The Boston Bruins had a golden chance against the Ottawa Senators yesterday. A regulation win would have given the Bruins a three-point lead over the Senators for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Bruins were well on their way to doing just that, as they had a 5-3 lead in the final minutes of the third period. However, the Senators scored two goals with their goalie pulled, including one from Josh Norris with 12 seconds left in the game, forcing overtime.
The Bruins lost in the shootout, and they now do not hold a playoff spot. This is because the Senators are tied with them in points and have two games in hand.
This was the Bruins’ first game since president Cam Neely revealed earlier this week that the club could retool its roster. This loss only strengthens the argument that the Bruins should make roster changes. The Bruins continue to struggle with consistency and closing out games, and they are not showing many signs of changing that.
The Bruins have multiple pending unrestricted free agents, like Trent Frederic, Justin Brazeau, and Parker Wotherspoon, who could be used as trade chips. They also have other players with term who could be worth watching, like Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle.
Ultimately, the Bruins could use a shakeup. We will need to wait and see if they end up making some changes to their group from here.
