3 takeaways from the Bruins’ 3-2 shootout loss to the Islanders
The Bruins dropped to 0-5 in the shootout this season.
The Bruins and the New York Islanders embarked on a war of attrition as both teams struggled to generate offense and create separation on the scoreboard Thursday night.
This battle ended in favor of the Islanders by way of a shootout.
Anders Bjork opened the scoring when he picked up a loose puck in the offensive zone and buried a wrist shot right under the cross just 1:58 into the game.
Bar down.#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/THIq93CiVq
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 20, 2019
Bruce Cassidy stated after the morning skate it would be tough to beat the Islanders defense. That sentiment proved true as the Bruins only mustered a mere 10 shots on net on Barry Trotz’s club through the first 40 minutes.
A physical Islanders side seized momentum over those first two periods. Former Bruin Johnny Boychuk and Matt Barzal each lit the lamp int he second period to give the Isles a 2-1 lead.
The Bruins came alive in the third period, however. They outshot the Islanders 16-1 over the last 20 minutes and pressured them with a relentless pace and tenacity.
Torey Krug brought Boston even with a one-time blast during a 5-on-3 opportunity.
🚀@ToreyKrug | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/erhPIvC3sm
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 20, 2019
Yet, the Bruins couldn’t reach that second gear to put them over the top, eventually falling in the shootout.
“Our third period was excellent,” Cassidy said following Boston’s 3-2 loss. “Our first two, we have some work to do.”
The Bruins gained a point but their struggles during the extra session continued. Here’s what we learned.
The Bruins have lost seven of eight.
Cassidy’s bunch got off to one of the hottest starts in franchise history this season. Now they have come back down to earth a little bit as they have lost seven of their last eight games.
A mixture of slow starts and rough puck luck contributed to a lackluster 1-4-3 stretch. Four of those seven losses (in regulation and overtime) came by one goal, including their first two losses of the homestand to the Kings and Islanders.
Boston’s shootout struggles are concerning but not overwhelming.
The Bruins have a monkey on their backs in the form of the dreaded shootout. Five times they have participated this season and five times they have come up empty.
“Listen, do I always sit here and tell you I want to win them? Of course,” Cassidy said. “Hasn’t happened for us, and other teams have finished better than us. I don’t have an answer for you there. We’ve talked about this before, we do work on this in practice. Not every day, but we do certain reps on it, build it in like probably every other specialized part of the game, like working on six-on-fives, etc.
“It hasn’t gone our way yet. I’ve got to believe we stay in that if we get in enough of them, some are going to go our way. But clearly, it’s not a strength of our team.”
The Bruins have one of the deepest and talented rosters in the league. Still, there’s a dark cloud that hovers over the TD Garden crowd whenever they can’t finish the game in regulation or overtime because they know what the result is going to be.
It’s starting to become an area of concern when they are just gifting away points.
“I think we are a little frustrated by our outcomes in the shootouts,” Bjork said. “It’s tough it hasn’t gone our way lately. It’s tough but obviously we have guys that can score goals.”
Anders Bjork is gaining trust with the coaching staff.
There was no doubt about it Thursday night, Bjork was Boston’s best player. He played with a fiery pace and confidence that led to several quality looks, including his fifth goal of the season.
The 23-year-old almost cashed in on a second against the Islanders in the second period if not for Semyon Varlamov’s spectacular stop.
VARLY SAID, “I’LL TAKE THAT!” 😳🚨@NYIslanders | #NYIvsBOS pic.twitter.com/AS0QSdPai8
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) December 20, 2019
“I definitely thought I had that one,” Bjork said with a laugh. “It was a great save, but I’ll learn from it and maybe go low next time.”
More importantly, the coaching staff has trust in Bjork to play important minutes no matter the scenario.
His prowess on Boston’s first shorthanded situation — with Connor Clifton in the box — on the primary penalty kill unit with Brad Marchand proved how far Bjork has come along since his late October callup from Providence.
The Bruins need all the secondary scoring they can get. Bjork’s growth and development in his third professional season can only help that cause.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com