Bruins Notes: Abandoning ‘Identity’ Kept Boston In Loss Column

The Boston Bruins haven’t played their brand of hockey and it’s continued to cost them on a nightly basis.

In search of a bounce-back victory, the Bruins hit rock bottom in terms of guarding the net when taking on the Rangers. New York rallied each period before running away in the final two stanzas to ensure Boston would have no chance of fighting back in an ugly 7-4 loss at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

“We weren’t playing to our identity and I think we got to it there for a while, and unfortunately we gave up that short-hand at the end of the period that kind of took away that momentum,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “We gotta do a better job of not giving up our Blue Line. And then, once we do give up our Blue Line — cause that’s gonna happen half the game when you’re playing a good team like the Rangers — we gotta know our responsibilities better.”

In the last three games, in which opponents have scored five or more goals, the Bruins have done an injustice to their luxury goaltender tandem, stranding Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark.

“We’ve been asking our goalies to do a little too much and it caught up to us tonight,” Matt Grzelcyk explained.

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Here are more notes from Saturday’s Bruins-Rangers game:

— Seven goals scored from New York marked a season-high allowed from Boston thus far.

— Boston has surrendered a combined 18 goals in its last four games played.

“I think it’s just being prepared and knowing when you’re going out, that it’s either the last two minutes of a period or it’s right after a goal for or goal against,” Montgomery added.

— Ullmark recorded a career-high in goals allowed and was charged with all seven. The Rangers netted multiple goals in each period against the 30-year-old.

— In beating the Bruins, the Rangers took over as the top dog in the NHL with a league-best 15-3-1 record.

— The Bruins, now losers in back-to-back games, will remain on the road and head to Colombus for a battle with the Blue Jackets on Monday night. Puck drop from Nationwide Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and you can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.