If you asked some Boston Bruins fans to describe the 2024-25 season, most of them would give you a similar response. The goaltending was abysmal, the defense was leaky and at times ugly, and the team couldn't stay disciplined long enough to have any sustained momentum. Head coach Marco Sturm sorted those issues early in the 2025-26 season, but the wheels are quickly coming off.
The Bruins head into the holiday break on a four-game losing streak, capped off by allowing 17 goals over the past three games. They have been in some of those games, but a common scene from last season of the team losing steam mid-way through the game is a scary sight.
Look no further than the Montreal Canadiens matchup on Tuesday evening. The Bruins took a 2-1 lead into the second period, but allowed five unanswered goals, including four in the third period, to suffer a disappointing 6-2 loss.
The Bruins made mental mistakes that led to some of the goals, but the team seemed to lose all momentum when the goal they scored late in the second period was ruled no goal for goaltender interference. The coaching staff or the players couldn't recover, and tried to make up for it with a brutal challenge on the Canadiens' go-ahead goal, which they lost, and then went down five-on-three again. Boston couldn't recover.
Bruins 2025-26 season is starting to look all-too-familiar for fans
Most losses during the 2024-25 season followed the same pattern. It seems like the new coach feel from Sturm is starting to wear off, and the team is slipping back into past habits. The good news is that the holiday break comes at a good time for the team to reset, but they've dug themselves quite a hole to get out of after spending most of the first half in a playoff spot.
One of the more discouraging things coming out of the past month is the occasional blowup from Jeremy Swayman. He was rock-solid at the start of the season, but in his last 10 games, he has allowed four or more goals in four of them. The Bruins will only go as far as the goaltending will take them, and with Joonas Korpisalo struggling, Swayman needs to steal a couple more games for Boston.
It's too early to place all the blame on Swayman, but his bad starts this month combined with the other factors from his teammates, has Bruins fans remembering last season's struggles.