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Better effort, but same result |
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The Bruins are not good enough to win on effort alone.
After one of their worst performances of the season Tuesday against the Panthers, the Bruins came back Thursday night with much more fire in their eyes. Going up against the high powered Lightning, the Bruins played well, but didn’t do enough to pick up two points.
The loss was their third loss in as many games.
For most of the 2018-19 season, the Bruins have been getting by and managing their rash of injuries very well. But now it appears the lack of scoring depth, and injuries are finally starting to catch up to them. Just once in the last 10 games the Bruins have scored more than two goals.
For about 50 minutes the Bruins were right there, playing even hockey with the Lightning. But a 10-minute span in the third period that saw the Lightning strike twice in 4:03 was enough to send the Bruins back to Boston pointless yet again.
The line of Brad Marchand, Colby Cave and David Pastrnak was the Bruins best, combining for 12 shots, including Pastrnak’s team-leading 20th goal of the season.
After the early first period tally from Pastrnak, the Bruins were held off the board until David Krejci brought the Bruins back within one with the goalie pulled in the third. Sandwiched in between the goals, the Bruins had plenty of chances. But in what has been a common theme for the Bruins this season, they couldn’t capitalize on enough of their chances.
On Wednesday, head coach Bruce Cassidy put the Bruins through a physical, spirited practice. Right out of the gate Thursday, the Bruins responded. But their ever-growing issues mentioned above eventually caught up to them.
“Tonight is a little more disappointing, to be honest with you. We were right there. Guys who’ve been in the league just mishandle pucks,” said Cassidy. “Then we have opportunities to get plays to the net, shots get blocked. Listen, we had a few passengers and we can’t afford that against a number one team like Tampa.”
There’s a lack of confidence from the coaching staff when it comes to the offense. Outside of Marchand, Pastrnak, Krejci and Jake DeBrusk, the Bruins are getting next to nothing from the rest of their forwards.
The constant line juggling and bodies coming in and out of the lineup is a prime example of that. Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson was back in the lineup Thursday as Chris Wagner was the odd man out. Karlsson played 12:23 with two shots on net, but was better defensively and better at the faceoff dot, —winning all six of his draws—two parts of his game the Bruins needed more from him in.
Also making a return to the lineup was Charlie McAvoy. Returning after missing the last 20 games with a concussion, McAvoy showed some rust early on, but rounded things out for an overall solid return.
“I thought Charlie was good. I thought he was rusty handling the puck at times, but I fully expected that, It’s perfectly normal,” Cassidy said. “I was just happy that he had conviction in his game and that he wanted to be a difference-maker. That’s all I was concerned about. I just wondered how his assertiveness was going to be, and I thought it was very good.”
A returning McAvoy should give the Bruins a boost offensively. Despite missing 20 games, McAvoy ranks 8th on the team with six, yes six, points. McAvoy finished the night with 21:02 of ice time.
In a move to add to their rotation of bottom six forwards, the Bruins claimed forward Gemel Smith off of waivers. Smith has skated in 14 games this season with the Dallas Stars, with two goals and one assist.
The Bruins will look to build off of Thursday’s performance with another tough challenge ahead Saturday at TD Garden as the Toronto Maple Leafs come to town.
Boston Bruins Blogger • 
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