"That's a point that might end up being big for us," noted Boston coach Claude Julien. "And con sidering that was our third game in four nights, it could have gone the other way because of fatigue and injury."
Perhaps, but the Bruins are in a worrisome funk, with a humdrum mark of 1-2-1-1 in their last five games and with 13 games to go in the regular season as they cling to playoff position in the East. They battled here without their captain, Zdeno Chara, who remained in Boston with a banged up something or other (specifically, an upper something or other). And of course, they also didn't have defenseman Andrew Alberts (ongoing concussion-like symptoms) or elite pivot Patrice Bergeron (Grade 3 concussion).
All that said, they had their chances, a total of 29 shots on Ranger stopper Henrik Lundqvist, and they didn't put a single one past him. They had three more chances in the shootout, but Messrs. Marco Sturm, Phil Kessel, and David Krejci all came up emptier than a Google search for: "Ralph Nader's Top 10 kneeslappin' party jokes."
Consider the Boston offensive malaise over the last five games:
They were outscored, 21-6, albeit with yesterday's Ranger goal not really being a goal (only the NHL, folks).
They failed to score a goal in regulation in two games, vs. the Panthers (1-0 overtime loss) and Rangers.
Of the six goals they scored in the five games, only three came at even strength (Sturm, Peter Schaefer, and Kessel). Total: three even-strength goals across 306 minutes of playing time.
If the Bruins hang on and make the playoffs, that sort of paltry scoring will not carry them to Patriots Day. Too many of their forwards dress for work, but barely address the net, failing first and foremost to demonstrate the necessary jam when around the crease or near the posts.
READER COMMENTS »
View reader comments » Comment on this story »