The Bruins proved that they could at least hang with the Capitals in a very entertaining hockey game, but that's about all they could do on Monday — and is it a stretch to think that is all Boston will do, should it draw Washington in the opening round of the playoffs?
The Bruins played a brilliant game and positioned themselves to take away two points in a game they needed to win much more than the Capitals did. The shots were even, the scoring chances relatively even and both goalies — Jose Theodore (28 saves) and Tuukka Rask (27 saves) — did their jobs and positioned their teams to win. But once again, mental lapses and an anemic power play proved to be the downfall for Boston.
The defense's failure to clog up the lanes in front of Rask resulted in Mike Knuble's game-tying goal with 29 seconds left in the second period. The lapse wasted what was, until that point, a close-to-perfect, textbook period of hockey for the Black and Gold. Then, what can only be described as an undisciplined high stick by Dennis Wideman just 24 seconds into overtime was the breakdown that sealed the Bruins' fate and left them with only one point. Twenty seconds into the power play, Brooks Laich beat Rask and the Bruins had lost a game they could have won.
But it wasn't as if Wideman's brain cramp was the only reason Boston lost on Monday night. Unfortunately, it was just the most obvious, and for a guy who probably played his best two-way game of the season, the season-long nightmare continued. Wideman once again needed a bigger helmet as the goat horns popped up.
Still, though, the Bruins earned two power plays in the final 10 minutes of regulation and failed to produce — and that must share a good portion of the burden for this loss. Once again, the Bruins moved the puck around too much instead of letting shots go and creating traffic in front. A quick look at both of Boston's goals reveals a wall of Bruins in front of Theodore; it also reveals a Bruins team that did not hesitate or wait for the perfect play. Both goals were bang-bang plays, and yet — just as they have failed to do all season — the Bruins couldn't replicate the same attack on the power play, an area that has become their ultimate Achilles' heel.
But while this was a missed opportunity to gain points while the likes of the Canadiens (86 points), Flyers (84 points), Rangers (82 points) and Thrashers (81 points) were sitting at home, helplessly rooting on the Caps, the Bruins can take some solace. They proved that when they stay within their game plan and crash the net, good things can happen. They proved they can put themselves in position to succeed, no matter how skilled the other club may be. Rask continued to make his case for the Calder Trophy, and Boston's new top line of Milan Lucic, Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi combined for four points, showing a combination of finesse and crash-and-bang hockey.
Unfortunately, the power play shows no signs of waking up enough to be a consistent factor, and the Bruins continue to find ways to beat themselves through mental lapses and untimely breaks within their system. In order for Boston to win, its game must be perfect — and even then, it may not be good enough.
On Tuesday night, the Bruins will have to sit at home and watch as the Thrashers, Rangers, Flyers and Canadiens take to the ice. Hopefully, their failure to be perfect won't come back to haunt them.
