The Bruins have dominated the 2022-23 NHL season, to say the least, but they’ve lost back-to-back games in ugly fashion.
Boston fell to the Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 on Tuesday night at United Center after losing to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. The Bruins looked tired Tuesday, failed to convert on the power play and were, once again, outplayed by a team that’s on the outside looking in when it comes to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Yes, the Bruins already clinched a playoff berth, became the fastest team to 50 wins and have set NHL and franchise records all season. Maybe some of it is mental fatigue or complacency. Whatever it is, Patrice Bergeron knows his team is getting a “reality check” after losing in regulation in back-to-back games for the first time this year.
“I think right now we’re disconnected,” Bergeron told reporters after the game. “We’re not playing the right way. We’re cheating and I think this league is going to humble you if you don’t do that. So I think that’s what we’re getting right now. I think for us, like we’ve done all year, we’ve gotta look at ourselves in the mirror, we know that it’s not good enough and we need to go back to what’s successful to us and what’s been good to us all year. A lot of things we can learn from these past couple games.”
Bergeron added that players as individuals were putting their teammates in bad positions and setting them up to not be successful.
“We’re turning pucks over at lines when guys need a change and they can’t change and they’re staying on the ice for long periods of time,” Bergeron told reporters, noting the Bruins need to be accountable for their teammates.
“Sometimes you need a reality check and I think that’s what we’re getting right now,” Bergeron said.
It’s a long season and the Bruins are in the home stretch with the playoffs just over a month away. Even though a playoff spot is locked up, the Bruins can’t get complacent or lose focus when there are still important games left on the schedule.
The Bruins will try to get back on track Thursday night when they take on the Winnipeg Jets. Puck drop from Canada Life Centre is set for 8 p.m. ET on NESN.
