The Boston Bruins suffered a heartbreaking loss against Atlantic Division opponent, the Ottawa Senators, and it could put in jeopardy their spot in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. As the Bs watched their lead slip away in the dying seconds, and subsequently lost in a shootout, captain Brad Marchand didn’t step onto the ice, because of a coaching decision from Joe Sacco. While many were left flabbergasted by the move, Marchand issued a very honest statement.
Boston is walking a tightrope, constantly at risk of falling and missing out in the NHL’s postseason. A team that once seemed like a lock for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is now mired in a dogfight for the final spots in the Eastern Conference.
The Bruins squandered a 5-3 lead late against the Senators, and ultimately lost in a shootout. The loss may have catastrophic consequences for Boston, as they fell out of a wildcard spot, and were surpassed by Ottawa.
Moreover, many eyebrows were raised in the locker room as interim coach Joe Sacco decided to leave captain Brad Marchand off the rink during 3-on-3 overtime, and neither was Marchand called up for a shootout attempt.
While many argued against Sacco’s decision, Marchand himself voiced a very sincere admission, and stood by his coach’s call. “He’s going to make decisions based on how he feels each guy is playing each night. I get it. Next time, I need to do better,” Marchand stated, via Boston Hockey Now.
Marchand’s addresses his performance
Boston’s second-leading scorer, Marchand, was held off the scoresheet during the Bruins’ visit to the Canadian Tire Centre. As Sacco‘s Bs lost their seventh game in their last ten games, the captain had a lackluster showing, one that he’d like back.
“My details weren’t good enough,” Marchand admitted. “In a game like that they have to be spot-on. Obviously, overtime is a big opportunity and you gotta earn that right. It’s part of the game.”
Pastrnak sends bold warning to the team
The Bruins have allowed 40+ shots on goal in each of their last three outings. While they managed to put together vital wins in the previous games, the defensive liabilities came back to bite them during their matchup with the Senators.
After the game, star David Pastrnak sent a very harsh wake up call to his teammates, including Marchand and interim coach Sacco.
“Honestly, we didn’t deserve to win. We were up two goals,” Pastrnak stated postgame, via NHL.com. “We have to protect our house; we’re relying on the goalie too much. There are games where they have 40 shots, but they’re not very high-end chances, but like I said, the last couple of games it’s too many shots from inside the house. Protect the slot and block more shots.”
Boston must bounce back as they host the San Jose Sharks at TD Garden. Facing one of the NHL’s bottom feeders, the Bruins need to prove they are on a higher level and secure two crucial points to stay in the playoff hunt.