The Boston Bruins looks to start a new winning line when they finish a five-game route against the current playoffs opponents with a matchup at Saturday Night against Tampa Bay Lightning.
A loss of 6-3 Thursday on the Ottawa senators ended Bruin’s hope for their first victory line longer than two matches since December. After several strong efforts, the game highlighted a return to inconsistent ways-which enabled a first period of four goals that were too much to overcome.
“Our execution was not really there. We were not sharp, our passing was off and because of that they got us back on our heels and then took the game to us during the first period,” said interim coach Joe Sacco. “I think a lot of it was self -destroyed. Our decisions with the puck sometimes were not correct.”
Boston’s first loss after the deadline saw the newcomers Casey Mittlestadt and Marat Khusnutdinov scored their first goals with the team, while David Pastrnak recorded his 34th and at least one point for the 22nd time in 23 games.
While a new appearance has gathered quickly, Bruins is still looking into the playoffs and has three teams sitting between them and the last place. With the Thursday result, Ottawa now has a five-point lead on top of the Wild-Card position.
“We never give up (this room), but we have to get out quickly, especially in a game like this,” said Boston defender Mason Lohrei. “We are worried about the next game. That’s all you can do. … We have to be ready to go from Puck Drop.”
Bruins have played well against Tampa Bay this season and won the last two of three total meetings with a combined 10-2 points. Saturday marks their last head-to-head collision.
Jeremy Swayman stopped all 25 shots he met on his way to a 4-0 victory in Tampa last Saturday, which only marked the second loss of shutdown for Lightning this season.
“We will not disappear,” Pastrnak said after that game.
The flash is 10-3-1 in its last 14 games, but has now gone three straight without a victory (0-2-1) after a 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
Now it will come to the visit to Boston to find a victory on this three-game road trip, which began Tuesday with a 4-1 loss to Carolina Hurricanes.
“The boys work, but (it seems) as the harder they work, not much is done,” said Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper. “In the end, we left many games on the table. In the end, if you do, the game is in balance. That’s what happened. We lost extra points.”
By zooming out to the last four games, Tampa Bay has not darkened 26 shots on goal in any of them and gone a combined 2-for-9 on power play.
Against the Philadelphia band Cam Atkinson point 3:50 into the third period to eventually force overtime. The goal came in the former Boston College star’s first match back with the team after a short assignment to the AHL -connected Syracuse.
“We knew what we had to do – stick to our game plan and play with energy,” Atkinson said.
It was a crucial goal that helped Tampa earn a point to keep a four-point grip on the third playoffs for the Atlantic Division.
“Obviously (Atkinson has been such a troops,” said forward Braden Point. “Always positive, such a good teammate and a good guy, and to see him score on a team he once played for was fantastic.”
Gage Goncalves and Zemgus Girgensons also scored against the flyer. Goncalves, a 24-year-old beginner, has now counted in back-to-back games.
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