As of the morning of Feb. 27, the Boston Bruins are tied for the greatest number of points (82) in the NHL. They’re also tied for the most overtime and shootout losses – aka, “the loser point” – in the league this season (14) with only the New York Islanders matching them.
The NHL record for a single season, if you’re wondering, is 18 overtime losses. The Tampa Bay Lightning did it in 2008-09, the Florida Panthers in 2011-12, the New Jersey Devils in 2013-14 and the Philadelphia Flyers in 2014-15. The Panthers wound up making the playoffs with a 38-26-18 record (94 points). The Bruins’ franchise record is 16 overtime losses in the 2005-06 season where they missed the playoffs.
Fortunately for Boston, they have had a heck of a season and are essentially a lock to make the playoffs: According to moneypuck.com, the Bruins have a 99.9% chance of making it to the NHL’s second season (the Islanders have a 6.6% chance). But what has this streak of collapses and one-point games done to them? How can it be rectified, and how quickly?
Bruins On A Slippery Slope
While the Bruins will most likely be a postseason team, it looked like they’d take the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference for much of the season too. Now, according to MoneyPuck, the Bruins have just a 36.8% chance of winning the Division.
The Bruins are 3-2-5 in their last 10 games while the Florida Panthers have gone 8-2-0, trailing the Bruins by just two points in the standings with two games in hand. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs have also gone 8-2-0 (including a seven-game winning streak), trail the Bruins by eight points but with three games in hand.
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Just a few months ago, when Boston was the clear frontrunner in the Atlantic Division, people would make their predictions with the caveat that hockey is a lot less predictable than other sports. Consider this exhibit one million-something.
Bruins 2023-24 Overtime & Shootout Statistics
The Bruins have played extra hockey in each of their last six contests and in seven of their last eight. Overall, they’ve seen 22 overtime games this season, with six of those requiring a shootout. In those 22 games, they went 8-14 (3-3 in the shootout).
The Bruins have scored five overtime goals this season; two by Brad Marchand, two by Charlie McAvoy, and one by Pavel Zacha. Marchand and McAvoy also have Boston’s highest success rate in the shootout, each going one-for-one. However, Charlie Coyle has gone two-for-six, Jake DeBrusk one-for-five, and David Pastrnak one-for-five.
During this dismal overtime and shootout stretch for the B’s, I’ve been wondering why Marchand hasn’t been getting routine chances. That’s not because he’s gone one-for-one, but because he’s one of Boston’s most-skilled forwards and has the experience to shine in the shootout spotlight (except that one time he skated by the puck).
I’m still wondering.
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Shootouts are ultimately unfair to the goaltender. However, if you’re wondering which of Boston’s two netminders is better in the shootout this season, statistics say it’s Jeremy Swayman, who has only allowed two goals on 14 attempts compared to Linus Ullmark’s three goals allowed on eight attempts.
Putting Out the Fire
Due to the makeup, you have to approach NHL regular-season overtime hockey differently from the usual five-on-five product. With just three skaters out there, ordinary tactics and game plans get thrown over the glass and out of play. It becomes a battle of which team can survive the most number of odd-man rushes, more times than not.
Given that, solving your team’s woes in overtime and the shootout can be difficult. Avoiding overtime in the first place? Well, that’s doable. In isolated incidents and small stretches, individual players can often take the blame. But the number of third-period collapses are mounting, and fingers are starting to point toward coaching.
I want to make this clear: I’m not calling for a coaching change in Boston. Jim Montgomery is the right guy to have behind the bench, and the team’s record-breaking 2022-23 season and dominant display for most of this season are as sound of arguments as you’re going to get to back that statement up (other than a Stanley Cup).
However, it seems like it’s up to coaching – or some form of leadership (captain Marchand, veterans, etc.) – to light a fire under this team. Whether it’s blowing a multi-goal lead in the third period or giving up a game-tying goal in the final seconds of the game, the frequency of these late-game collapses is beyond bad luck or beyond coincidence at this point.
What is it exactly? A lack of grit? A tendency to get too relaxed? Is it overconfidence, or a complete lack of confidence in themselves? We outsiders can make guesses but the players – and especially the coaches – should have a pulse on what the issue is and put that fire out quickly. Heck, they should have put it out many games ago.
Montgomery told NESN after Monday’s (Feb. 26) shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken that the B’s haven’t had “that killer instinct.” I think the vast majority of fans would agree.
The Bruins are still a playoff team thanks to their stellar first half of the season, and although there’s no three-on-three in playoffs, they won’t make it far if they’re giving up late-game leads and failing to execute in overtime. This needs to be nipped in the bud, and I’m looking to Montgomery and this team’s leaders to get the job done quickly.
It is a must.