By: Declan Flavin | Follow me on Twitter / X @FlavinDeclan
The Boston Bruins will come into Vancouver on Saturday night remembering the elusive 5–4 loss they suffered in their own barn on the same night two weeks ago. Although the offense was on display, the Bruins’ carelessness in other areas turned the game into a stinging result and the start of a poor slump.
The team will need to regroup for this one and address a few specific headlines to paint a clearer picture of how things should look. With the last loss featuring a five-spot that the group can’t afford to give up often, there will be some simple dynamics to go over.
Persistent Energy
Goals like the ones in the embedded post above were covered in a film room article, but it’s fitting to echo those situations in the game points for the next matchup. There’s a reason energy level is the primary point for this one, as the Bruins did not show the stick-to-itiveness they had all season in the last bout with the Canucks.
It was even exemplified by goaltender Jeremy Swayman not assessing the puck-dumping situation urgently enough, followed by his teammates failing to prepare for quick counterattacks. Players will need to treat small and big situations with the same level of pace and brainpower, because anything can go awry with a roster that leans on teamwork more than individualism.
Balancing of Structure
The idea of improved energy bleeds into maintaining structure, as there were a few times in the last faceoff when players abandoned it, either from a lack of awareness or too much energy. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov was too casual in the situation shown above, but there was also an instance where forward Fraser Minten left a gap open on the fourth goal due to his high energy on a closeout.
Of course, players will usually lean one way or another between skating energy and strict awareness of structure, but the goal is for the team to balance the two so they give themselves a chance. After all, the organization wants to mirror the forecheck of teams like the Florida Panthers or Carolina Hurricanes, and that’s the ceiling this group is aiming for once they can consistently achieve this balance.
High-Level Goaltending
This last headline will always come off as a lazy critique, but Swayman has simply set a standard over his career that the team expects him to meet. That isn’t to insinuate that the five goals given up was entirely his fault either, as head coach Marco Sturm had played him in piles of consecutive games, and history suggests that can be a risk with this player.
However, the team moved on from goaltender Linus Ullmark long ago to put the primary goaltender load on Swayman, and they need him to play exceptionally if they want to make the playoffs and go further. If Swayman can’t rebound from games and bend the typical level of support that a goalie needs, the Bruins won’t be very relevant in this game or late in the season.
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