More third-period woes.
The Boston Bruins fell 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators in overtime Saturday night at the TD Garden after the team failed to generate, literally, any offense in the third period.
Another problematic final frame helped hand the Bruins the loss as they failed to register a single shot on net, were outskated by the Senators, lost puck battles to them, had poor execution and just couldn’t match Ottawa’s energy.
“We just weren’t good enough,” Jim Montgomery said postgame.
After a back-and forth first period dominated by strong goaltending at both ends, the Bruins’ PK got worked by one of the best power plays in the league to find themselves down 1-0 thanks to Josh Norris with only a few seconds remaining in the first period.
The Bruins would end up on the kill again early in the second period, but a successful kill gave the team some momentum.
The B’s responded after the “too many men on the ice” call with defense jumping into offensive plays. Some high energy shifts garnered two goals, and the lead, within 15 seconds for the Bruins from Pavel Zacha and Brad Marchand.
But a late-period goal from Michael Amadio tied the game.
A lackluster third period saw not only scoring chances tilted way in Ottawa’s favor, but shots on net were non-existent for the Bruins.
Linus Ullmark, who marked his return to Boston after being traded with 14 saves, wouldn’t see a shot from the Bruins until overtime. That shot, a feed from Marchand to Elias Lindholm, led to Brady Tkachuk’s game-winner. The loose puck came out to him, and play, like most of the game minus the third period, went right back down the ice to score on Jeremy Swayman and end things 21 seconds into overtime.
Here are the game’s highlights.
First period:
Ottawa was strong off the rush and then Josh Norris beat Swayman with a one-timer from inside the right-wing circle at 19:52 of the first period on the power play. 1-0 Senators.
Second period:
Zacha stayed strong on the puck with pressure, spun around in the slot and blindly threw a backhander past Ullmark’s glove shoulder at 4:51 of the second period. 1-1 game.
Moments later, after Hampus Lindholm cut across the slot, Justin Brazeau picks up the loose puck and found Marchand at the back door. Marchand lifted a quick wrist shot into the net at 5:06 of the second period. 2-1 Bruins.
Michael Amadio skated down the right wing side to let a wrist shot fly past Swayman’s glove at 17:26 of the second period. 2-2 game.
Third period:
No goals
Shots 12-0 Ottawa
Overtime:
After Elias Lindholm had his chance and Ullmark made the stop, the loose puck found the tape of Brady Tkachuk’s stick. He skated into the o-zone on a 2-on-1 before letting a wrist shot off inside the right-wing circle which beat Swayman’s blocker. Final score: 3-2 Senators.
Game notes
“Right now, I don’t have an answer for you” — Montgomery.
- In what may have been the shortest press conference from Jim Montgomery postgame, the coach was pressed about why he felt his team has struggled in the third period and how it could be fixed. In short, he didn’t have an answer, but frustrations are mounting. He said he maybe it’s something they will look at it “sports science-wise.” When pressed more if the roster is listening, or not, he responded that the media they just weren’t good enough and the media will come up with the reason as to why they’ve become “malaise.”
- The B’s were outshot the entire game, 34 to 16, even in the second period when they had control the tempo for a while. Swayman looked good, and made some incredible saves throughout the game. Who knows, maybe it was having Ullmark down the other end for motivation.
- The Bruins had zero SOG in the third period. The Boston Globe’s Kevin Dupont reported it’s the first time since 2006 that the Bruins haven’t registered a SOG in the third period. “It kind of felt like we were kind of defending,” Zacha said postgame. “We didn’t generate any offense…If you don’t win those battles and don’t check, well, it doesn’t really matter.”
- Marchand said he felt tonight’s OT loss came down to poor execution and the need for special teams to improve. “Sometimes when you lack confidence or, you know, you’re overthinking…your execution is slow,” Marchand said. “We need to get out of our head, stop thinking, just start playing.”
- Marchand soundbite on 5v5 improving, outside of tonight, and taking the good with the bad and moving on: “We’ve been doing some good things lately,” Marchand said. “A bad period or that period, half, whatever it is, you can’t dwell on that. You got to take it and learn from it, understand we need to be better in a few areas. The world is not ending.”
- Consistency is just still not there and it’s showing in the first month of play. And on top of that, the Bruins haven’t been able to piece together more than two wins in a row — which has only happened once so far.
- The Bruins will travel to face the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 8 p.m. ET.