To call a game in October a must win is silly, criminal at that.
But after the Bruins struggled in many ways in back-to-back losses to the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes last week, Saturday’s contest with the Panthers had the feel of a game the Bruins simply needed to win.
Entering Saturday’s tilt with the previously undefeated Panthers, the Bruins were looking for offense from anywhere in their lineup. Top line, power play, fourth line, they would take it. After combining for just one goal in their losses in Florida and Carolina, the Bruins wanted goals, however they could get them.
They got just enough, scoring twice in regulation to send the game to the shootout where Charlie Coyle secured the win for the Bruins, the lone goal scorer in the shootout.
Coyle also opened the scoring for the Bruins with his first period tally, his third of the season.
“We needed that. They’re a good team. We saw them a few nights ago and their record speaks for itself,… said Coyle. “It’s going to be tough sometimes, but you battle it out and sometimes you win in that fashion and gut it out that way. That kind of helps you even more to give the team confidence and move on and learn that way.…
The Bruins played well for 65 minutes, but yet, the Panthers led 2-1 late in the third. It was then, the Bruins got what they needed, a goal, a timely one at that. And, to top it off, a power play goal from their number one power play unit.
"We've been working really hard,… said Charlie McAvoy who was the one to strike on the power play. “I don't really think we've been getting rewarded too much so that was nice our resilience came through tonight."
The Bruins had to grind out a win against a very good Panthers team. I thought the Bruins responded well once they trailed by a goal. They kept fighting and fighting until they finally were rewarded.
“I thought we kept pushing. It tells me that the guys in there were trying, within their abilities, to win,… said head coach Bruce Cassidy. “Their compete level stayed up and they stayed with the program and relied on one another. That’s what it told me about this group, and I think this group does have that.…
After Jeremey Swayman got the start in Carolina, it was Linus Ullmark between the pipes for the second time in as many games against the Panthers. Ullmark was very good in the win, stopping 33 shots and then all three Panthers shooters in the shootout.
In an attempt to generate more offense—looking at you top line—Cassidy juggled his top-six a bit during the game, skating Craig Smith to the right of Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron and then David Pastrnak to the right of Taylor Hall and Charlie Coyle.
"I just thought we were mismanaging pucks in the neutral zone. [Marchand] was early on and we talked about it. He did a really good job of getting himself back under control and playing behind their D, trying to establish the way we wanted to play, because they were doing a good job in the neutral zone,… said Cassidy.
“So, it wasn't necessarily anything Pasta (did) — just the line has been a little bit quiet or snakebitten lately. So, you try things to get more of a forechecking presence on there with [Smith], a guy that they know will go work and get pucks, because I thought that was the way we needed to play tonight.…
As important as it was for the Bruins to take down the hottest team in all of the National Hockey League, it snapped their two-game losing streak, preventing things from snowballing a bit in the early stages of the season.
As the Bruins enter a busy November schedule, they’re happy to do so without a losing streak attached to their names.
"I think it's important, you don't want to get those losing streaks that start to pile up. Good opponents this week,… said Cassidy. “If you want to be considered a good team, you got to beat good teams.…