All good things must come to an end.
After winning seven games in a row where just about everything went right for the Boston Bruins, they reverted to their struggles through their six-game losing streak against the Ottawa Senators, again, on Thursday night. The last loss the Black and Gold suffered was on Oct. 27, in Ottawa. Two and a half weeks later, they returned and left with the same result, frustratingly. Here a three observations from their first loss since losing to Ottawa last month.
Bruins gift Senators four goals
During the losing streak, the Bruins hurt themselves with bad play in their defensive end. That was the case again on Thursday night with a comedy of mistakes. It started with not clearing the puck for the first goal of the game, shorthanded, less than two minutes in. A bad turnover on the defensive end in the final minute of the opening period led to a second Sens goal.
Trailing 2-1 early in the third period, a bad change and quick Ottawa zone entry led to a tap-in goal for a 3-1 lead. After battling back to tie the game 3-3 with two goals, Ottawa scored the game-winning goal with less than six minutes left when Hampus Lindholm played the puck around the boards, which the Sens' forecheck turned into the game-winner.
Bruins battled back despite comedy of mistakes
After a dreadful first period, the Black and Gold battled back to come back from down multiple goals, but mistakes cost them. After Morgan Geekie scored in the second period, David Pastrnak and Mark Kastelic tallied to tie the game.
If Boston had come out the way they did in the second and third periods, then they may have gotten one or maybe two points, but instead, the first 20 cost them their winning streak, along with a comedy of errors in the defensive zone. Simple plays cost them during the losing streak; simple plays cost them their winning streak.
Bruins don't get any help from Dallas Stars
If the Bruins were not ready for Ottawa, they'd better be ready for the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. Montreal will enter the game tied with Boston and Ottawa in points in the Atlantic Division with 22 points after the Canadiens lost, 7-0, to the Dallas Stars at home on Thursday night.
Montreal has been a pleasant surprise this season, but it was their second straight loss after losing to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, 5-1. They have been outscored 12-1 in their last two home games. Not what the Bruins needed to have happen before they make their first trip to Montreal. There was some good news on Thursday night: the Black and Gold don't have to go back to Ottawa again this year.