The Bruins have lived a charmed existence on Causeway Road.
They’ve gained 11 straight and haven’t misplaced on the Backyard since December 23, once they completed off a 1-3-1 homestand that almost derailed their season with a 6-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Even when the B’s don’t play notably at house, similar to within the first two video games after the break, the B’s have gotten the goaltending performances to get them over the hump and into the win column.
However on the highway, they’ve discovered no smiling hockey gods. They’re simply 11-13-4 away from Boston and are the one workforce inside the Japanese Convention playoff bracket underneath NHL .500. Nobody else is even shut. Even the Columbus Blue Jackets (15-3-3), Ottawa Senators (15-12-4) and Philadelphia Flyers (14-12-4) – three of the groups chasing them for the ultimate wild card spot — is healthier than the B’s on the highway.
Contemplating the remainder of their schedule, this can be a main concern. Of the 22 video games remaining, 13 of them are on the highway. 5 of their final seven video games are away from house. The final time they’ve gained consecutive video games on the highway was once they booked 4 factors in St. Louis and Winnipeg on December 9 and 11.
The B’s house report (23-8-1) is pretty much as good or higher than any workforce within the league exterior of Colorado (22-4-4) however they should in some way discover a approach to undertake a highway warrior mentality within the ultimate month-plus of the season.
“Clearly, we’re attempting to determine that out,” mentioned David Pastrnak earlier this week. “We have been speaking the entire 12 months about how we wish to be a very good house workforce, handle house ice. So possibly slightly extra focus and element on the highway and get dialed. We play very well in entrance of our followers and it’s essential. They’re our seventh participant. We simply want to show it round on the highway actual fast earlier than it’s too late as a result of these factors on the highway are ones that may price you a playoff spot.”
They’ve had a few highway stinkers – early losses in Ottawa and Dallas have been notably ugly – however they’ve usually been aggressive. Of the three video games after the Olympic break, their greatest sport was the one they misplaced in Philly final Saturday once they bought stymied by Daniel Vladar, one of many few instances this 12 months that they actually bought goalie’d. They need to have gotten two factors within the out of doors sport in Tampa when the refs solely noticed Bruins on which to name penalties. They’ve a protracted checklist of wouda-coulda-shouldas that they will look again on in the event that they don’t make the playoffs.
Too typically, when video games come down to 1 play, it’s the different workforce that makes it.
“I don’t know that we’re horrible, however we do must get factors on the highway,” mentioned coach Marco Sturm. “There are moments within the sport on the highway the place we simply must deal with it slightly bit higher and keep calm like we do at house. That’s one thing our workforce goes by means of. We’re nonetheless studying, we’re nonetheless must be taught lots. We’re not good. We all know that. However we’re nonetheless rising as a workforce and transferring ahead.”
Deficits on the highway, as Sturm identified, have been extra daunting. The B’s gave up an early aim to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, however didn’t blink. That may have been completely different if the sport was on the highway, with out their followers behind them.
“We’ve simply bought to determine methods to begin off on the best foot,” mentioned Morgan Geekie. “I really feel like that’s what will get away from us and we get off-kilter slightly bit. We’ve been enjoying very well at house and hopefully we will determine a number of issues out to have the ability to take that on the highway with us come down the stretch.”
On Thursday, the B’s face what would appear to be a wounded animal within the Nashville Predators. Although nonetheless technically within the hunt for a Western Convention playoff spot, the Preds haven’t solely misplaced their final two video games, administration traded away Michael McCarron and Cole Smith on Tuesday. Whereas they’re depth gamers, coach Andrew Brunette mentioned that they have been essential to the workforce’s tradition and the gamers appeared gutted by it. Additionally, the standing of Ryan O’Reilly, who left Tuesday’s sport after taking a stick close to an eye fixed, is unclear.
However whether or not the Preds are ripe of the choosing or prepared for his or her final stand, the B’s must be extra locked in, extra targeted on each element than they often have been on the highway.
