Bruins need to rediscover their overall consistency

On the surface, last week's 6-1 dismantling of the New York Rangers was a dominant performance for the Boston Bruins. However, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy saw it differently.

There were too many breakdowns in the first period. D-zone coverage was a mess. And Boston failed to protect the slot. Those issues were masked by the outstanding goaltending performance by backup Anton Khudobin. Fortunately for the Bruins, they settled down and opened the floodgates later in the game.

Those issues weren’t isolated to that one game. It continued on Saturday and resulted in a 4-2 loss to the lowly Buffalo Sabres. It was much of the same on Sunday, but Boston still pulled off a 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils.



“Players forget sometimes that in the first period (against the Rangers) could have gone the other way,” Cassidy said. “It bled into Saturday and Sunday. Now, we won two of those three games and this is a results-oriented business, so we can’t forget that. It is 82 games and we’re trying to play the same way every night.”

By making it difficult for opponents to get to the front of the net and not allowing too many odd-man rushes, getting the puck behind the opposition’s defense and forcing turnovers on the forecheck is exactly what Cassidy wants to see.

His message is simple: Defend well. Attack. Win puck battles. Compete and play with pace. That's how the coach measures the team’s success.

“We’ve done a pretty good job, and that’s why where we’re at in the standings,” Cassidy said.

The Bruins are idle until Saturday when they begin a 10-day, five-game road trip against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. Currently, Boston is in second place in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning.

Since Cassidy hasn’t been pleased with the team’s overall play of late, there’s been plenty of video work, discussions and focus during practices on what needs to be corrected. It was better during Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames, but the Bruins need to regain their overall consistency.

“You’re never going to get 60 great minutes, but that’s what we strive for,” Cassidy said. “I’ve got to believe we’re up there about 90 percent of the time in the last 40 games. From start to finish, with pockets of ups and downs, it’s been fairly close to where we want to be.”

During the team’s most recent string of success, it wasn’t one player, or line, or defensive pairing that made a difference. While the team’s best players have been the best players, Boston’s support staff has made significant contributions.

The Bruins are at their best when they’re getting contributions throughout the lineup, while wearing teams down on the forecheck and finishing strong. That’s been a strength of the team for the majority of the season.

“It’s been great,” said veteran defenseman Torey Krug. “Everyone is in their appropriate role right now, and guys have accepted their roles. It’s been pretty important for us to be playing together and connected. Right now, when one line is not going, another seems to be getting the job done.”

Not only from an offensive standpoint, but defensively too. It hasn’t happened often this season, but if an opponent is able to shut down Patrice Bergeron’s line, Cassidy can rely on the fourth line of Tim Schaller, Sean Kuraly and Noel Acciari to shut down the opposition’s top line. And that allows Boston’s top line to get a better matchup, if needed.

February tends to be a dull month. Teams are banged up and players are tired. With the trade deadline approaching, there are anxious moments in the locker room, and teams are realistic about its postseason chances. Coaches really need to manage the room during this stretch and make sure everyone stays focused.

“February is a tough time of the year, and sometimes you get the players’ attention, depending where you are,” Cassidy said. “We’ve put ourselves in a good spot. So that’s the challenge for every coaching staff to keep the players’ attention and get back to detailed hockey.”

This trip is coming at a perfect time for the Bruins. Boston has been one of the top road teams in the league this season with a 16-5-4 record. Being on the road right now will help the Bruins refocus and build more team unity. The team is planning its annual rookie party during this upcoming trip too.

To this point in the season, when the team has been going well -- or when mistakes or bad tendencies became an issue --  the coaching staff has quickly addressed it and made the necessary fixes. That’s what Cassidy is stressing right now, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Bruins play the next five games.