BSJ Game Report: Red Wings 2, Bruins 1 - Shorthanded B’s can't deliver against Red Wings

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 2-1 loss to the Red Wings with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

SHORT SHIFT

Well, a Tuesday-night showdown with a rebuilding Red Wings club — and sans Brad Marchand — was about as riveting as one might expect.

To make matters worse, a shorthanded Bruins roster couldn’t generate much with the chances they had — with the Red Wings outlasting the B’s, 2-1, despite Boston holding a 42-16 edge in shots on goal. 

David Pastrnak scored the lone goal for the Bruins, who fall to 11-8-0 on the season. Linus Ullmark stopped 14 of 16 shots in the loss. 

Even though the Bruins held an overwhelming advantage in shots on goal, it was the Red Wings that finally drew first blood on just their sixth shot of the night … at 5:03 in the second period. 

After Filip Zadina parted the seas between Charlie Coye and Derek Forbort and beat Ullmark with a backhand attempt, the score remained 1-0 until 6:20 in the third — when Pastrnak rifled home a shot on the man advantage to knot things up at 1-1. 

That would be all that the B’s would tally on the night against Alex Nedeljkovic, with Marc Staal giving Detroit the lead for good on a delayed penalty (following a non-call on a trip by Michael Rasmussen, no less) with 8:27 remaining in the third. 

Sure, the Bruins were without Marchand and didn’t have Bruce Cassidy on the bench due to COVID-19 protocols. But now is not the time to settle for any excuses, especially after coming up short to a team like Detroit. 

ONE UP

Bergeron Line: Even without Marchand in the lineup, the Bruins' top line still managed to tilt the ice in their favor during 5v5 action — with Boston holding a 14-4 edge in scoring chances during the 14:30 of 5v5 TOI when Hall-Bergeron-Pastrnak were out on the ice.

FOUR DOWN

Linus Ullmark: The margin of error was already going to be slim for Boston with its top playmaker out of commission, but you can’t be coughing up goals like Ullmark did when you’re in a contest as lopsided as this one, at least as far as shot volume and quality is concerned. 

Coyle Line: The revamped Foligno-Coyle-Smith line might have generated a 76.19% shot share, but all of that puck possession didn’t lead to a lot of quality attempts — with the B’s only generating two high-danger scoring chances during that stretch. A misplayed puck from Coyle also gave Zadina the opportunity he needed to break in alone and beat Ullmark in the second. 

Jake DeBrusk: The Bruins were hoping for DeBrusk to showcase his game and impress a potential suitor on the trade market — but they didn’t get a whole lot. One shot on goal. One hit. And just 10:25 of ice time.

Mike Reilly: A rough sequence to end this one, with Reilly getting tripped up by Rasmussen, dishing out a retaliatory penalty, and then having a puck bounce off him that eventually led to Staal's game-winner. Ooof.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Well, at least David Pastrnak scored. 

PARTING THOUGHTS

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will now head on the road for a Thursday-night matchup against the Predators. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. in Nashville.