Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Bruins need to look themselves in mirror after embarrassing performance on home ice
“Man to man in here, if we're not f------ embarrassed with what just happened, then I don't know what to say."
COMMENTARY
Morale was high for Marco Sturm as he fielded questions from the podium 90 minutes ahead of puck drop on Sunday afternoon.
Yes, the Bruins entered Game 4 of their best-of-seven series against Buffalo in a 2-1 deficit.
But, Boston has had its chances against a red-hot Sabres club.
Had it not been for a third-period implosion in Game 1, Boston could have returned to Causeway Street up, 2-0. Prior to Game 4, Boston had held a lead for 86:30 of the series, with Buffalo leading just 19:21 over those same three games.
“That’s why you’ve got to stay positive, because it changes quickly. Things change real quick. That’s why I’m actually smiling today because I know how things can change now,” Sturm said. “Yes, we’re down 2-1, but it’s a great opportunity.
Advertisement:
“It can change in a hurry, and that’s why we’ll try to do. We’ll try to tie this thing up today and go to Buffalo and feel really good.”
It didn’t take long for that optimism to fade and the smile etched on Sturm’s face to turn into a scowl.
“I really can’t. I don’t know,” an exasperated Sturm said postgame when asked to explain what transpired on the TD Garden ice. “I really don’t know.”
By the time the final seconds mercifully ticked off the clock after the first 20 minutes of action, the roar of boos echoing across Boston’s barn said it all.
Advertisement:
If Sunday represented a blank canvas for the Bruins to start anew, the Sabres were more than happy to set it aflame — putting Boston’s season on the brink of ruin.
In just the first period alone, the Sabres throttled whatever life was in TD Garden — save for the healthy contingent of Buffalo fans relishing the beatdown with mocking cheers toward Jeremy Swayman.
Boston was downright uncompetitive in the first, with a bevy of miscues, turnovers, and soft plays culminating in a defensive disaster class for Boston.
It was 4-0 Buffalo after 20 minutes.
According to Kevin Paul Dupont of The Boston Globe, Sunday marked the first time in the Bruins’ century-long history that they had fallen behind, 4-0, in a playoff game — either home or away.
It could have been worse.
Buffalo closed out the first period with a 34-14 edge in shot attempts, to go along with a 19-5 advantage in shots on goal.
By the end of the evening, a listless Bruins offense only put one puck past Alex Lyon in net, a furious Swayman barked at his bench before getting the hook in the third period, and the Bruins’ season is now on life support after a 6-1 beatdown by Buffalo.
Advertisement:
“Wasted opportunity. Unacceptable,” David Pastrnak said postgame after Boston fell into a 3-1 series deficit. “We expect better from ourselves. We are better than that. Can’t show up like this. Afternoon game, the first period is so [expletive] important. You can win or lose games [there]. To show up like that as a team, it’s unacceptable.”
There were few skaters in a black-and-gold sweater who were absolved from Sunday’s D-zone disaster class.
A brutal turnover by 21-year-old Fraser Minten started the floodgates for Buffalo — with Payton Krebs wiring a puck past Swayman just 4:17 into the contest.
On an ensuing Buffalo power play, a soft clear from Hampus Lindholm resulted in a dying chip shot into the high slot. Buffalo retained possession, with Josh Doan jamming a puck home just seconds later to double Buffalo’s lead at 7:10.
Jordan Harris — pressed into game action as part of Sturm’s lineup reshuffle — didn’t fare much better. While trying to exit the zone with the puck on his stick, he coughed up the biscuit while getting pressured by Doan.
Zach Benson took advantage of the turnover, taking the puck to the net and jamming it past Swayman to make it 3-0.
Swayman prevented another goal after a lazy passing sequence between Nikita Zadorov and Casey Mittelstadt led to a sprawling, ten-bell stop. But Boston’s goalie couldn’t negate another Grade-A look after a Bruins’ D-zone turnover from Morgan Geekie led to Bowen Byram snapping a puck into twine at 14:24.
Advertisement:
That was all that the visiting team needed on Sunday to put an already laboring Bruins team on the ropes.
Swayman, now sporting a sharp .924 save percentage over his last 16 playoff games, never stood a chance. For those keeping track, the Bruins are 7-9 in those 16 games with Swayman in net.
“I’m embarrassed, and we all should be,” Sturm said. “We’re all pissed.”
There would not be any silver linings to draw from such a lopsided result — not on home ice, and not in a game of this magnitude.
With blue-chip prospect James Hagens watching Sunday’s game from the ninth floor, the Bruins’ 19-year-old forward had an all-encompassing view of how an NHL club shouldn’t carry itself in a home playoff game.
For all of the expected anxieties involving how Boston’s crop of young players would fare under the bright lights of the postseason, the Bruins’ established veterans have also failed to seize the moment.
In McAvoy’s 19:33 of 5-on-5 reps, the Sabres outscored Boston, 4-0.
Pastrnak, limited to just one shot on goal, drew boos with every puck that seemingly died on his stick.
Elias Lindholm, who still has another five years and $38.75 million left on his deal, was a minus-3 and struggled to match Buffalo’s pace.
Pavel Zacha has two goals in 29 career playoff games.
Nikita Zadorov could set himself up for a hefty fine or more from the NHL Department of Player Safety after cross-checking and taking a swing at Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin with the game already out of reach.
Advertisement:
“It starts with me. It starts with the leaders on the ice,” Sturm said of his leadership group. “Those are the guys. I can’t expect the young guys to turn the ship and get us out of this. Those are the guys.”
As shown over the last week, the Bruins may not have the talent to keep up with Buffalo over a seven-game series.
Boston — seemingly still ahead of schedule in its retool — was already regarded as an underdog against a red-hot Sabres club.
But, any talk of Boston operating with house money in this unexpected playoff run rings hollow on an evening quite like this.
The Bruins — crafted this season with the identity of being a tough out in high-stakes hockey — weren’t bullied out on the ice Sunday. Even worse, they didn’t even show up.
And for all of the talk of Boston’s decided home-ice advantage during regular-season play (29-11-1 at TD Garden), the Bruins are now 3-10 in their last 10 playoff games at TD Garden — per 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson.
As Buffalo fans joined in a chorus of “Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye!” chants as the Bruins made their way off the ice, the reality started to set in.
After a dreadful showing on Sunday, the next time the Bruins are on Causeway Street might be in September.
Boston still has a chance to validate its season-long preaching as a tough, resilient group.
Advertisement:
Time is running out to prove such a point.
“Man to man in here, if we’re not f—— embarrassed with what just happened, then I don’t know what to say,” McAvoy said. “It’s not over after three games. So we have everything to play for here.”
Be civil. Be kind.
Read our full community guidelines.To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address