Going into Tuesday night’s game against the Hurricanes, the Bruins were winners of four straight and outscored their opponents 13-5 during that stretch. One of the four wins came against Carolina, but Tuesday the roles were reversed.
Boston fell 4-1 at TD Garden after the Hurricanes put the game away in the third period. The Bruins had a strong opening 20 minutes, but Carolina controlled much of the game the rest of the way. With three more games left in the regular season, coach Jim Montgomery wants his team to get back to what made them successful.
Pretty much since March 1, it’s been the same thing. We want to get to our identity. We’re going to understand how we get there, how fast we can get there, no matter what’s going on within the game, so that we can get back to what gives us success,” he told reporters after Wednesday’s optional skate at Warrior Ice Arena. “That’s No. 1. Obviously, we want the powerplay to get a little more confident, a little more threatening, a little more cohesive.”
The Bruins went 0-for-3 on the power play in Tuesday’s loss and gave up a short-handed goal to Seth Jarvis in the third period. It’s a similar problem they’ve faced well before Montgomery took over as coach last season, but it’s one that would certainly benefit them fixing — especially before the playoffs begin.
Boston’s spot in the postseason is clinched, but the Atlantic Division and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference is still up for grabs. The Bruins know teams won’t go easy on them because the end of the regular season is approaching. After all, teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals — two of their upcoming opponents — are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Bruins can get back on track Saturday night when they play their second-to-last road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.