Sens at Bruins

A family commitment kept me from last night’s shootout loss against Vancouver – the Bruins’ first loser point of the season 36 games in(!) – but I watched it on replay when I got home and probably replayed the two quick, early-third-period goals that the Canucks scored on Fraser Minten’s line that turned the game around in the visitors’ favor before Andrew Peeke’s fluttering shot from the right point found pay dirt and got Boston to overtime.

Hampus Lindholm tried to contain first-round pick Liam Ohgren in front of the Bruins’ net but took a seat on a reverse hit by the 22-year-old, who then had the space and skill to tip a the go-ahead goal past Jeremy Swayman.

Another goal against the line came on a bad bounce for the Bruins at center ice. The Bruins were looking to go for a change when Minten relented and made an excellent read to pick off what would have been a breakaway pass to the left winger. He then advanced the puck to Tanner Jeannot, who could not control it. Right winger Mark Kastelic was skating backwards and tried to stop to collect the errant puck but was disrupted by an alert Vancouver forward. That led to the relay from Marco Rossi to Linus Karlsson for the game-tying goal.

The takeaway here is that, while Minten does a great job supporting the aggressive chemistry created by Jeannot and Kastelic, the wingers have to do a better job of dumbing down their game when Boston’s defensemen (or a linemate) are going for a change. Nikita Zadorov and Charlie McAvoy were in no position to support the play when it went astray.

The Bruins have two more home games in this five-game homestand prior to the Christmas break and a flurry of road games that follows.

FIRST PERIOD

Once again, the Bruins give up early scoring chances, and Drake Batherson gets the Senators on the board first at 1:30 of the game, too good a position from the slot after Boston starter Joonas Korpisalo had already made a quality stop.

Claude Giroux and Fabian Zetterlund added goals to make it a 3-0 game before David Pastrnak finally got Boston on the board with a 5-on-3 powerplay tally in the final minute of the period.

SECOND PERIOD

The Bruins come out hitting, as Jeannot runs Dylan Cozens on an outlet pass. The boards rattled, and the TD Garden crowd roared its approval.

The Bruins are buzzing early in the second period with several close calls off the sticks of Sean Kuraly, Mikey Eyssimont and Casey Mittelstadt. They haven’t gotten anything by old friend Linus Ullmark save for that 5-on-3 goal by Pastrnak at 19:07 of the opening period, but they’re playing the second period for pride.

Whatever else, the Boston Bruins are a team that needs to play at peak intensity if not emotion to be successful. The facts of like are that it won’t happen

Tim Stutzle stretches the Ottawa lead to 4-1 at 6:44 of the second period. Ottawa scores again at 7:03 and Swayman comes on to replace Korpisalo.

This is a mercy pulling, as the Bruins simply haven’t given Korpisalo a chance to win.

The news continues get worse for the Bruins, as Marat Khusnutdinov throws the body into 6-foot-3 Ottawa defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo and comes away clutching a wrist. The Russian forward went straight down the tunnel and no doubt is going to visit the X-Ray room across the hall from the Bruins’ dressing room.

Jeannot and Kurtis MacDermid drop the gloves at center ice, they latch on and both go down, not a punch landed. Very classy of MacDermid to endulge Jeannot’s need to breath some life into his teammates. Both get five for fighting.

Pavel Zacha collects a puck at center and drops to Pastrnak on a 2-on-1. Pastrnak’s shot almost breaks through Ullmark, and then Zacha bats the rebound back between Ullmark and the post, but no Bruins was there to convert the opportunity.

Morgan Geekie collects a pass in the slot, but Stutzle disrupts his rip at the net, and the puck goes astray.

The Bruins are finally sustain some passion, but let’s be real and acknowledge that the Senators have taken their foot off the gas since opening up the game with two quick goals and chasing Korpisalo. 5-1 Ottawa with 5:50 left in the second period.

Nikita Zadorov pinches along the left boards to free a puck for Khusnutdinov, who is back in action after a scare on the Matinpalo hit. End game: Charlie McAvoy has a lane from the right point and rips his shot past Ullmark to make it 5-2 with 4:43 left in the second period.

Alex Steeves, back in the lineup after being scratched against Vancouver, pushed the puck too far ahead and had to chase defenseman Jake Sanderson, who made a move that Steeves misread and accidently tripped the Ottawa star. The Senators had words for Steeves, who knew he was fortunate to avoid causing Sanderson an injury.

It only took Zetterlund 39 seconds on the powerplay to make it 6-2, and the teams went to second intermission having reinforced that this game is a debacle.

The Bruins are clearly frustrated, as the seconds tick down with Thomas Chabot controlling the puck behind the Ottawa net.

Shots are 20-12 Ottawa at second intermission.

THIRD PERIOD

Sanderson, one of hockey’s bright young stars, is back in action for Ottawa.

Nick Cousins trips Kastelic, sending the Bruins onto the powerplay only 2:27 into the third period. Big chance for the Bruins to inject some life into this game before the crowd leaves to watch the Patriots.

Eyssimont made a nice behind-the-back bank pass to himself, but his pass missed its target and Claude Giroux went the other way, just overpassing to an outstretched Stutzle.

Eyssimont’s next opportunity came closer, his shot deflecting off Kuraly and sliding just wide of the left post.

Cousins gave Hampus Lindholm a poorly timed shove as the Boston defenseman was chasing a dump. Lindholm held his balance.

Cozens knocked down Steeves from behind away from the puck – no call – as the Sens are still upset with Steeves’ accidentally dangerous trip of Sanderson during the second period.

Players are carrying on with words, including Kastelic and Zadorov for Boston and at least MacDermid for Ottawa. Maybe this isn’t over (beyond the scoreboard, where it’s definitely over).

Zadorov held the puck too long and turned it over, got it back, then roughed up Cousins. MacDermid tried to get a piece of Zadorov, but Kastelic stepped in and took the bout. Kastelic got in some shots but lost his helmet and eventually spun down to the ice.

There is 11:42 remaining, and that may be the end of it, but there’s always the possibility that more will follow. Penalties are confined to matching fighting majors for MacDermid and Kastelic. MacDermid has now fought both Jeannot and Kastelic tonight, a tough assignment.

Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk, whose season has only reached its 15th game, has been doing the little things for his team but has been noticeably absent from the edge that this game has shown once the Bruins’ frustration took hold late in the first period.

McAvoy shuts down Michael Amadio’s bid and ragdolls the Sens LW.

9:29 left, Ottawa leads 6-2.

There are no Florida Panthers heroics in store tonight.

The focus for the Bruins has to be rest for Tuesday night’s pre-Christmas closer against Montreal here at TD Garden. The B’s need their intangibles going at close to 100% to be the playoff team they want to be, and right now a lot of players look tired, making this homestand a rough patch commensurately opposite to their recent road success.

It’s good that they’ve become a better road team, but this homestand is about to become four games deep with one win.

Zadorov sideswipes the Ottawa forward who tipped a pass onto Swayman (save), then Tkachuk and McAvoy neutralize one another as combatants pull together. Scrum averted.

The Bruins are trying hard to finish the game strong, but something always breaks in their playmaking. Ullmark stops Khusnutdinov point blank with just over five minutes remaining.

Cousins is roughed up by Jeannot, who goes to the penalty box in an overt act of game management with 4:40 left.

We will sign off here.

See you Tuesday for the Canadiens, an event that should happen several times a season.

Drive safely, and watch out for the morons determined to turn the highways into their own personal video game.