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The Boston Bruins have three wins in a row, and will go for a season-high fourth in a row when they skate against the Washington Capitals tonight at the Verizon Center.
So, are you buying in? That’s a loaded question, I know.
Naturally (and somewhat expectedly), it’s so tough to fall for this team yet again and unequivocally buy in, especially when you remember that the Bruins are 0-2-1 when trying to make a three-game winning streak a four-game winning streak this season. It doesn’t get any easier when you see the competition that’s in front of them tonight against the Caps. Philipp Grubauer starting last night’s game guaranteed that the Bruins would see their Boogeyman, Braden Holtby, who has 10 wins and a .948 save percentage in 11 career starts against the Bruins, tonight.
Beating the Caps has become a mission impossible of sorts for the Bruins in recent years, it seems. I mean just take a look at their last meeting: the Bruins overcame an 0-3 deficit on Dec. 7, but still took a loss, that one in overtime.
Matchup history says the Black and Gold lose this game, but the edge they’re playing with at this very moment makes this one a toss-up of sorts. And the latter has become the team’s great equalizer.
Forgive me for being blunt, but these Bruins are what they are. They are going to be a streaky team that drives you mad for stretches, and one that meets your expectations for stretches. I really don’t think that they’re any better or any worse than advertised; Their shooting percentages should be a higher, yeah, but their shooters aren’t exactly the sniper types. Their defensive game is still for the most part, in development, so their good nights and bad nights should just about draw even after 82.
But if their best players continue to show up, which is what they’ve done over this three-game streak.
Patrice Bergeron has tallied two goals and four points in his last three games, while linemate Brad Marchand has recorded four goals and six points over that span. Captain Zdeno Chara scored the game-winning goal last night, and has been a shutdown force throughout this winning streak. David Krejci has one goal, three points and six shots in the last three games. And David Backes, though without a point, has chimed in as a vocal, physical presence, with eight shots on goal and 17 hits.
It’s come at the perfect time for the Bruins, too.
Wins against the Red Wings (last Tuesday) and Lightning last night were quality wins in the sense that they were against two teams that are not only chasing the B’s, but also teams that should not beat the Bruins if the Black and Gold are seriously, actual playoff contenders. And the win sandwiched in the middle there, a comeback win over Sidney Crosby and the Penguins, showed some serious character from the B’s, and applied some of the lessons learned from their last head-to-head.
In a year of inconsistencies -- the Bruins have often been carried by one line, one defensive pairing, or one goaltender throughout their bits and spurts of success this season -- the Bruins have found actual synergy from their top six and top defensive pairing at the same time.
That should be enough to make you buy in -- at least ‘til the next soul-crushing losing streak comes.
Ty Anderson is the Boston Bruins beat writer for WEEI.com, and has been covering the National Hockey League for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010. He can be heard on the Saturday Skate program on 93.7 WEEI (Boston), can also be found in the New England Hockey Journal magazine, and has been part of the Boston Chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Contact him on Twitter or send him an email at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com.