The Boston Bruins got their goals from two young forwards in Dallas.
When the game reached its most vital stretch, both were watching.
Matt Poitras and James Hagens scored in Boston’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Neither played during the closing five-plus minutes of regulation or any of overtime, per Boston.com’s Conor Ryan.
That decision has invited scrutiny following a game in which Boston struggled to generate offense down the stretch.
At least, the Bruins returned from their four-game road trip with seven of eight possible points.
Sturm’s Late-Game Decision Leaves Poitras and Hagens Watching
Ryan questioned Sturm’s decision to shorten his bench after the young forwards helped put Boston in position to finish the trip unbeaten.
Poitras played just 9:01. Defenseman Frederic Brunet, who assisted on his goal, also sat for the final 4:33 of regulation before receiving one overtime shift.
Sturm’s postgame comments harped on valuable lessons in facing Dallas’ experienced lineup.
“Again, they still need to learn,” Sturm said, via Boston.com.
“You could tell they made a little bit more mistakes than some other games.”
Sturm also indicated that the experience would benefit his younger players as they develop.
Those comments landed amid talk of Boston’s youth movement. Boston Hockey Now’s Jack Studley noted that Sturm wasn’t directly asked about keeping the two forwards on the bench late.
But the outcome makes the choice something to examine.
In the end, a coach has to weigh defensive reliability against offensive upside.
Although with the game tied, Boston needed someone to conjure up the next scoring chance. And the young forwards had demonstrated they could finish one.
Bruins’ Offensive Drought Adds to Questions After Dallas Loss
According to Studley, Boston went the final 16:35 without a shot on goal, including the entire overtime period.
The power play finished 0-for-4, chalking up a miss to a night when the Bruins needed more from their offense.
“We couldn’t really find our rhythm, and they were very aggressive,” Sturm said of the power play, via Boston Hockey Now.
Dallas finalized the game with a power-play goal of its own.
Mikko Rantanen completed his hat trick at 3:52 of overtime after Pavel Zacha’s slashing penalty. Jeremy Swayman finished with 22 saves, including two stops on Wyatt Johnston breakaways in the extra period, according to The Associated Press.
The Stars did have the league’s fourth-ranked penalty kill and an NHL-best 1.5 goals allowed per game, per AP, helping to explain the flow of the game, even as Boston’s empty power play invites doubts.
The defeat snapped Boston’s five-game winning streak and left the Bruins at 7-2-1. They finished the trip 3-0-1, with Nashville next on the schedule.
There are things like about that start. A single frustrating finish doesn’t slam a damper on the entire road trip.
But the approach with the Bruins’ youth will follow Sturm past Dallas.
And maybe Tuesday’s ending floated a thought to revisit that way forward.
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