, the Boston Bruins lost to the New Jersey Devils. For the second consecutive game at the TD Garden and for the second time in three weeks, the Black and Gold were shutout, 1-0.

At the beginning of the season, the Bruins were picked to win the newly aligned East Division for the 2021 season. Now, they are hanging onto the fourth and final playoff spot in the division by three points and are by no means a lock to extend their season past the May 11 regular-season finale.

To be honest, the Bruins were lucky on Saturday to come back and beat the Buffalo Sabres, 3-2, with a pair of third-period goals. Boston is missing some key pieces to their lineup, but good teams responded through adversity, and right now, Boston is not doing that. Here are some takeaways from another frustrating loss to the Devils Sunday night.

• The Bruins appeared to tie the game with just over a minute left in regulation when Patrice Bergeron jumped on a loose puck and buried it. New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff challenged the goal for goaltender interference and was successful.
• New Jersey goalie Mackenzie Blackwood stopped all 40 shots by the Bruins, but his best save was his last. With 8.2 seconds remaining and the Bruins crashing the net, the rebound of a shot deflected off the back of a Devils’ defensemen and was heading for the back of the net when Blackwood kicked the puck off the goal line. It was reviewed again by the officials, but deemed that the puck never fully crossed the line.

• Brad Marchand has missed the last two games because of COVID-19 protocols. In the second period, Bruins fans held their breath as Bergeron took an elbow to face from Trent Frederic and headed off the ice and right to the locker room. He returned for the third period.
• One of Boston’s strengths last season was their power play. This season, not so much. Trailing 1-0 in the third period, the Bruins got a four-minute power play when New Jersey’s Janne Kuokkanen high-sticked Charlie McAvoy. For the second time in three games, the Bruins failed to capitalize. Thursday against the New York Islanders, the B’s didn’t score on a four-minute man advantage, with a 2-0 lead. The Isles scored as the penalty expired, which allowed them to stay in the game and rally for an overtime win.
• It’s clear the Bruins have an issue scoring and unless general manager Don Sweeney addresses the issue by the trade deadline, it is not guaranteed that they make the playoffs. They have been shutout three times this season already in 31 games, while last season in 70 games, they were shutout once. Coach Bruce Cassidy sounded like a man in his postgame press conference sending smoke signals to the front office. We will see if Sweeney & Co. were listening.

• Boston is 8-4-2 at the TD Garden this season. In three of the four regulation losses, they have been shutout. Twice by the Devils and once by the New York Rangers.

The seven-game homestand continues Tuesday night against the Devils. Can the Bruins score an even-strength goal finally against New Jersey? Your guess is as good as mine.