Bruins Talk Overcoming Adversity in Win vs. Senators

In a matchup between the first- and last-place teams in the Atlantic Division, things hardly went according to plan for Boston. Still, the Bruins managed to fight back to earn their 30th win of the season.

The Boston Bruins didn’t make it easy on themselves in their 3-2 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. For the 10th time this season, Boston allowed its opponent at least six power-play opportunities. Ottawa cashed in on the final two to erase the 2-0 lead Boston built up, but Brad Marchand’s overtime goal saved the win.

“It was great by our group. Our penalty killers, some guys have to get a lot of ice time in those situations and they battled through it,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told reporters in Ottawa. “And I liked the way that we were able to get back to our 5-on-5 game. Especially after the first, I thought they came at us, but I thought the second and parts of the third, we really held on to pucks and made them defend.”

Playing down a man is not anything new to the Bruins, as evidenced by how many times they’ve allowed half a dozen power plays in a single game this season, but Thursday felt different.

Multiple Bruins players have discussed the need to stay out of the box, but with the way the officials were calling the game in favor of the home team, it seemed almost unavoidable on Thursday.

Even after surrendering the lead with less than five minutes left in regulation, the Bruins didn’t lose focus heading into overtime. After a full sequence that saw Senators forward Brady Tkachuk whiff on an open net on one end right before Marchand ended things on the other, you could tell this win meant more than most midseason games to the Bruins.

“We’re really proud of ourselves with our response, and we don’t want to lose two in a row,” Swayman told reporters in Ottawa. “Even letting up a goal late didn’t faze us, as you could tell. It’s just next shift, next guy up, and that was the way we ran tonight.”

Given the nature of the game, the Bruins relied heavily on their top penalty-killers. Brandon Carlo (6:00) and Hampus Lindholm (5:49) each played about six minutes short-handed alone. Of Danton Heinen’s 12:44 of ice time, a whopping 4:52 was while Boston was short-handed.

In turn, players like James van Riemsdyk (11:02) and Pavel Zacha (14:01) approached season-lows in single-game ice time. Even David Pastrnak (17:46) played fewer than 18 minutes for the first time in nearly a month.

The significance of getting the win despite being forced to play out of their element was not lost upon Marchand.

“There are games that you need to learn how to win going down the stretch,” Marchand told reporters in Ottawa. “Every team is playing well. [The Senators] are better than what their record is. They’re playing really good right now, and going into playoffs, you have to be able to win games that are close, and every team when they get down, they claw back.

“You have to be able to play on that momentum and battle through that.”

Other Links:

Bruins Taking Full Advantage of Home Ice

Bruins Teammates React to Danton Heinen’s First NHL Hat Trick

Boston Bruins Embrace Identity, Want To Have ‘Piss And Vinegar’ Every Game