The Boston Bruins nearly doubled up the Penguins in regards to shot attempts Tuesday, but were not able to get the best of Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry in an eventual 4-2 defeat at TD Garden.
Jarry finished with a season-high 43 saves on 45 shots, facing a number of strong scoring chances by the hosts, all while the Penguins scored four unanswered goals including a back-breaker of a second tally just 28 seconds after Pittsburgh first got on the board. Pittsburgh went on to score four unanswered goals.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy provided a rather blunt assessment when asked about his biggest takeaway from the loss, which came in Boston’s first game after the NHL All-Star break.
“Goaltending picks you up some nights and it can deflate you, I think we saw both in the second period and so it gets away from us a little bit,” Cassidy said after the loss while also referencing a poor decision and botched defensive play that helped Pittsburgh tie the game at 2-all. “I mean you’re not gonna play a perfect game. Their guy made more stops than our guy did and I think that ends up being, to me, the bigger story in the game.”
Jeremy Swayman got the start for Boston and made 21 saves on 24 shots.
“Well they got saves, we didn’t,” Cassidy added. “That’s it. That’s my take. We had probably more chances in that (second) period. Did we make some mistakes in front of our goaltender? Yes. I don’t think we made a mistake on the second goal, I think that was kind of a bad one.”
Here are some other notes from Bruins-Penguins:
— Patrice Bergeron left Tuesday’s game with 11:16 left in regulation after being on the wrong end of a hit from Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby. Bergeron crashed into the boards hard and never returned to the game.
Cassidy offered somewhat of an update after the game.
“Upper body, I don’t know if the concussion guy took him out the way he went into the boards. I wouldn’t be surprised, when you’re down like that that’s typically what happens,” Cassidy said. “I did not speak to him, he did not come back to the bench. I went in the training room, he wasn’t there so that’s about all I got for right now. Hopefully he’s OK.”
— The Athletic reported Tuesday night that goaltender Tuukka Rask, who has not played since Jan. 24, is not expected to continue his comeback with the Bruins.
Cassidy was mum on the topic when asked after the game.
“No, I think that’s for Tuukka to comment on his stature,” Cassidy said. “I was told he wouldn’t practice this week. I don’t think that’s changing at all. So if he has something to say I think I’ll leave it to him.”
— Brad Marchand got into a bit of an altercation with Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry late in the contest with the game already decided. Jarry didn’t seem to hold much of a grudge immediately after the game.
“I think it’s just the heat of the moment, everyone’s battling hard out there. He’s just trying to get the puck to the net and I think the team did a great job,” Jarry said, per Penguins reporter Taylor Haase. “It’s part of the game and it stays on the ice.”
Cassidy expressed how he thought Marchand had to do a better job of controlling himself in those situations, as well.
— The Bruins return to action Thursday as they host the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Garden with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET on NESN.
