By: Ryan Jainchill | Follow me on Twitter / X @Jainchill_Ryan
The Boston Bruins have found themselves in the thick of the playoff race in mid-March. With 37 wins and 81 points, they are two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. But a common trend for this team, at least in the calendar year of 2026, has been blowing leads and letting points slip away.
Since returning from the Olympic break, the Bruins have gone 5-3-2, collecting 12 points in 10 games. While that number has kept them in the playoff picture, those two overtime losses were prime examples of the team losing out on the pivotal second point.
On Sunday, March 8th, the Bruins held a 3-0 lead halfway through the second period before the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have 83 points and are in second in the Metropolitan Division, tied it in the third. After Pavel Zacha finished off his hat-trick to make it 4-3, Anthony Mantha tied it once again just three minutes later, and the Bruins would end up falling in overtime.
Last night, March 16th, the Bruins held a 2-0 lead after one against the New Jersey Devils, a team out of the playoff picture. They would end up squandering the lead in the third, where David Pastrnak tied it with his second of the night. But in overtime, a hit post by Charlie McAvoy led to a break the other way for Paul Cotter, who beat Joonas Korpisalo to get the second point for the Devils.
While getting a point is nice to stay afloat, not being able to secure the all-important second point may end up costing them down the stretch. The Bruins have seven overtime or shootout losses this season, with five of those losses coming in the second half of the season. All five in this second half have been at the hands of Eastern Conference foes as well.
Two major instances of the Bruins failing to get the extra point came at the beginning of February, in the team’s final two games before the Olympic break. In the Stadium Series, the Bruins held a 5-1 lead in the second period over the Tampa Bay Lightning, who currently have 84 points and are in second in the Atlantic Division. A flurry of, albeit, very one-sided penalties and mental errors led to that game going to overtime, where Pastrnak’s game-winner was negated by another penalty. The Bruins would fall in the shootout to Tampa in a game that, given a regulation win while up 5-1, would have the teams tied right now.
The next game, the team’s first trip of the season to Sunrise, Florida, to take on a battered and desperate Panthers team and former captain Brad Marchand, Boston was up 2-1 after one, but squandered it to trail 4-2 in the third. But Mark Kastelic and Casey Mittelstadt would help send the game to extra time, where the Bruins, once again, fell in the shootout.
But this trend of blowing leads and still getting points is not limited to overtime or shootout losses, even though those have a greater magnitude. In the Bruins’ 3-2 overtime win over the Nashville Predators in January, they were up 2-0 in the second, but a late goal from Roman Josi cut it to 2-1 right before intermission. Nick Blankenburg would tie it halfway through the third, and Pastrnak had to bail the Bruins out of a blown lead-loss just 15 seconds into the extra frame.
According to Tankathon, the Bruins have the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the league. This includes seven divisional games, including tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, as well as another trip to South Florida. They also have Columbus twice, as well as Western Conference foes the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, two of the best teams in the conference. Getting and holding leads in those games will be all the more crucial.
If the Bruins are to hold on to a playoff spot as March bleeds into April, being able to secure two points, or at a minimum, one, will be incredibly important for maintaining their position. As the team holding the last playoff spot at the moment, they have multiple teams right on their heels, and a fair share of them are trying to, and could be able to, catch in the standings.
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