Relax, it’s just one game
Schedule did Bruins no favors in Saturday’s clunker
VANCOUVER — The Bruins’ loss in Vancouver on Saturday night was their worst showing of the season.
That’s exactly why there’s no reason to read too much into it.
In their last game before the trade deadline, the Bruins allowed nine goals for the first time in four years. Tuukka Rask allowed six of those — the first time he did that since 2018 — and the Bruins had no life throughout the game.
It was the third game in four nights and the second of a back-to-back after an intense win in Calgary, two nights after an intense win in Edmonton that required overtime.
“I even looked at our schedule and sometimes you look at it and go, ‘Boy, it’s going to be a tough one,'” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “You look at certain parts of the season and this was one that we thought would be a tough one.”
What stands out though, is that even on a night when everything went wrong, the Bruins went home from Vancouver still feeling pretty good, with a full understanding that sometimes these things happen.
“It’s one of those when it rains, it pours type of things,” said Rask. “It’s not bouncing, it’s not. It doesn’t matter if it’s 2-1 or 9-3 or 15-3, it’s a loss. You move on and try to keep it tight next game. I think that’s the only way to try and approach it.”
The Bruins have to wait two days before getting back on the ice, with the travel day Sunday then no game until Tuesday when they host the Flames.
Typically, after a game like that teams want to get right back out there and remedy a rough night; they weren’t given that opportunity this time. This late in the season, though, a break isn’t the worst thing, and they’ll have time to work with Ondrej Kase to get him ready to play this week and see what their lineup looks like.
If anything, a lackluster showing doesn’t help those still fighting for a spot with Kase’s imminent debut, but Cassidy and the coaching staff know better than to base the future off of one poor game.
“They got a couple bounces off guys and the puck was laying there and we didn’t,” said Chris Wagner, who scored in the third period when it looked like the Bruins had a chance at mounting a dramatic comeback. “Just got out of hand in the third. I don’t think we stopped competing, but I didn’t think we were tight enough defensively.”
The Bruins made a move on Friday, and could still have more on the horizon before Monday is over. They believe they have a shot at making a serious run at returning to the Cup Final, so one blip isn’t going to raise too many red flags.
Stinkers happen; to happen 3,000 miles away on the second game of a back-toback isn’t the worst stage for it to happen on.
The Bruins still have the best record in hockey.
“We had a nice run,” said Cassidy. “Typically what we’ve done in the past is work to start anew. So that’s the goal.”