Boston Bruins

Bruins Out of Ideas, Recyling Power Play Units Looking For Confidence

Published

4 months ago

January 2, 2025

Andrew Fantucchio

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Nothing has plagued the Boston Bruins more this season than their poor execution on the power play.

Boston has ranked near or at the bottom of the league all season and is currently 30th, having converted on just 13 percent of its power play opportunities thus far.

From changes to their strategy and to their personnel, the Bruins have tried a lot of different ideas, hoping to find a spark of any kind on the man advantage. But as they enter the New Year, they seem to be out of new ideas.

Resigned to their reality, the Bruins will recycle the same units that have looked uninspired and, at times, incompetent tonight against the New York Rangers.

“I’m pretty confident that we’re going to get a turnaround with that group,” Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco told reporters this morning in New York. “Anytime things aren’t going the way you want them to, you have to make some changes. You can’t stand still, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The Bruins had experimented with some different power play alignments over the last few games but took a seemingly impossible step backward with a horrendous showing on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals.

Now, Boston’s top unit will once again feature David Pastrnak playing alongside Brad Marchand, Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha, and Charlie McAvoy.

“We have a job to do today,” said Pastrnak. “We have to capitalize on the power play. You don’t have to score every time, but we’re going to make sure we create momentum for our team.”

The top unit has held the Bruins back all year. Between its five players, it’s scored a combined eight goals. Pastrnak has contributed half of them.

Although it’s not a high bar to clear, the second unit, which tonight will consist of Charlie Coyle, Morgan Geekie, Justin Brazeau, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Mason Lohrei, has been much more reliable, even with less ice time.

In the 23 games prior to Sacco shaking up the units last Saturday, the Bruins scored nine times on the power play, with only three of those goals coming from the first unit.

In the 23 games prior to Sacco changing up the units on Saturday, that top unit had scored just three goals. The second unit scored six during that same time.

— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin9) January 2, 2025

The group has looked completely disjointed all year. Just breaking the puck cleanly into the attacking zone is an accomplishment for them at this point. Even when they do, it’s rare that they generate any sort of sustained pressure.

Opposing penalty kills are keeping the Bruins to the outside way too easily, limiting both their chances and their confidence, which is only compounding the larger issue.

“You are there for a reason, on the power play, and you got to make plays,” Pastrnak said. “The killers are going to kill some plays, but you have to make sure you’re still there to make plays and don’t force stuff and don’t rush the shot because we have to shoot more. Yes, we do, but at the same time, you can’t rush it, and then, once you shoot, you definitely have to recover the pucks. Being confident to make a play is for sure number one.”

After the Bruins lost in Washington on Tuesday, McAvoy shared a similar sentiment.

“It’s been a source of frustration for the entire year for a lot of guys,” said McAvoy. “It’s kind of been like a roller coaster, not letting it affect the five-on-five play. But here’s where we are now. We got to be professionals. We need to make sure that we’re holding ourselves to a high standard. All we need is one game where we get we get looks, and then we’re just playing. Confidence is a funny thing. A little bit of it goes a long way.”

The Bruins need as much of it as they can get.