During his first 24 games as head coach of the Boston Bruins, Marco Sturm has experienced a wide range of emotions. He has endured a six-game losing streak, then a seven-game winning streak. Factor in some injuries to key players, and it's been an eventful first quarter of a 2025-26 season.
However, there are times when the little things get to him, and that was the case on Sunday night in San Jose against the young Sharks. San Jose was on the second night of a back-to-back, and the Bruins were looking to take advantage of that. As has been the case way too many times this year, they held themselves back in a game that should have left the arena with points.
Boston continued an early-season trend of parading to the penalty box, and of course, in true Boston Bruins fashion, it cost them in a 3-1 loss. After the game, Sturm didn't beat around the bush about the penalties.
Bruins coach Marco Sturm rips team over penalties
Boston was whistled for six penalties, and of course, they were whistled for two 10 seconds apart in the second period, which led to a lengthy 5-on-3 for the Sharks. They didn't allow a goal, but it a penalty earlier in the period when Macklin Celebrini scored what was the game-winner.
“Probably feet,” Sturm said of the mounting penalties. “Little bit of stupidity, I would say. It’s just the way it is. We’ve just got to be smart.
“Obviously, we’ve got to talk to the group. We already did a bunch of times. We have to find a way. Because five penalties a night, it’s going to be hard. It’s going to be a hard season. Players are too good, too skilled to be on the power play. We have to correct it.”
Killing penalties can be taxing on a team, and the Bruins are finding that out. Not only does it drain minutes on some of your best players, but it also keeps some of your other players, such as David Pastrnak, on the bench for extended periods of time. Oh, and it eventually will lead to goals by the other team, no matter how well your goalie plays, like it did in San Jose.
The Bruins have two more days to think about it before playing the New York Islanders on Wednesday night on Long Island, but unless things change, they'll stay the same, which isn't good for the Black and Gold. Staying out of the box needs to be a priority.