Going into their final game before the Olympic Break, the Boston Bruins were looking to collect some points before a three-week break of game action. They knew going in that the Florida Panthers were a desperate team, nine points behind them in the standings for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.
Playing from behind is not a recipe for success for the Black and Gold. They dug themselves two holes, but were able to overcome them not once, but twice. They got third-period goals from Casey Mittlestadt and Mark Kastelic to force overtime before Florida picked up the extra point in the shootout.
Bruins special teams were a near failure
When the Bruins are rolling, their special teams are playing well. That was not the case against the Panthers. Let's start with the power play. Boston had seven chances in the game and failed to connect until Casey Mittlestadt scored on their sixth chance midway through the third period to even the score. Yes, they had some golden chances, including Viktor Arvidsson, who whiffed on an open net, but they couldn't find the back of the net until late. To compound matters, they allowed a shorthanded goal in the second period to Anton Lundell. They almost gave up another one late in the third.
As for the penalty kill, it's rather amazing how well the Panthers get under the Bruins skin and bait them into penalties. It never fails. The Bruins take the bait. They did at the end of the first period when Nikita Zadorov picked up a slashing penalty, which led to an early second-period power-play goal from Lundell. Matthew Tkachuk added a power-play goal in the second period shortly after Lundell's.
Bruins desperately need the Olympic Break
Look, the Bruins are dealing with injuries to Zacha and Elias Lindholm. They avoided disaster with a cheap shot on Charlie McAvoy in the first period to the head with an elbow. However, Boston has been undisciplined in the last two games, which has cost them. They have let the officials get into their heads, as well as the Panthers and Lightning.
Some players are going to play in the Olympics, but everyone else can stand to get away from the rink, spend time with their family, and reset before returning to practice. It is needed.
Marco Sturm struggles in shoot out choices
I'm not sure how Marco Sturm goes about making decisions in shootouts, but they're just not good ones. He had Viktor Arvidsson, Marat Khusnutdinov, Charlie McAvoy, and Mittelstadt take the chances. It's amazing they scored one as Arvidsson's shot was stopped by Sergi Bobrovsky, but the puck trickled into the net off his pad.
Brad Marchand, of course, won it in the fourth round for the Panthers, but my goodness, the Bruins had a chance to win it on the third shot, and Sturm sends out McAvoy? What are we even doing here? These second points are no joke, coming at the end of the season. Remember these decisions.