There have been some 'bad' losses this season for the Boston Bruins. There were a couple earlier this year, then they struggled through their early-season losing streak. One of the 'bad' losses came at the hands of the Ottawa Senators. On Oct. 27, the Sens spanked the Black and Gold, 7-2, in what was an embarrassing loss.
Just when you thought they couldn't have topped again against the same team in one season, guess again. A little less than two months later, Ottawa came into the TD Garden and smoked the Bruins, 6-2, in what feels like just as bad, if not worse, a loss than they suffered back in October.
In the first loss to the Senators this season, Jeremy Swayman was hung out to dry. On Sunday night, it was Joonas Korpisalo's return. He allowed five goals in 27:03 before being pulled in the second period after allowing a fifth goal. In fact, he allowed two goals 19 seconds apart by Tim Stützle and Dylan Cozens. Drake Batherson opened the scoring just 1:30 into the game, then goals from Claude Giroux and Fabian Zetterland, 3:03 apart late in the first, made it 3-0. Could Korpisalo make a save or two on the five goals? Yes, but he didn't help the cause himself.
Marco Sturm's questionable lineup decisions played a part in the embarrassing loss to the Senators
As mentioned multiple times this season, most of Marco Sturm's decisions have been successful. The way he handled his goaltending this week has not. It's been questionable at best. There is no beating around the bush.
He started Jermey Swayman for four straight games in six days. That's a lot of hockey for someone who didn't look very sharp on Saturday night in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Actually, he looked like a goalie who could have used a night off. Instead, he got Sunday night off. Well, sort of.
After Korpisalo allowed his fifth goal, Sturm pulled him in favor of Swayman. Did he want to do it at that point, given one more game remains before the holiday break?
“I didn’t really want to do that,'' said Sturm.
Well, he had to, and now here we are. You have a goalie who will be back between the pipes on Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens in what is not a must-win game. Lose that game and go 1-3-1 or 1-2-2 on your five-game homestand, then the fade in the standings could begin with a five-game road trip after the holiday break. If that happens, Sturm has no one to blame but himself.