The Boston Bruins started the 2023-24 season with a 6-0-0 record heading into their Thursday night tilt against the Anaheim Ducks. This would mark the team’s first home game since Oct. 14 and their second against the Ducks in just five days.
For much of the rematch between the Bruins and the Ducks, it seemed like the game script would be a similar one from the first game. The Ducks opened the scoring and then the Bruins scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead. The first time around, this would prove to be enough. In the second game, however, the Ducks would score two goals in the final 1:55 of the third period to tie the game up before winning in overtime.
Four goals would exceed the total number of goals Linus Ullmark had allowed in his first three games combined, but it’s impossible to put the blame on his shoulders. As usual, he played a very strong game that should have been enough, but some sloppiness coupled with the inability to effectively clear the puck from their defensive zone was too much for Ullmark to overcome in this one.
The Bruins are no stranger to giving away late leads as this has been somewhat of a trend in recent seasons. A loss like this cannot be excused and for head coach Jim Montgomery, it wasn’t the way things were expected to go.
“I thought the game was over twice,” said Montgomery. “We could have extended our lead to four or five [goals]. We had many opportunities to do it, and we didn’t finish the game. So, you couple those things together, it’s inexcusable. You can’t be up 3-1 with five minutes left and end up tied and going to overtime.”
Sharing similar thoughts would be defender Matt Grzelcyk, who would score his first goal of the season Thursday.
“It’s tough,” Grzelcyk said. “You’ve got to find a way to close that out, and a little bit of history on the line there, and we knew that going into the game, and it’s just unfortunate. We could have found a way to get a clear, and they did a good job getting bodies there to the net and making it tough on [Ullmark].”
Bruins Have Lessons to Learn From Loss to Ducks
This loss was a good reminder for the Bruins, however, that things will not always go their way. It’s also a good lesson in staying motivated and not getting complacent. As challenging as this defeat was, it was a crucial test for the Bruins who hadn’t encountered much adversity in the early stages of the season. While their start was remarkable, it wasn’t without its imperfections. The Bruins, who had undergone numerous offseason changes, weren’t initially expected to be this competitive. Yet, their 6-0-0 record demonstrated that they were exceeding expectations.
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Losing that game was undoubtedly a setback, but it was a setback the team needed. Facing adversity early on now presents the Bruins with an opportunity to learn about themselves as a unit. They can use this as an opportunity to discover how they react when the tide turns against them, how they recover, and how they come back from disappointment. This kind of experience is invaluable for any team striving for success.
In the world of professional sports, it’s a reality that no team can expect to maintain the upper hand throughout the entire season. There will be moments when things don’t go your way, and knowing how to navigate those challenges is what separates good teams from great ones. The Bruins, with their blend of talent and resilience, were poised to transform this early-season hiccup into a valuable lesson that could potentially propel them to even greater heights in the remainder of the season.
Starting the season 6-0-1 is as good a start as it gets in the NHL. Though the Bruins were as close as it gets to going 7-0-0 to start a season for the first time in franchise history, they’ll instead benefit from an important lesson. What matters next is how this team bounces back from this disappointment and the measures they take to keep it from happening moving forward.
It’s not ideal, but it’s the hand this team was dealt. The next time the Bruins play will be Saturday at home against the Detroit Red Wings as they aim to bounce back and return to their winning ways. Without much time to hang their heads, a quick turnaround will be good for this team as they look to be the standard in the Eastern Conference and fend off the second-place Red Wings.