After winning two of their first three games to begin the 2026-27 season, the Boston Bruins were looking to pick up a win in their first Atlantic Division game of the season and their only one this month against the Ottawa Senators.
Former goalie Linus Ullmark returned to the place he called home for three years before general manager Don Sweeney traded him to the Senators and had one of his easier wins he'll get this year. He lasted just two periods before being replaced by Samuel Errson. However, Boston handed the Senators four goals, and for a team lacking goal scorers, that was enough for a second straight road win for Ottawa to begin the season. Here are four takeaways after Marco Sturm's team fell to 2-2-0 on the young season.
Bruins' self-inflicted mistakes are staggering
It's bad enough that the Bruins' power play is struggling, but talk about adding insult to injury with some simple self-inflicted mistakes. Boston got the first man advantage in the game and best two opportunities were for Ottawa and ended up in the back of the Bruins net.
A David Pastrnak turnover at the offensive blueline led to a 2-on-1 for Ottawa, and Tim Stutzle scored for a 1-0 lead. Moments later, a Hampus Lindholm turnover at the offensive blueline led to a second Stutzle goal, just three seconds after the power play ended. If you thought that was bad, just wait.
At the end of the opening shift of the second period, James Hagens failed to get the puck deep and turned the puck over at the offensive blueline that led to a Drake Batherson goal on a breakaway. Four minutes later, the Bruins had multiple chances to get the puck out of the zone and couldn't. It ended up in the back of the net on a Michael Amadio goal. A classic masterclass in digging a hole you don't have the talent to come back from.
Bruins' lack of shooting the puck is stunning
To score in hockey, you need to shoot the puck. You would think that the Bruins would have gotten the memo. Apparently they haven't has they continue to pass up shots to look for the perfect shot that is never there. Boston has put on a clinic this season of passing up shots for a better shot that either gets blocked or never gets taken for one reason or another.
For instance, 27 minutes into the game, the Senators had four goals on 11 shots, and the Bruins had five shots total in the game. Boston didn't get their first shot on net until midway through the second period.
Jeremy Swayman deserved better
Talk about being left hanging out to dry by your teammates. Swayman was under siege all night with off-man rushes and the Bruins' inability to clear pucks out of the zone. Through two periods, he allowed four goals on 13 shots, and all four were off turnovers by his teammates, putting him in danger. There are several areas where you can point the finger as to why the game went the way it did; one of them isn't Jeremy Swayman.
Where does Marco Sturm go for answers?
The Bruins have now gone four straight periods without a goal. The last goal was by Tanner Jeannot in the first period on Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild. Not only is Boston not scoring, but they are not even getting many shots on net. There are no answers from anyone who was not in the lineup the last couple of nights. Many fans can't say they're surprised, as this roster has many flaws; one of them is goal-scoring. Things are not going to get easier against the Utah Mammoth and Philadelphia Flyers, still on this homestand before the Black and Gold head West.
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