The Boston Bruins lost to the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overtime Saturday night. They were lucky to get a point.
With the game tied 2-2 after 40 minutes, the Bruins no-showed the third period. They did not land a single shot on goal in the final frame of regulation, getting outshot 12-0, out-attempted 22-5, and out-hustled up and down the ice.
According to the Boston Globe's Kevin Paul Dupont, it was the first time the Bruins had failed to register a shot on goal in the third period of a game since Dec. 21, 2006, in the middle of the long, forgettable winter of Dave Lewis.
Brady Tkachuk’s game-winning goal 21 seconds into overtime felt inevitable. When Linus Ullmark, in his return to Boston, made one save in overtime eight seconds earlier, it was the first shot he had seen in 24:20 of game action, and over an hour of real time.
While the zero shots part was new, the third-period struggles were not. The Bruins have been the worst third-period team in the NHL this season. They have the worst third-period goal differential (minus-11) and the second-worst third-period shot differential (minus-41).
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery did not have any answers after Saturday’s game.
“I don’t have an answer,” he said when asked why third periods have been an issue.
What does he plan to do to address it?
“Talk about it. Figure out why. Look at what we're doing sports science-wise,” Montgomery said. “We'll come up with answers. Right now, I don’t have an answer for you.”
Is conditioning an issue for this team?
“We thought so during camp, but we don’t think so anymore.”
Do you question whether the players are listening?
“No. I don’t question that.”
So, what’s preventing the message from getting through?
“It’s up for you guys to figure that out and come up with a reason. We just weren't good enough. You guys can write what you guys think is the malaise on the team and what's going wrong. We're just not playing good enough.”
So few words, but so much to unpack. Montgomery is clearly frustrated. He has not been able to get the Bruins to play the way he wants them to play on any sort of consistent basis this season. He has used the word “relentless” to describe the style he wants to see, but they have often been anything but. Every time they seem to take a step forward, it is almost immediately followed by a step back and another low point, with Saturday’s third period the latest.
The admission that he thought conditioning was an issue in training camp raises questions about why, and whether that is still a factor even though he says it’s not. Every team improves their conditioning throughout the season, so if the Bruins started behind the eight-ball, they may still be playing catch-up even if their own conditioning has improved. Montgomery’s reference to “sports science” suggests that there is still something that needs to be figured out in that department.
Montgomery says he believes players are listening, but also mentions a “malaise” and says it’s up to the media to figure out why listening is not translating into action. Of course, it is also his job and the players’ job and the front office’s job.
Everyone is searching for answers to explain why a team that is so used to regular-season success and that spent big money this offseason has played so poorly through the first month-plus of the season. Montgomery still hasn’t found them. Someone needs to soon.