Bruins losing ground amid scoring drought
Club hasn’t won consecutive games in nearly a month
Don’t look now, Bruins fans, but your team is going on a month without stringing two wins together. As a result, they will go into Tuesday’s game against the Islanders in Uniondale just two points north of the dividing line between playoffand non-playoff teams.
The tsunami of injuries has not helped, of course. At one point, the whole left side of their defense was on the shelf. Right now, their second and third right shot D-men — Brandon Carlo and Kevan Miller — are out with no definitive return dates. Their other left-handed blueliner who was playing on the top pair, Jeremy Lauzon, is a couple of weeks away from re-evaluation after breaking his hand.
Those are real, tangible issues that would challenge any team.
And yet, through all of that bad news, the B’s have managed some shining responses. After back-to-back uncharacteristic blowout losses, they played a nearly perfect game against the Rangers to get a much needed W. On Friday, laser-focused by emotion after Carlo was knocked out the game from a Tom Wilson head shot, they clinically carved up the Washington Capitals, a much better team than the beat-up Rangers were.
And while most of the injuries have been on the back end, the bigger issues recently have been about putting the puck in the net. In their half-dozen losses in the last month, they’ve managed just nine goals. Players relied upon to provide secondary scoring are not doing it. David Krejci, always a passfirst player, is nonetheless still looking for his first goal. Craig Smith, while consistently active on most shifts, has one goal in his last 13 games. And Jake DeBrusk, earning his spot in every fan’s doghouse right now, has just one goal in 17 games.
Asked if there has been a common thread for the team’s inconsistency beyond the injuries, captain Patrice Bergeron went back to what is a familiar theme in times of trouble.
“When we’re not at our best is when we’re forcing plays and not keeping it simple,” said Bergeron on Monday. “I think that Washington game was a perfect example. We put the puck deep early and then we created some chances out of playing in their zone and having some good speed. When we get away from that is when we get in trouble. We definitely have to rectify that. We want to get on a roll here and have a couple of wins in a row. It’s definitely something we’re aware and want to change.”
One bread-and-butter part of their offense — the power play — has gone dry. The B’s have not scored a powerplay goal in the last six games (0-for-12). Teams are intent on taking away Bergeron in the bumper and David Pastrnak on the elbow. Nick Ritchie has not been able to clean up loose pucks in front, and was taken off the first unit on the B’s second power play on Sunday late in the third period when the game was there for the taking. Krejci made an appearance on the top unit, presumably to help with the zone entries. The B’s had their chances, but couldn’t cash in.
“I think we’re a little too stagnant right now,” said Bergeron. “If we can try and find ways to move a little bit more, move the puck faster, as a penalty kill, I think that’s when you get moving and at times one step is enough to get that puck through and get that little space that you need on the power play. If you make them move and make them get out of position by moving the puck and moving as well all over the ice, it helps. We do have a set-up and plays and looks that we like. But if they’re not there, you have to find ways to create offense differently and that’s where we’re at.”
While the B’s need pop from their forwards, their patchwork defense will be under serious duress on Tuesday from the Islanders’ relentless forecheck, which is the biggest reason for the B’s 0-3 record against the current East Division leaders. The Isles are one of the hottest teams in the league, winners of five straight and 7-0-1 in their last eight.
“I suspect they’ll play behind us most of the night,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “They recognize how they can have success. We’re going to have to get going a little quicker back there, get back on the pucks quicker. How do you do that? You need a little bit of help from your partners or forward running some legal interference. That’s one thing we can do to help our D. I think we’ve done a better job with that. (You can) stretch them out a little bit with our wingers getting a little higher so our D are making more stretch passes, get in and out of our end quicker. The goalie playing the puck can help you a lot if they put it in bad spots. And then play a little more in their end, to be quite honest, so that when they get pucks out, they’re fatigued and changing instead of having a lot of energy to forecheck.”
That has proven to be easier said than done.
Rask questionable for travel
In the B’s 1-0 loss to the Devils, Tuukka Rask struggled to make it to the bench when he was pulled for an extra skater, clutching his lower back as he haltingly skated off. He was scheduled to speak to reporters after the game, but a late change was made. Rask was also one of the many regulars who did not go on the ice for Monday’s optional practice. Cassidy acknowledged the netminder was dealing with an issue, but did not have any kind of prognosis.
“He obviously was a little uncomfortable,” said Cassidy. “We’ll see how his status is for (Tuesday). I believe it’s (Jaroslav Halak‘s) start anyway, so if there’s any issue at all, we may send someone else to back up just for precautionary measures because it’s a quick trip in and out. That’s the adjustment we’d make if he’s not prepared or able to back up.”
Cassidy: Safety is on the players
In discussing NHL’s crime and punishment after the Wilson affair, Cassidy said it is ultimately on the players to get dangerous hits out of the game.
“It’s people’s heads and it’s their careers,” said Cassidy. “After a while, you can negotiate whatever you want as player association reps, owners, GMs , NHL disciplinary committee. It does fall on the player at some point to have respect for a fellow player. To me, it really does. Guys play the game long enough to know it’s out there now that there are serious head injuries that have affected X players that we know a lot more about now. So we should be better educated and we are. And the players should use that education when they get on the ice. Listen, it’s a fast game. Things are going to happen out there. It’s a violent game. But they should know better in certain situations. And that would be my opinion on that. The players have to own some of these hits when they know a guy’s in a vulnerable position. We all want to win the game. We all want to be the hardest team to play against out there. But there are just some situations where the players have to hold themselves accountable. That’s how I feel about it, and it won’t get corrected until they do.”