Boston Bruins

Bruins Postgame Takeaways: Reality Check In Ugly Loss To Winnipeg

Published

1 month ago

December 10, 2024

Andrew Fantucchio

The Canadian Press via AP/Fred Greenslade

The Boston Bruins suffered an ugly loss to the Winnipeg Jets by a final of 8-1 at Canada Life Center on Tuesday night.

David Pastrnak had the lone goal for the Bruins in front of Jeremy Swayman, who made 27 saves on 35 shots.

Mark Scheifele had two goals for the Jets. Vladislav Namestnikov, Kyle Connor, Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iaffalo, Mason Appleton, and Nikita Chibrikov each added a tally of their own to Winnipeg’s total as well, all in support of a 24-save performance from Connor Hellebuyck.

But that’s just the box score. Here are the key takeaways from the night that was in Winnipeg.

Bruins Get a Reality Check:

The Bruins enjoyed playing some of the NHL’s lesser teams over the last few weeks. At least against the likes of Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia, they could afford to make a mistake or two.

But as the Bruins kicked off a five-game road trip against one of the league’s very best, the Jets hit them in the face with a reality check harsher than the Winnipeg winter.

The Jets are simply too good of a team to make mistakes against, and the Bruins made many. Every time Boston gave up an inch, Winnipeg took a mile, or in this case a kilometer.

It all began when Brandon Carlo was called for a double-minor penalty that Vladislav Namestnikov used to open the scoring with a power-play goal for Winnipeg in the first period.

With just under two minutes left in the frame, Mason Lohrei made a costly turnover in the defensive end, which Mark Scheifele quickly deposited into the back of the net to give the Jets a commanding 2-0 lead. Sheifele then added to the total just a minute into the second period with his second goal of the night.

The Bruins had a sliver of hope after David Pastrnak cut the deficit to 3-1. That was quickly whipped out in the third period when Winnipeg scored five unanswered goals to hand Boston its most lopsided loss of the season.

Fighting For Dignity:

If there’s anything you can give the Bruins credit for, and there really isn’t much, it’s the fact they didn’t accept defeat.

In their other bad losses this season, the Bruins simply gave up. They stopped skating, they stopped trying, and they stopped caring. Against the Jets, though, they did not go down without a fight.

Before things truly got out of hand in the third period, the Bruins made a clear statement this wasn’t a loss they’d take lightly.

First, it was Trent Frederic who dropped the gloves as he dropped Jets center David Gustaffson.

FREDDY ONE-PUNCH STRIKES AGAIN pic.twitter.com/DHIezcJBXN

— Bear With Me (@BearWithMe_Pod) December 11, 2024

Soon after, Logan Stanley became Mark Kastelic’s latest victim. Before things were all said and done, Nikita Zadorov squared off with Jets captain Adam Lowry.

Nikita Zadorov and Adam Lowry drop the gloves. pic.twitter.com/ek912DVU00

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) December 11, 2024

First Power Play Unit Breaks Through:

The one silver lining for the Bruins is that their first power-play unit finally scored a goal for the first time in more than a month.

Down 3-0 early in the second period, David Pastrnak put the Bruins on the board by scoring on the man advantage. Standing at the left face-off dot, Pastrnak collected a feed from Charlie McAvoy and fired a laser of a one-timer that was too fast for Connor Hellebuyck to handle with his glove.

The goal was Pastrnak’s 10th of the season and the first from Boston’s top power-play unit since Oct. 31.

🍝🚨 pic.twitter.com/R2tvvEjNIR

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 11, 2024

Up Next:

The Bruins will head further west as they continue their road trip on Thursday night in Seattle against the Kraken. Puck drop is slated for 10 p.m. EST.