Perhaps it’s time for us to simply settle for that the Bruins and Florida Men don’t pair effectively collectively.
After a solidly performed first 40 minutes, the Bruins allowed three unanswered objectives within the third interval to drop their second Florida sport in a row, dropping to Tampa Bay, 3-1.
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Casey Mittelstadt scored the Bruins’ solely aim early within the second interval, whereas Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves within the defeat.
Charle-Edouard D’Astous tied the sport for Tampa two minutes into the third interval, then Darren Raddysh gave the Lightning the lead with simply over 5 minutes left in regulation.
Nikita Kucherov would add an empty-net aim, and that was that.
The Bruins’ aim got here off of a lovely go from Viktor Arvidsson, with Mittelstadt cashing in to make it 1-0 Bruins.
D’Astous’s aim got here on an excellent little bit of second effort from him, helped by some calamitous defending from the Bruins, making it a 1-1 sport early within the third.
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Raddysh’s aim…yeah. That’s not a aim you may enable within the third interval of a tie sport. 2-1 Tampa.
Kucherov’s empty-netter was a kind of that was simply too straightforward, with Tampa making a few passes and sending Kucherov off to the races.
Bruins lose, 3-1 remaining.
Game notes
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Yikes. You can have a look at the Florida sport as one the place the group obtained off to a gradual begin, obtained going, and obtained goalie’d a bit. Tonight was nearly the alternative, with the B’s taking part in effectively early (they outshot Tampa 19-13 within the first two durations) earlier than falling aside.
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This isn’t to pin a loss on a single participant, however that Raddysh aim can’t occur. Swayman can’t get beat from there, let alone within the final six minutes of the third interval. The complete sequence appeared like one thing you’d have occur to you when taking part in NHL23 (or choose your 12 months) on-line: random defenseman will get the puck within the impartial zone, skates up the ice unbothered, shoots from a bizarre angle, scores, then some teenager begins swearing at you.
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I’m unsure there’s a lot on this, nevertheless it’s value noting that each of Tampa’s non-empty-net objectives got here off of performs that began in their very own zone. I do know that’s often true of each aim if you happen to rewind it far sufficient, however each objectives appeared to include the Bruins getting caught flat-footed when an offensive try petered out.
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The Bruins went 0-for-4 on the facility play, which definitely didn’t assist issues. They had two probabilities within the first interval, then had a giant energy play likelihood simply two minutes after D’Astous’s aim, solely to come up empty. NOT GREAT.
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Also within the “NOT GREAT” file, the Bruins managed simply three pictures on aim within the third interval. Yes, Tampa had as many objectives because the Bruins had pictures. I’m not a paid analyst, however you’re not going to win that many video games when that occurs.
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Mittelstadt’s aim was his fifteenth of the season, equaling his earlier profession excessive; that got here again in 2023 with the Buffalo Sabres.
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Depending in your temper for the time being, the Bruins both blew a giant alternative with this sport or caught a giant break tonight. They failed to choose up any points, however Detroit, Ottawa, Columbus, and the Islanders all misplaced Saturday as effectively, so the Bruins didn’t actually lose any floor.
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Montreal did find yourself successful on Saturday, placing that third spot within the Atlantic a bit additional out of attain. They’re now six points forward of the Bruins, with a sport in hand as effectively.
Some minor housekeeping: with this recap up and a 3:30 PM sport tomorrow, there gained’t be a separate preview for that sport.
We’ll put up a Public Skate a bit sooner than traditional, so be at liberty to congregate there.
If you observe, Happy Easter. If you don’t, Happy Sunday?