The Boston Bruins haven’t lost at home since Oct. 5 and have barely lost in that span. Then the Canadiens served them a harsh reality check.
Montreal took advantage of one massive weakness that Boston still can’t overcome. The result? A 5-2 win for the Canadiens. What was worse? Boston let the Canadiens score twice within the game’s first eight minutes and 36 seconds.
Following the game, David Pastrnak highlighted that slow starts have been a problem for Boston.
Via Belle Fraser of BostonBruins.com, Pastrnak said, “It’s something we’ve been struggling with the whole season, but we were able to come [back] in the games and overall end up winning, so kind of forget about the bad starts.”
While the Bruins have been incredible in the first period, it doesn’t negate the fact that slow starts are a problem. Despite jumping out to a dominant 13-4-1 mark before Thursday’s loss, Boston allowed the first goal in six of those first 18 contests.
It shows that the Bruins, as good as they are, haven’t stopped opponents from notching the first goal in over one-third of their games. Tack on Thursday night’s loss to Montreal, Boston has allowed the first goal in seven of its first 19 games. That is over one-third of their contests.
David Pastrnak Calls For Greater Accountability Following Loss
Boston also hasn’t been great in the second period all season. Montreal, one of the better teams in the second frame, took full advantage of that weakness. The Canadiens scored another three goals before Casey Mittelstadt ended the 5-0 run at 14:53 in the second.
Boston allowed Montreal to skate up and down the ice with little resistance. Also, in the second, the Bruins allowed two breakaways. That alone showed how poorly the team played in all three zones. The poor play ultimately led to Boston pulling starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman.
Mittelstadt scored again at 0:53 in the third period. By then, the Bruins were still down by three goals, and there was little chance for a comeback. In their next contest, Boston must take Pastrnak’s words to heart — the Minnesota Wild are coming to town.
Bruins’ Comeback Success Reveals Troubling Pattern
Per EdgeHalla, the Bruins are now 5-2-0 when allowing the first goal. That mark still puts them first in the NHL. Boston is second in the league at 2-2-0 when trailing after the first period.
They are 2-4-0 when trailing after two periods, which remains first in the league. Boston is also 4-1-0 when tied after two periods. That number puts them fourth in the NHL.
Boston has now outscored opponents 27-13 in the final period, which also ranks first in the NHL. All of the above numbers show how well Boston plays in the third frame, but that has yet to translate into the second.
As for the first period, they are second with 23 goals scored vs. 15 goals against. Boston must score quicker in the opening frame and set the tone, much like they did in their win over the Florida Panthers.
More offense early will prevent meltdowns like the Bruins experienced on Thursday night. This is especially important, given their mediocre performances in the second period of games. They can turn things around on Saturday night vs. the Wild.
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