Yesterday’s game was more than just another match for the Boston Bruins; it was a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive as the regular season nears its end. However, in a hard-fought contest, they couldn’t gain an advantage over their opponents and were defeated by the narrowest of margins against the Minnesota Wild. After the game, head coach Joe Sacco couldn’t hide his frustration.
The Bruins ran into the formidable presence of Swedish goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who, in a stellar performance, stopped all 28 shots he faced at Xcel Energy Center. It was definitely not the night for Sacco’s team up front.
“It was a tight-checking game. It was hard fought,” Bruins coach Joe Sacco said via NHL.com. “There wasn’t a lot of easy ice out there for either team. I thought our guys showed a real strong effort today, coming off back-to-back games. It’s disappointing. Obviously, we want points right now, and we’ve got to find ways to get it behind the goaltender.”
For Boston, it will be a matter of regrouping and moving forward, as they will soon have a chance for redemption to bounce back from this setback. Their next game will be against the Nashville Predators, with expectations high for a packed TD Garden to support their team.
After the loss, the Bruins remain in sixth place in the Atlantic Division, falling further behind the top spots. It’s crucial for them to get back on the winning track if they hope to stay in the playoff hunt.
Gustavsson, a wall for the Bruins
It was one of those nights where everything went right for one team, and everything went wrong for the other. The Boston Bruins did everything they could to break down a solid Filip Gustavsson, who, in a memorable performance, stopped every puck that came his way.
“Yeah, we had a tough loss to the Red Wings at home (3-2 on Feb. 25), and then we played horrible for two games there on the road and get back here and get a dirty 1-0 win. It feels good,“ Gustavsson said after victory against Bruins.
There were 28 attempts to break Minnesota‘s net, all of them in vain. Local coach John Hynes expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance: “It was good, coming out of the road trip and taking some lessons out of the last two games. We played fairly solid. There wasn’t a ton going on in the game in general, but a good win.”
What’s next for the Bruins?
- vs Nashville Predators, March 4th
- vs Carolina Hurricanes, March 6th
- vs Tampa Bay Lightning, March 8th
- vs Florida Panthers, March 11th
- vs Ottawa Senators, March 13th