Haggs: Boston Bruins Not ‘Invested’ Enough Offensively In Shutout Loss

PITTSBURGH, PA – The Boston Bruins offense has been sputtering as of late with David Pastrnak and Hampus Lindholm out of the lineup with accidents, and Black and Gold could have hit their low level on Thursday night time in Pittsburgh.

For the primary time within the lengthy and storied Authentic Six historical past of the Boston Bruins, they have been shut out regardless of flinging over 50 pictures on the Penguins internet in a irritating defeat.

The Boston Bruins completed with 52 pictures on internet with Penguins netminder Casey DeSmith stopping all 52 choices, and primarily misplaced the sport once they gave up a objective within the second interval to go down 2-0 after failing to attain regardless of outshooting Pittsburgh 10-0 to start out the center body. It occurred shortly after DeSmith made a cease on a high quality likelihood from Brad Marchand and actually flipped the sport utterly in Pittsburgh’s favor given Boston’s incapacity to place up huge offensive proper now.

“Sure, [DeSmith] made some good saves you may’t take that away from him, however we now have to be higher about bearing down when we now have these beauty,” stated Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron. “It’s the kind of sport the place you need outcomes and clearly if you’re on the ability play you need the outcomes.”

The Boston Bruins have now scored simply 16 objectives in eight video games with out Pastrnak within the lineup for a two objectives per sport common that’s merely not going to chop it within the NHL, they usually’ve gone 0-for-29 on the ability play throughout that fallow time as properly. It might proceed on Saturday afternoon vs. the New York Rangers because the banged-up Boston Bruins gamers will likely be out for that sport as properly, however the excellent news is that Pastrnak and Lindholm are each trending towards a return on Sunday towards the Montreal Canadiens.

Nonetheless, that was of no assist to them in a loss to the Penguins the place there have been a bevy of shot makes an attempt, however not sufficient our bodies on the internet and true high quality probabilities regardless of over 50 shot makes an attempt. The numbers seemed good in the long run, however clearly the Boston Bruins know there wasn’t sufficient of a value paid in entrance of the Pittsburgh internet to make it powerful on DeSmith and the Penguins protection.

“We have to end higher,” stated Cassidy. “We’ve been struggling to attain right here the final little bit and obtained away with it the previous few video games as a result of we play good defensively and we obtained the saves, and tonight we didn’t.”

“I believe we want a well timed save tonight. We didn’t get it, however we clearly didn’t end any performs both at that finish. “We’re a hard-working group. That shouldn’t change, no matter video games subsequent, we now have to stay to our id. They did job of conserving us to the skin. We obtained numerous pictures on internet, however I assumed they have been capable of maintain the online clear loads on the unique shot. We have been capable of generate some rebound probabilities, however not the screens as a lot as we’d like.”

It’s too unhealthy as a result of there have been some good moments in Thursday night time’s sport the place they in the end couldn’t convey it to the extent {that a} well-rested Pittsburgh did. Derek Forbort blocked three blistering Sidney Crosby pictures in a 30-second span within the first interval on Boston’s solely penalty kill of the sport, and that ought to have given the Boston Bruins extra O-zone vitality in Cassidy’s estimation.

“That’s the factor. I didn’t assume a few of our offensive guys have been invested. Forby, how do you’re feeling like if you simply ate 5 – 6 pucks it appeared like? I believe they gave him credit score for 3, nevertheless it appeared like greater than that,” stated Cassidy. “The offensive guys ought to have gotten a elevate from that on the different finish and that was form of the irritating half. He actually picked us up on that PK and held us in it. You’ll have favored to see extra of a response, nevertheless it wasn’t there. It definitely was at first of the second interval, however not on the finish of the primary.”

With simply 5 video games remaining till the beginning of the Stanley Cup playoffs, it’s maybe pure that some gamers are going play if protected somewhat than danger net-front accidents that might spill over into the postseason. Brad Marchand is in a funk the place he’s had one level in his final six video games and only one objective within the month of April. Equally, Patrice Bergeron has only a single level in his final six video games in addition to Boston’s finest gamers have all hit a late season wall suddenly.

However Thursday night time’s no-show offensively must be a reminder that the Boston Bruins additionally must convey greater than they did towards the Penguins as they tremendous tune issues and nonetheless have playoff positioning in thoughts headed into the postseason.