"It shouldn't take us a period to get going and get back to our game," forward Milan Lucic told the media after the Bruins fell 3-2 to the Canadiens on Saturday. "We've got to know that we've got to bring that same kind of mentality every game and to the start of every game. The first five minutes of every game are real important. That should be our goal from here on in: that we have a great start and a good five minutes to start the game. Then we can build some momentum off that."
Despite acknowledging the importance of opening strong — and to their credit, coming out with a strong first 10 minutes — the Bruins couldn't maintain that momentum in the second half of the opening frame on Monday night. And for the second game in a row, the Bruins found themselves down by two goals or more at the first intermission before eventually losing 3-2.
The Devils exploded for three goals, two in the final three minutes of the period, and the Bruins again were behind the eight ball, this time against arguably the best goalie ever in Brodeur. Despite answering the bell 43 ticks into the second period on a Blake Wheeler goal and then pulling within one goal with 1:03 left in regulation on Patrice Bergeron's beautiful redirect of a Dennis Seidenberg shot, Brodeur (34 saves) was, well, Brodeur and the Bruins again failed to climb out of an early hole.
Boston starter Tim Thomas looked a bit frazzled as the Devils controlled the play in the last 10 minutes of the first period and could have done a better job of holding on to the original shot that led to Zach Parise giving the Devils a 3-0 lead with 1:52 left in the period. Thomas, who let in three goals on 12 shots, was pulled in favor of Tuukka Rask for the remaining two periods. Rask stopped all 16 shots he faced and seemed to calm the Bruins down, but the damage had already been done.
The Bruins can't keep this up and need to practice what they preach. For some reason, this team just can't string together a stretch of 60-minute efforts, and it is really burning them. Head coach Claude Julien has to be beyond frustrated right now because his team does show for stretches that it can play with anyone, including the Devils, a legit Stanley Cup contender.
But the Bruins once again were forced to step it up after putting themselves behind. There were the customary defensive breakdowns that saw the Devils cycling the puck around the Bruins zone with ease, just as the Habs did on Saturday. Also, the Bruins at times looked to be skating in quicksand because they lost their forecheck and were content to sit back. They need to stop letting the game come to them and stop allowing their opponents to dictate the play.
The Bruins are now 2-3-1 on their seven-game road trip that concludes Tuesday in Carolina and they desperately need two points to finish the trip still on top of the Rangers, who trail them by just one point for eighth place in the East. On Tuesday, New York will host the Canadiens, who lead the Bruins by four points and the Rangers by five.
But the Bruins can't worry about choosing the lesser of two evils and, instead, need to focus on what they can control. On Tuesday, that will mean beating the Carolina Hurricanes and trying to exact revenge for a 5-1 drubbing the Canes laid on the Bruins back on Jan. 24 in Raleigh. If that extra incentive is what it takes, then they need to use it. With another loss, the B's could very well be out of a playoff spot by the time they return home on St. Patrick's Day.
