Bruins' Ability to Overcome Missing Chances on Current Road Trip – Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

There is one thing that has been a question mark for the Boston Bruins, and that is their ability to capitalize on their opportunities. As currently constructed, the Bruins are not built to win high-scoring games. On their current road trip, the Bruins have had plenty of results when it comes to their ability to finish. This has also been a common theme throughout the season.

The Bruins' trip got off to a rough start

Let's cut to the chase, this road trip start was terrible. It certainly wasn't the kind of start the Bruins wanted to have.

The first two games were against the Winnipeg Jets and the Seattle Kraken. The results were much needed, as the Bruins went 13-2 in all situations and 8-0 during 5-on-5 play. The goal was lacking, but the ability to finish was a big problem.

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During 5-on-5 play those first two games, the Bruins held a significant edge in shot attempts (125-88). They've become a high-volume shooting team, but they've done a good job of suppressing the gun. What stands out the most is their expected goals. During 5-on-5 play, the Bruins produced 5.50 goals against. Getting zero is a tough pill to swallow.

In all cases, the Bruins produced 7.22 goals against and only two. The inability to hide their chances has been a common theme, so the need for a true goalscorer is clear.

However, there is no need to panic completely. The Bruins came back strong and played with a chip on their shoulder against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday (Dec. 14).

Pastrnak Had His Best Game of the Season

The Bruins played with a chip on their shoulder and it was time for the puck to drop. Not only was their play solid during 5-on-5 play, but the Bruins even produced some good looks on the power play. Captain Brad Marchand was leading the game and was playing aggressively. He was booed by the Canucks faithful but that only added fuel to his fire; the captain succeeds in that. Not only did Marchand open the scoring, but the way he moved and created space was legendary.

He wasn't the only one though. David Pastrnak had his best game of the 2024-25 season. He finished the game with three assists and scored a nice closing goal. It was his first four-point game since April 9, 2023. It's not a must-win game for any team, but for the Bruins, this was a big win and a much-needed comeback game.

The Bruins went on to beat the Canucks 5-1 and deserved all those results. That's despite a low event performance during 5-on-5 play, with the Bruins producing just 2.46 goals against. Scoring above their expected average is a good sign, as puck luck was on their side.

Seeing this kind of sudden burst is rare and has been a theme throughout the regular season.

Bruins' All-Time Finishing Ability

Finishing ability has been a rarity for the Bruins this season. High-scoring games aren't their cup of tea, but they do happen. In 18 of the 32 games they have played this season, the Bruins have scored two goals or less. However, there have been times when the case has come up from time to time.

The Bruins beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 (Oct. 16, 2024) and went on a three-game hitting streak. After that, they played with four goals but dropped to six goals in five games. In the entire month of November, they scored more than three goals only twice.

Being an offensive dynamo is not in the cards for the Bruins, but there is evidence that they can score in bunches. At the end of the day, their ability to finish is not the greatest, as they have 12.88 goals scored above expectations in all situations. But they need to build their end game and let it fuel their fire throughout the road trip.

Let Iron Sharpen Steel

The road trip got off to a disastrous start, but the Bruins did some good things under the hood. They were able to create chances and offense, but the ability to finish was not there. A good performance against the Canucks should give the Bruins something to build on and fuel them as they face the Calgary Flames and then the Edmonton Oilers to finish off the road trip.