Up 2-1 through 40 minutes, the Boston Bruins were 20 minutes away from picking up two huge points in the Eastern Conference standings on Wednesday night. A win at Madison Square Garden would have vaulted them back into a wild card spot with one game remaining before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
However, as we have found out with the Bruins in 2024-25, nothing should surprise you. The New York Rangers tied the game two seconds after the Bruins killed a penalty and then six minutes later, the Bruins power play came into play again this season, and it wasn’t good.
Entering the game with the 30th-ranked man advantage, the Bruins had a chance to take the lead midway through the final period, but instead, they allowed a shorthanded goal for what turned out to be the game-winner for the Bluehsirts in a 3-2 victory. The loss leaves the Black and Gold on the outside looking in for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bruins’ power play has been a disaster this season
Whether it was under former coach Jim Montgomery or interim coach Joe Sacco, the power play has been a complete disaster this season. Not only have they struggled to put the puck into the net, they have struggled to keep it out of their own net. Now let’s point out that the shorthanded goal Chris Kreider scored Wednesday night was a nice shot from a tough angle, but regardless, it can’t happen.
If there has been one area where Boston has prided itself over the years, it has been their special teams. Their penalty killing hasn’t been bad, but it hasn’t been good either. The power play has been a disaster and inconsistent. Whether it’s been zone entries, puck movement, or lack of shots on the net, you name it, it’s been a struggle.
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Boston had a golden opportunity to take an early lead with a power play. What happened? Two minutes came off the clock without a shot on the net. It’s par for the course this season.
When the dust settles on the season, looking back on it, the power play is going to be a big reason for the Black and Gold’s failures. Putting the puck into the opponent's net and keeping the puck out of their own net on the power play has been a recipe for disaster this season.