The Boston Bruins officially are a quarter of their way through the 2020-21 season.
The 10-2-2 Bruins have played 14 of 56 games on the season, and have plenty of success to show for themselves.
Unfortunately, Boston had its five-game win streak and 10-game point streak snapped in a regulation loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday. The Islanders are the only team to have defeated the Bruins in regulation this season, having done so twice.
So, how do the Bruins feel they have fared to this point?
“I think we’re doing great,” goaltender Tuukka Rask told reporters Saturday after stopping 38 of 42 shots in the 4-2 defeat. “Obviously, there’s always room to improve. I think the past couple games our starts have been something that we wanted to focus on, and playing a full 60 (minutes), but I think overall we’ve played very solid hockey defensively and also offensively.
“But I don’t think we’re ever satisfied. It’s a long season no matter what,” Rask continued. “I think we’re just going to be working every day towards the perfect game and hopefully we’ll get there.”
Patrice Bergeron added: “Well, I think you always want to address a few things no matter what the record is, to be honest with you. I think that’s how you can have success in this league is by looking at yourself in the mirror every time, and after every game looking at video and making sure what things can be better, putting some emphasis on the good things that we’re doing. There’s definitely some things we can improve and get better.”
Among those things to improve could be the Bruins power play, which both Bergeron and head coach Bruce Cassidy noted was a bit slow Saturday night. The Bruins now have gone four consecutive games without a man-advantage goal.
The Bruins’ success on the penalty kill, along with the goaltending by Rask and Jaroslav Halak, however, have been among the keys.
“We’ve been good,” Rask said when asked about the goaltending. “I think we’ve given us a chance to win a lot of times. So, I think that’s all we’re looking for and obviously we want to improve, too, but I think we’ve been good.”
The Bruins will return to the ice at TD Garden on Monday against the New Jersey Devils.
