For 20 minutes in the midst of the Bruins’ 6-Three loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Boston regarded invincible.
The different 40 minutes? Well, not a lot.
Boston sleep walked by way of the primary interval, permitting two objectives to the lame-duck Red Wings. Then, after a three-goal resurgence from then B’s within the second, they allowed 4 unanswered objectives within the third, together with two in an eight-second span.
Detroit, whereas winners in seven of its final eight, are useless within the water, eradicated from playoff competition. Meanwhile, Boston nonetheless is preventing for a Game 1 in Boston reasonably than in Toronto when the playoffs begin April 11.
Did the Bruins suppose they’d finished sufficient to save lots of themselves within the second? Brad Marchand appeared to suppose as a lot.
“You know maybe we got a little overconfident there, but they made some plays and we were a little loose,” Marchand advised reporters after the sport by way of the Bruins’ official Twitter. “We’ve gotta be a little tighter there, especially against a team with that speed and skill.”
Coach Bruce Cassidy echoed these statements.
“I thought we were a little disrespectful in the first period and probably in the third, against a team that can score, is playing well lately,” Cassidy mentioned. “They made us play, but every good chance seems to go in the net lately so we’re going to have to correct something.”
It was a nightmare weekend for the Bruins, who dropped three-goal video games to 2 non-playoff groups on back-to-back days. Luckily, the back-to-backs are over for the B’s, who’ve three video games left to play.
Boston holds a six-point benefit over the Leafs for second place within the Atlantic Division, with Toronto holding a recreation in hand.
Here are another notes from Sunday’s Bruins-Red Wings recreation:
— Marchand turned the Bruins’ all-time chief in short-handed objectives with 26.
Marchand tied the sport up at 2-2 within the second with a one-timed snipe on a two-on-one rush with Patrice Bergeron (shocker).
But the play as a complete was an absolute magnificence, with Brandon Carlo making the most of a Detroit line change, and lofting a prolonged go to Marchand to spark the frenzy.
— Marchand now could be at 98 factors on the season with three video games to play.
The Bruins haven’t had a participant attain the century mark since Joe Thornton notched 101 factors in 2002-03. He may turn out to be the 12th Bruin to hit that mark.
— Chris Wagner sat out Sunday’s recreation with a lower-body harm. He has been listed as day-to-day.
Karson Kuhlman was slotted into the lineup in Wagner’s place, beginning the sport alongside David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. But the 23-year-old performed simply 9:57, spending 46 seconds on the penalty kill and registering two pictures on aim.
— Kevan Miller, who had missed the earlier 16 video games, checked again in with an help. The defenseman threw a puck on internet that David Backes tipped in for the aim.
Miller trailed his fellow blue liners with 15:20 time on ice.
— Krejci had two assists within the loss.
It was his 16th multi-point recreation of the season, as the middle has continued to carry out no matter who performs on his wing.
Thumbnail picture by way of Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports