BOSTON — The Bruins weren’t as sharp Saturday as they typically have been this season, but Boston is sticking with its process.
The Black and Gold lost, 2-1, to the Washington Capitals at TD Garden. It only was the second regulation loss the Bruins have suffered this season, but there were multiple opportunities for Boston to get the tying goal to jumpstart a comeback. However, the execution was not there.
David Pastrnak has come through for the B’s with timely goals, which has made him the team-leader in points. But there appeared to be an inclination to pass off an opportunity to shoot, and head coach Jim Montgomery was asked if he needed to push the 26-year-old to be more aggressive.
“I trust Pasta,” Montgomery said. “He sees plays that I don’t see there. A lot of times he’s made plays where there’s a high tip, ends up in the back of the net. I think he sees someone in the shot lane, so he puts it where we have numbers, which is smart hockey.”
The Bruins admitted after the loss there was a tendency to pass more than they should have. It’s something the team knows they have to work on, especially as teams start to get more desperate in their push for the playoffs during the final stretch of the season.
“I just think in general, not even tonight, but lately, we have to have that playoff mentality where pucks are going to the net, bodies are going to the net, and they tend to create havoc around there,” Brad Marchand said. “You don’t usually score those highlight-reel goals in playoff time when you don’t want to pass up that opportunity. A little more direct will definitely help, something we’ll continue to work on.”
The Bruins will rest up until Tuesday, where they will get a tough test against the Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars. Puck drop at American Airlines Center is scheduled at 8:30 p.m. ET, and you can catch full coverage, along with an hour of pregame, on NESN.
