Following their 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 27, the Boston Bruins entered their well-deserved 10-day break around All-Star Weekend, which is Feb. 2-3 in Toronto. The Bruins finished strong, winning their last games on the road over the Ottawa Senators and Flyers after closing out a five-game homestand with a disappointing 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
As the Black and Gold went their separate ways for the break, except for David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman, and head coach Jim Montgomery who are heading to Toronto, it’s time for the latest Bruins 3 Up, 3 Down.
Plus One: David Pastrnak
Talk about ending on a strong note. Boston was playing on fumes against the Senators one night after losing to the Hurricanes and their leading goal-scorer came to their rescue when they needed him to in a game against a team that was well-rested.
Pastrnak opened the scoring late in the first period when he blasted a slap shot from the point four seconds into the Black and Gold’s only power play chance in the game past Joonas Korpisalo in the 3-2 overtime win. Two days later in Philadelphia, he began the Bruins’ four-goal first-period uprising with a goal off a wrist shot from the right circle, then he added the third goal of the period when he collected a loose puck in front of the net and beat Sam Ersson for a 3-0 lead. That four-goal outburst set the tone for the afternoon and took a lot of steam out of the Flyers after 20 minutes.
Minus One: Derek Forbort Injury
This is turning into a frustrating season for defenseman Derek Forbort. He recently returned from an injury he suffered in early December and played well in four games, but he was injured again and missed the game in Philadelphia before the break.
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Forbort has been a very consistent player this season for Boston, whether it’s 5-on-5 or on the penalty kill. He has been a shot-blocking machine once again, but getting him to remain healthy has been an issue. At this point, it might be best to take it very slowly with him and not rush him back to he’s ready for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in April.
Plus Two: Jeremy Swayman
Swayman will be in Toronto and it’s the second consecutive All-Star Game where the Bruins have a goalie there after Linus Ullmark made it in 2022-23. If there was one player who might be sad to see the break, it’s Swayman who has been very good this season with a 16-3-7 record and a 2.30 goals against average (GAA), and a .924 save percentage (SV%).
His best performance of the season might have happened against Ottawa in his final start before the break. Playing on a back-to-back, his teammates didn’t have a lot left in their tank as the game went along, but the former University of Maine goalie made sure that they would leave with two points. He made 35 saves, many high-danger, including a big stop in overtime which led to Brad Marchand scoring the game-winner down the other end seconds later. Boston needs to lock him up sooner rather than later before free agency begins this summer.
Minus Two: Bruins Taking Too Many Penalties
Once again the Bruins have one of the top penalty-killing units in the league, but they have fallen back into a habit of taking too many penalties, which puts more ice time and puts an onus on players that don’t need any of that. Against Ottawa, they got the short end of the stick of the calls, to say the least, but they have been putting themselves in those situations with their stick work (from ‘Brad Marchand lifts Bruins over Ottawa in overtime, 3-2’ Boston Herald, Jan. 25, 2024). They could have used an embellishment call or two against the Senators but never got that lucky.
Plus Three: All-Star Break
The Bruins have been playing really good hockey since coming out of the holiday break in late December, but the tough schedule has taken its toll, and truth be told, some players looked like they could use the 10-day break. Coming out of the break, they have seven straight home games and a chance to collect points on home ice before the schedule in February shifts to another West Coast trip.
Minus Three: Another Loss to Carolina
Over the last couple of seasons, if there’s one team that has given the Bruins trouble, it’s been the Carolina Hurricanes. After beating the Bruins in seven games in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last season during Boston’s historic regular season, the Black and Gold won two of out the three games, but they handed them one of their 12 loss in 60 minutes and the two games by Montgomery’s team were in overtime and a shootout.
In the first game this season at the TD Garden on Jan. 24, Carolina once again got the best of the Bruins and did it in regulation. The game was tied 2-2 late in the third period when defenseman Hampus Lindholm made a bad pinch at the offensive blueline that led to a Jordan Martinook breakaway goal with under three minutes left for the win. If there is one team that can frustrate the Bruins and give them too many fits, it’s Carolina and head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
After the All-Star Break, Boston will resume their schedule and need to take big-time advantage of their homestand against some good Western Conference teams and the two teams from the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s a good test after a 10-day break.