Just when you think the Boston Bruins have hit rock bottom in 2024-25, they one-up themselves. That was the case on Tuesday in Western New York against the Buffalo Sabres. Coming off a big comeback win over the Colorado Avalanche, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at the TD Garden for their second straight win after shutting out the Ottawa Senators last Thursday night.
Playing Buffalo allowed the Black and Gold to pick up some points in the race for an Eastern Conference postseason spot, or so we thought. After Mason Lohrei gave Boston a 1-0 first-period lead, the Sabres scored seven of the game's final eight goals in a 7-2 rout. Now the Bruins look to rebound against the Winnipeg Jets, something that won’t be easy.
How to watch Winnipeg Jets vs. Boston Bruins with & without cable
Winnipeg enters the game as the Western Conference’s top team in terms of points with 73 after a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. The first matchup between the two teams was on Dec. 10, which was a 8-1 Jets victory in a game where they were thoroughly outplayed.
Date: Thursday, Jan. 30
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: TD Garden
How to Watch: NESN, ESPN+ or FuboTV
There is nowhere to go but up for the Bruins at this point. They certainly don’t look like a team worthy of a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and they don’t deserve one. The performance that they had against the Sabres has happened multiple times under former coach Jim Montgomery and interim coach Joe Sacco.
Yes, Boston was missing several defensemen in the game, but that is no excuse for their effort in the defensive zone and giving up the blueline as easily as they did against Buffalo. They gave the Sabres life and confidence early and paid dearly for it. If they put forward the same effort against the Jets, the result will be the same.