There are two troubling trends surrounding the Boston Bruins of late: The power play going cold and the team giving up last-minute goals.
Both continued Tuesday night in the Bruins’ 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesar’s Arena.
The power play went 0-for-4 on the night and surrendered a goal to Dylan Larkin with 40 seconds left in the first period. While Larkin’s goal wasn’t the difference-maker in the game, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy knows scoring late gives the opponents an extra boost heading into the next period.
“It shouldn’t affect the whole outcome of the game, obviously,” Cassidy told reporters after the loss, per team-provided audio. “We’ve been through it so much, and it’s a problem. Guys need to stop on the puck, take care of business there. That’s what typically happens with us. The other night we left the zone early, that time it was two guys in a battle, they don’t get the job done at the end and it finds its way in. I think it gives them life.”
It certainly didn’t help that the Bruins were without David Pastrnak and Trent Frederic, who were injured Monday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hampus Lindholm also suffered an injury Wednesday in the second period.
But when you’re shorthanded and with the season nearing an end, every point counts, and it’s crucial to not let the game get away.
The NHL regular season wraps up at the end of this month, and the Bruins, unless a drastic downward spiral occurs, will make the playoffs, but they’ll need to work out the kinks of the power play and tighten up the defense in the final minutes if they want to make a deep run for the Stanley Cup.
The B’s are off Wednesday. They’ll return to practice Thursday to prepare for the next night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
