The Boston Bruins were outplayed in every way in an ugly, blowout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.

The Black and Gold not only lost 8-2 to the ‘Canes but they were also outshot 37-15 in the contest, managing just five shots on goal in each period.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery attempted to boost the offense by juggling all four forward lines, but Carolina’s puck pressure and pace were too much for Boston and the team couldn’t sustain any type of cohesiveness throughout the game.

“We knew they’d come hard,” Montgomery told Andy Brickley on NESN’s postgame coverage. “Unfortunately, we didn’t move pucks fast enough.”

David Pastrnak said the Bruins’ struggles are more than just line combinations not working.

“Right now, it’s not about the combinations,” he told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “We are not good enough as a team, and that’s where it starts.”

Boston finished the first month of the season winning one game out of its last six, but Montgomery believes the team can turn it around in the upcoming month.

“We had a lot of success the last two years,” he said, per team-provided video. “We were first place in the league the last two years. We never achieved anything we wanted to.

“Right now, we’re not happy. Nobody’s happy with what’s going on. But we will get out of it. We will be better and hopefully create some better results come playoff time. It starts by sticking together and working. There’s no substitute for second and third effort.”

The Bruins aren’t willing to point the finger at any one player on the roster and are taking responsibility for how the team is playing on the ice.

“All you can do is keep working hard,” Trent Frederic told reporters, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “I think everybody is doing that and trying their best. I think everyone needs to come together. A lot of individuals, including myself, aren’t doing well.

“I think everyone just needs to worry about the team and be team first. I’m not saying that’s the case, but the individual stuff will come and kind of all blend in together. We’ve done it for how many years now? It’s a recipe, we just got to get to it.”

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Here are more notes from Thursday’s Bruins-Hurricanes game:

— The Bruins’ 8-2 thrashing to Carolina is the worst loss for Boston since a 6-0 blowout defeat to the Hurricanes on Feb. 10, 2022, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson.

— Boston surrendered three power-play goals for the third time this season in the first 11 games. The Bruins had allowed three power-play goals in a single game just three times in the previous 437 games, per Anderson.

— Brad Marchand tallied his second goal of the season and became the ninth player in franchise history to score 80 career power-play goals. The Bruins captain also moved into the fourth spot, ahead of Rick Middleton, in team history in goals scored (403).

— Jeremy Swayman was pulled midway through the second period after the Boston goaltender gave up six goals on 22 shots through 30 minutes.

— The Bruins travel to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers in a matinee matchup Saturday. Puck drop from Wells Fargo Center is slated for 1 p.m. ET. You can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The 2024 election has been overwhelming for many people, even triggering anxiety for some.

With the race for the White House wrapping up in a few days, KDKA-TV reporter Jessica Guay spoke with a psychologist who said elections can take a toll on your health but there are ways to cope with the stress.

“I know some people are somewhat embarrassed to say, ‘The election is stressing me out and I’m overwhelmed.’ But a lot of people are experiencing it, and you’re not alone,” said Melissa Brown, a UPMC licensed psychologist and clinical manager.

People are being bombarded with campaign ads, text messages, signs, mailers, and social media posts from both political parties.

“It’s just a barrage of information over and over. And it’s just overwhelming for so many individuals,” Brown said.

She said election anxiety is a real thing. Some people worry about the potential outcome of the races and get overwhelmed with all the information on TV and online, especially about candidates’ positions on issues like the economy, immigration, and abortion.

“Many people recognize that whatever side of the aisle you fall on, there can be profound impacts. So, people really become invested, and it becomes an emotional investment in the decisions that get made,” Brown said.

Friends or family members might have differing viewpoints. Brown said that can lead to fear of confrontation.

“We have struggled as a society to really find some common language and ground to be able to have discussions. And that has really contributed to the anxiety too,” she said.

Brown said don’t go into political conversations to tell someone why they’re wrong.

“Your goal should not be to change someone’s mind, but to educate someone. We can go into a conversation just trying to be curious and open-minded and even think about how that person might have come to that viewpoint,” Brown said.

“Just try to remember where your stopping point is as well and what your limits are, what you will or will not discuss with someone,” she added.

If you’re getting too stressed out about the election and all the information that’s being put in front of you every day, there are ways to alleviate those anxieties and worries.

“It’s not really worth listening to. Throw away the flyers, scroll past what you can, mute the TV, radio. Really just go to those sources that you find reputable to get your information,” Brown said.

Brown also said to do one thing every day that’s destressing like going outside, reaching out to friends or family who can support you, and having a game plan for when the election’s over.

“How can you support yourself if the results are not what you were expecting or you had hoped for? And what can you do then? We feel out of control in this situation because we are one person and our one vote. But yet it’s reminding everybody you have a lot more ways to advocate for what your needs are and this might mean that this is the catalyst for you to engage in something that can help you feel more in control,” she said.

She said to check on your loved ones and watch for signs like change in personality, tardiness or missing deadlines.

There is a crisis text line for anyone experiencing stress or anxiety due to the election. You can text “ELECTION” to 741741. A crisis counselor will help you cool down.

The state of Connecticut is protecting its ballot boxes against fire after incidents in other parts of the country.

Connecticut towns will get fire suppressor devices that are designed to be installed inside absentee ballot drop boxes. The devices will offer an additional layer of protection, according to the Secretary of the State.

“Safeguarding our elections is a top priority. By staying ahead of potential threats, we can take a strong stand, ensuring a safe and secure process for all. Every voter should have confidence in casting their ballot no matter if it’s in person or at a drop box,” Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said in a statement.

The state is adding these devices because of incidents like in Washington state and Oregon.

Devices with the words “Free Gaza” set boxes on fire, damaging many ballots. Authorities are still looking for the person responsible.

Connecticut officials said there is no threat here, but they encourage anyone who sees something suspicious to call the State Elections Enforcement Commission at 866-733-2463.