The Boston Bruins are tied for the most points (82) in the NHL as of this morning, February 27. Only the New York Islanders have as many overtime and shootout losses (sometimes known as “the loser point”) in the NHL as they have, at 14.
In case you were wondering, the NHL record for a single season is 18 overtime losses. The Florida Panthers in 2011–12, the New Jersey Devils in 2013–14, the Philadelphia Flyers in 2014–15, and the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008–09 all achieved it. With a 38-26-18 record (94 points), the Panthers managed to qualify for the postseason. 16 overtime losses during the 2005–06 season, when the Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs, is the franchise record.
Luckily, Boston has had a tremendous season and virtually guarantees a spot in the postseason: The Bruins have a 99.9% chance of qualifying for the NHL’s second season (the Islanders have a 6.6% chance), according to moneypuck.com. However, what harm has this run of blowouts and one-point contests done to them? How soon and how precisely can it be fixed?
Bruins On An Unsteady Hill
The Bruins looked like they would win the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference for a large portion of the season, even though they would almost certainly be a postseason club. The Bruins now only have a 36.8% probability of winning the Division, per MoneyPuck.
The Florida Panthers have gone 8-2-0 in their last 10 games, while the Bruins have gone 3-2-5. With two games remaining, the Bruins are now behind the Florida Panthers by just two points in the standings. The Toronto Maple Leafs, on the other hand, are 8-2-0 overall (including a seven-game winning streak) and currently trail the Bruins by eight points with three games remaining.
People used to temper their forecasts with the disclaimer that hockey is far less predictable than other sports, especially when Boston was the obvious favorite in the Atlantic Division only a few months ago. Think of this display as one million-something.
Bruins in 2023–2024 Statistics for Overtime & Shootouts
In each of the previous six games and seven of the previous eight, the Bruins have added extra hockey to their game. This season, there have been 22 overtime games overall, and six of those have resulted in a shootout. They had an 8-14 record in the 22 games (3-3 in the shootout).
This season, the Bruins have five goals in overtime; two of those goals have come from Brad Marchand, two from Charlie McAvoy, and one from Pavel Zacha. Marchand and McAvoy, who each went one-for-one, also have Boston’s highest success rate in the shootout. Nevertheless, David Pastrnak is one for five, Jake DeBrusk is one for five, and Charlie Coyle is two for six.
Why Marchand hasn’t been getting regular opportunities has been puzzling me during this miserable stretch of overtime and shootouts for the Bruins. That’s not because he’s a one-for-one, but rather because he’s among Boston’s best forwards and has the experience necessary to take center stage in a shootout (apart from the one time he skated past the puck).
I continue to wonder.
In the end, shootouts are unjust to the goalie. Though Linus Ullmark has allowed three goals on eight attempts, Jeremy Swayman has only allowed two goals on 14 attempts, making him the superior goalie between Boston’s two goalies in the shootout this season, according to statistics.
Lighting the Fire
You have to approach NHL regular-season overtime hockey differently than you would the typical five-on-five product because of the makeup. Ordinary strategies and game plans are hurled over the glass and rendered useless when there are only three skaters available. Most of the time, it turns into a race to see whose team can withstand the most odd-man rushes. In light of this, it can be challenging to solve your team’s problems in overtime and the shootout. preventing overtime from the start? Yes, that is feasible. Individual players can frequently be held accountable for isolated incidences and brief periods of time. However, there are becoming more and more third-period breakdowns, and the blame is beginning to shift to coaching.
I want to be clear: I’m not advocating for Boston to switch coaches. Other than winning a Stanley Cup, the team’s record-breaking 2022–23 season and their dominant play for the majority of this season are as strong arguments as any to support Jim Montgomery’s assessment as the proper man behind the bench.
But it appears that the coaching staff, or some other type of leadership (captain Marchand, veterans, etc.), will have to ignite this team. Whether it’s blowing a two-goal lead in the third quarter or conceding a goal that would have tied the game in the last seconds, these late-game catastrophes are becoming more common than chance or poor luck.
What precisely is it? An absence of perseverance? An inclination toward oversitting? Is it a case of overconfidence or a total lack of self-assurance? While we outsiders can speculate, the players and coaches in particular ought to be able to identify the problem and put it out right away. Heck, they need to have released it a lot sooner.
The Bruins’ outstanding first half of the season has kept them in the playoff hunt. Even though there isn’t a three-on-three in the postseason, they won’t advance if they continue to blow late-game leads and perform poorly in overtime. This must be stopped in its tracks, and I’m counting on Montgomery and the team leaders to act swiftly.
It is essential.