Bruins takeaways: Terrible third period costs B’s loss to Ullmark, Senators originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON – The Bruins will continue to be an average (or worse) team until they figure out how to play better in the third periods.

Boston’s performance in the final 20 minutes of regulation against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night was abysmal, and it ultimately cost the Bruins a 3-2 overtime loss.

Entering the third period, the score was tied at two goals apiece. The Bruins were home with a great opportunity to get back-to-back wins and build some real momentum after a disappointing 7-7-1 start to the campaign. But instead of attacking and dictating the pace of play against an inferior opponent, the Bruins failed to generate any offense throughout.

Boston had zero (!) shots on net in the third period. That’s right: zero. The Senators defeated the Bruins 11-0, emerging victorious when captain Brady Tkachuk beat Jeremy Swayman 21 seconds into overtime. The last time the B’s had zero shots on net in the third period was against the Vancouver Canucks on December 21, 2006, according to Kevin Paul Dupont of The Boston Sphere.

The Bruins have scored just five third-period goals this season, allowing 16 of them. Boston’s minus-11 goal differential in the third period is the worst in the league. The Bruins’ minus-41 shot differential in the third period is the second-worst in the league.

“I don’t have an answer,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said at his post-game press conference when asked why third periods were a problem for his team.

What should the team do to address this problem?

“Talk about it, find out why, look at what we’re doing in sports science. We’ll come up with answers, but right now I don’t have an answer for you.”

Montgomery was also asked after the game if he wondered if the players were listening to his messages.

‘No. I don’t doubt that,” Montgomery replied.

He was then asked what is preventing the message from getting through to the players?

“You guys have to figure that out and come up with a reason,” Montgomery said. “We just weren’t good enough. You can write what you think is the malaise in the team and what is going on. We’re just not playing well enough.”

Here are three other takeaways from Bruins-Senators.

Brad Marchand warms up after a slow start

Boston’s captain is starting to find his feet.

Marchand has scored four goals with two assists in his last six games, including a second-period goal against the Senators that gave his team a 2–1 lead. The tally also gave Marchand 290 career goals, which is the second most in team history.

Marchand went eight games without scoring a goal to start the season, but it’s safe to say the drought is over. He’s been looking a lot more like himself the last two weeks. He has been aggressive offensively (19 shots in his last five games) and more tenacious in puck battles.

Marchand now has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 16 games, putting him two points behind David Pastrnak for the team lead in scoring.

Marchand appeared to be in some pain after a collision in the third period, but was still able to finish the match.

David Pastrnak’s drought target was extended

David Pastrnak is one of the best goal scorers in the league. His 329 goals since the start of the 2016/2017 season are the fourth highest in the sport. But of late, finding the back of the net has proven to be a difficult task for the superstar right-winger.

Pastrnak has now gone seven games without scoring a goal. His longest goal drought last season was five games, and it was the only time he went more than four games without scoring. Pastrnak has six assists during his goal drought, so he contributes in other ways, but the 28-year-old forward is paid an average of $11.25 million per season to score goals at a high rate.

One area where Pastrnak’s lack of goals is palpable is on the power play. He has scored just one goal with the man advantage in the last eleven games. It’s one of the many reasons why Boston’s power play has been really struggling lately (more on that below).

Special teams need to improve

The Bruins came into Saturday’s game with the third-worst power play in the league. This unit scored on just 12.5 percent of its chances this season and couldn’t build much momentum against the Senators’ 24th-ranked penalty kill, going 0-for-3.

Boston got the first power play of the game with 5:34 left in the opening period. The B’s generated four shots, two scoring chances and one big chance over the course of two minutes, but Senators goalie Linus Ullmark stood tall in the net.

One problem for the Bruins on the power play was a lack of aggressiveness. This was evident on Boston’s power play late in the second period, when it squandered a pair of potential scoring opportunities by passing. During this power play, they finished with zero shots on net. The B’s need to have more of a shoot-first mentality with the man advantage. Make sure the pucks go to the net and take advantage of the rebounds.

The Bruins rank 23rd in the league with just 24 5-on-5 goals in 16 games. They need the power play to provide much-needed goals while solving their scoring problems at even strength.

Meanwhile, Boston’s penalty killing remains difficult. The Senators took the lead with just 7.8 seconds left in the first period when Josh Norris fired a one-timer past Jeremy Swayman. Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov went after the puck, leaving Norris all alone.

Penalty killing has long been one of Boston’s primary strengths. In fact, the Bruins’ penalty kill has been in the top 10 for five straight seasons. However, the PK has taken a huge step back this year and ranks 24th with a 75.4 percent success rate.

Special teams is often the difference between earning two points or no points, and in too many games this season, the power play and/or penalty kill have failed the Bruins.