BSJ Game Report: Red Wings 4, Bruins 2 - Bruins’ slow start, sluggish execution doom them against worst team in NHL

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 4-2 loss to the Red Wings in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

TOP TAKEAWAYS

B’s suffer worst loss of season: If there was ever an opponent that the Bruins would want to face after suffering their first regulation loss in close to a month, it’d have to be this lowly Red Wings bunch, who entered Friday’s game with the “distinction” of being dead last in the NHL in goals scored per game (2.06) and first in goals allowed per game (4.00).

Boston seemed ready to throw its weight around against this rebuilding club after David Krejci beat Jonathan Bernier just 1:09 into the contest — but things quickly went downhill at Little Caesars Arena. 

Less than two minutes after Krejci put Boston on the board, Dylan Larkin fired in a puck that deflected past Tuukka Rask for the equalizer, while a power-play tally from Robby Fabbri gave Detroit the lead at 11:49 in the first. 

Add another power-play strike from Fabbri at 1:30 in the second stanza, and what looked like a regular deficit for Boston in a rival barn quickly devolved into a dogfight for two points. And even though Torey Krug managed to get Boston within one goal later in the second period, the Bruins’ slow start and overall lack of execution throughout the night ultimately allowed a Red Wings club with just one regulation win in its last 13 games to hand Boston its second straight regulation loss. It’s going to be a long flight back to Boston after a stinker like this. 

Cassidy throws lines into a blender: You knew it was going to be a weird night at the rink when Steven Kampfer took to the ice and skated alongside Chris Wagner and Sean Kuraly during warmups. 

With Brett Ritchie a late scratch due to an upper-body injury and the likes of Jake DeBrusk, Joakim Nordstrom, Par Lindholm, Karson Kuhlman, David Backes and others still out of commission, Cassidy opted to completely juggle up his lines, with Kampfer not logging a single second of ice time. 

With Wagner and Kuraly without a RW, the duo was often shuffled through a number of different combinations on Friday, with 10 different forward trios logging at least one minute of 5v5 TOI during the game. 



Perhaps that lack of cohesion played a big role in Boston’s inability to capitalize on chances in the Red Wings’ zone, but still — the Bruins aren’t going to win many games in which their top line is out-attempted, 11-6, in 12:36 of 5v5 ice time. If there was ever a game for Boston’s big guns to shoulder the scoring load, it was tonight against a poor Detroit club. 

TWO UP

David Krejci: While Boston’s top line struggled to get going for extended stretches, especially during 5v5 play, Krejci and the B’s second line picked up the slack. Even with Peter Cehlarik’s up-and-down play so far this season, the young winger was much better next to Krejci on Friday, setting up the center’s goal in the first period while also making a couple of sound passes during transition play. Along with Krejci’s two points on the night, his line generated a team-high four scoring chances in the loss. 

Charlie McAvoy: Boston’s new-look D pairing of McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk more than held their own on Friday, with the B’s holding a 13-3 edge in shot attempts and two high-danger scoring chances generated in their 16:04 of 5v5 TOI. McAvoy, who only landed four shots on goal in his previous seven games, was much more involved in the offensive zone — landing two shots on goal while attempting another two shots. 

THREE DOWN

Penalty kill: Boston’s power play might draw most of the headlines when it comes to the B’s proficiency on special teams, but the penalty kill has hovered around the top 10 in the NHL for most of the 2019-20 campaign. But the PK labored against a rather toothless Red Wings power play on Friday, relinquishing a pair of goals on the night. Fabbri’s second goal of the evening was particularly troubling — as the forward was left unchecked in the slot for an easy one-timer. 

Clifton-Chara pairing: They weren’t exactly given easy assignments (30.00 Off. Zone Faceoff %), but Boston’s new-look top pairing also labored in their first extended look together, with Detroit generating a pair of high-danger looks and out-attempting Boston, 12-5, in the duo’s 12:25 of 5v5 ice time. 

Bergeron Line: While David Pastrnak might have been credited with a secondary assist on the night, Boston’s top trio failed to land much of a punch against lesser competition on Friday — with the Red Wings scoring their lone 5v5 goal against this crew while holding a 9-5 edge in shots on goal during the Bergeron Line’s 12:36 of 5v5 TOI. 

PLAY OF THE GAME

Great shot from Krejci, who is now up to six points in his last five games since returning from injury. 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1192966552431271937

PARTING THOUGHT

Brad Marchand did his part to try and get a sleepwalking Bruins team going by dropping the gloves with Filip Hronek. Ultimately, it was all for naught, even if Marchand was able to drop the Detroit skater to the ice. 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1192987529651380231

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will return home for their next matchup, with Boston set to host the Flyers at TD Garden on Sunday night. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.