On A Serious Note: Bruins have to identify a way to put terrible power play back on track

admin | May 16, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Take one day at a time.

That is what the Boston Bruins must keep telling themselves. After losing three consecutive games, they were up against another wall of hardship. The roles are turned, with the Bruins attempting to climb out of a 3-1 hole they dug for themselves.

The Bruins grinded it out in Game 5 and demonstrated their desperation to win a hockey game. It was perhaps their strongest defensive performance as a club, and goaltender Jeremy Swayman resumed his Game 1 form. Bruins forward Morgan Geekie stated it best after the game, describing how they were able to dig deep and win.

“We had a lot of guys dig in for the last two…great effort from everybody up and down.”

It was a tremendous effort, and it will require that level of effort to win two more games against a good Florida Panthers club. However, if the Bruins are to win, they will need to figure out how to capitalize on their power play.

Bruins’ Power Play Started Red Hot

The Bruins’ power play was blistering hot as they began the Stanley Cup Playoffs. To open the first round series, the Toronto Maple Leafs made 14 visits to the penalty box, giving the Bruins plenty of opportunities to cash in. The Bruins accomplished just that, scoring six power play goals in the first four games of the series. In Game 1, they capitalized on the Maple Leafs’ five trips to the penalty box. What was a worse penalty kill for the Maple Leafs helped the Bruins come alive with a man advantage. Also, it wasn’t whether the Bruins scored goals, but when they did. When the Bruins got the power play, they capitalized and it helped them extend the lead further or give them the lead. In the playoffs, that can be a huge advantage against an undisciplined team.

The Bruins’ power play was one of the best in the NHL during the first four postseason games. This was a team that was playing with confidence and had finally found their groove in the series. Among all playoff teams, they had the fourth most shooting attempts, the second most shots on goal, and the most predicted goals. They exceeded their expectations as a group and were able to score a goal. One area they made certain to exploit was the high-risk area. They found space there, fired six shots on goal, and scored three of their goals from that area of the ice.

The Bruins finished the season with a weak power play, but they found fresh life in the first four postseason games. However, clubs adjust, and the Maple Leafs did so following Game 4. It’s something the Bruins have yet to recover from, as their power play looks very different from when the playoffs began.

Bruins’ Inefficiency on the Power Play Needs to Improve

After finding life with the man advantage, things have taken a much darker turn for the Bruins. One thing good coaches do is make adjustments to find better ways to have success. You have to tip your cap to Sheldon Keefe, as the Maple Leafs’ penalty kill smothered the Bruins’ power play for the remainder of the series. That proved to be a good thing, as the games were closely contested the rest of the way. However, the Bruins’ misfortunes have continued into the second round against the Panthers.

The Panthers’ penalty kill has been stellar, as they’ve only allowed one goal when the Bruins have had the man advantage. In addition, the Bruins have been woeful with the man advantage, as they’ve gone 1-18 since Game 5 against the Maple Leafs. That’s brutal and there’s no way around that. Considering the success they had in the first four games of Round 1, things have looked different and not in a good way.

Since Game 5 of the first round, the Bruins have generated only 36 shot attempts, which is five fewer than what they did in the first four games to open the playoffs. Not to mention, they’ve played four more games. When you watch the power play take the ice, it looks at times like they can get nothing going, as they have just 17 shots on goal and only eight coming from the high-danger areas of the ice. As a unit, they are still finding their looks, but they are not expected to score.

It is much uglier in that regard, as the Bruins have generated only 2.45 expected goals, which is a significant drop-off from the first four games of the playoffs. What also makes this stretch worse is that the opposition is getting their chances while shorthanded. In all power play situations, the Bruins have the third-lowest Corsi for percentage and have seen the opposition generate 11 shot attempts. They’ve also seen a shorthanded goal go against them. It certainly has not been good and the Bruins will need the power play to come through in the next two elimination games.

Bruins Need the Power Play to Be a Weapon

With two potential elimination games on the schedule, the Bruins must figure out how to recover momentum on the power play. It has been static, almost to the point where you wish you could turn down the power play.

If the Bruins can regain their form from the first four playoff games, they will be in a strong position when the time arises. This series with the Panthers has been tense, and the officials are not afraid to send players to the box. Whether the Bruins are down a goal or can break the tie with a power play, they must find better methods to produce offense. It might be the difference between going home and forcing Game 7.

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