Bruins Overtime is a postgame feature providing extra news, notes and analysis from each game. Boston fell to the Ottawa Senators, 1-0, on Tuesday night in Boston, MA.
I think everyone envisioned this game to go a lot differently for the Bruins. Normally when there is some drama with a team, they take care of business and come back to answer the call ten times over, and win in the process.
But in Tuesday night's game at TD Garden, there was something missing, and it was more than just goals in the back of Ottawa's net.
Now, in Boston's defense, they tried to drop the gloves on a number of occasions, but the Senators knew better than to do that. Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson (who scored the only goal of the night) said that it would have been a bad idea to play into that, so they continued to just play the hockey game like they knew how.
"It probably wouldn’t go so well for me," Karlsson said about getting involved with Milan Lucic. "I mean, that happens. It’s a tough game. It’s a close game. I mean, what can you do? It’s part of the game and I don’t really pay any attention to it."
So without the fights or physical aspect, the Bruins have to score, and they had no luck at that tonight as well.
SHUTOUTS BECOMING COMMON
This if the fifth time this month the Bruins have come out of a game without a single goal to their name. Compare that to the rest of the season, and it looks even more miserable. Taking February out of the equation, the B's have only been shutout twice. That includes the dreadful month of October.
So what gives?
Well obviously having Nathan Horton out plays a huge factor in the lack of goals. He was in prime position every time to score goals, and now they don't have another player that plays that role. He was always in front, scoring the gritty rebound goals, while Lucic and David Krejci just kept feeding him. Even though he's been out over a month, he still sits 5th on the team in goals with 17, and the top scorer only has 22.
ROLSTON AND MOTTAU HAPPY TO GET THROUGH FIRST GAME
Though they have been through half the season so far with the Islanders, both players were relieved to get the first game out of the way. Brian Rolston finished the night with just under seven minutes of ice time, but was happy with how he felt after the game.
"It takes a little bit. I played center tonight, which I haven’t played in a while, so that’s another little bit of adjustment there that I have to make," Rolston said. "But I’ve played long enough where I’ve played center for a lot of years, and it’ll just take me a game or two to feel a little more sharp here."
Fans showed their appreciation for Rolston when he stepped out onto the ice for his first shift, and they gave him an ovation. Rolston claims he heard it and was touched with the welcome.
"It was great. I’m very happy to be here, you know obviously I got a warm reception from the crowd, which means a lot to me," he said. "It was a lot of fun. And like I said, got my legs under me a little bit. I hadn’t skated in a couple days, so that’ll be good to get another practice in and start feeling more comfortable"
THE LONG ROAD AHEAD
Even though the Bruins just came back from a lengthy road trip, they can't settle and take a breather. The last stretch of the season will certainly test this team, as they will have to play 21 games in 38 days--almost one game every other day.
Included in those games are trips out to California in the later part of March, before heading back to the East coast for the remaining games. They can't look this tired if they want to prevail, though, after a road trip they say tired legs are the norm.
But the Bruins don't 'have the luxury to come up with excuses.
NEXT UP:
The Bruins have to come back and start March off the right way with a game against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. They have outscored the Devils 14-5 in the three games they have played together and will have their own fans behind them.
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