The Boston Bruins are mid. Mid-season, mid. After a solid run under interim coach Joe Sacco, Boston have seen their bad habits of the early season resurface in the new year. Happy New Year…? Not so fast for the team and their fans. An 0-4-1 start to 2025 was hardly ideal and because of the slide the Bruins found themselves leap frogged by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic division standings. As a matter of fact, the team found themselves out of the playoff bracket all together. Talk about a New Years resolution backfiring. Not many people seek to start a new year on the downside of things but that is exactly what these Boston Bruins did. Road losses in New York City and Toronto were followed by home losses to the Islanders and Oilers before the team headed south. More on that in a bit.
The Bruins could not put a full game together it seemed. They either couldn’t score, 2-1 loss to the Rangers and 4-0 loss to Edmonton, or they couldn’t stop the puck. 6-4 Toronto loss and 5-4 loss vs the Islanders. Finding their complete game after the holidays was next to impossible for the group and it continued in Tampa were the Bruins played their first of two games down south. A 4-1 loss at the hands of the Lightning had fans and media calling for Don Sweeney’s job. Cam Neely’s job. Heck some people wanted Pasta traded. While all of this was unfolding, I had a plan. Yes, me. I, had a plan. I bought tickets to the January 11th game in Florida weeks ago and had airfare/hotel/car rental all set. I was going to bring this group together. I sure hoped anyway. A 4-3 Bruins overtime win not only turned this hope into reality but it also ended a six-game losing streak for the team. Their longest such streak since the 2015 season. Ten years, folks. That’s nothing to brag about. Yet, brag I will since I was there to see David Pastrnak score the winner with 1.2 seconds remaining in the extra frame. Who cares if the Panthers had a 109-37 shot attempt advantage! They found a way! Swayman, frankly, stole the game. That’s what 8M dollar goalies need to do now and then. Maybe Swayman is finally rounding in to form when they need him the most. Boston followed that up with a 6-2 victory against those pesky Lightning Tuesday night at home. Swayman again was sharp in another 40 plus save performance. It’s two games, sure, but it is the best two games the Bruins have played thus far in 2025. The wins also have them back in a playoff spot as they currently sit in the Wild Card #1 position. With two games over the next four vs the Ottawa Senators, Boston will have to keep up their winning ways going in hopes of staying in the playoff picture. The Bruins are indeed mid but strong goaltending and timely scoring can go a long way.
Bruins management can thank me for taking matters in to my own hands. Sure, I took my wife to Disney after the game but getting to Sunrise Saturday afternoon was undoubtedly instrumental in changing the team’s fortunes. What? A guy can’t dream? If there’s anything Orlando and those theme parks taught me it’s that you’re never too old to you use your imagination!
The Lookahead
Boston travels to Ottawa Saturday afternoon to take on the Sens and to participate in Hockey Day in Canada. Maybe give Quebec a team to at least have an even number of teams in the great north, NHL. Just saying…
Another matinee Monday will see the Sharks in Boston followed by a trip to New Jersey Wednesday night. It’s back to Boston Thursday for a rematch with Ottawa before playing yet another matinee on the 25th vs Colorado. Five games in eight days. Big week for the B’s.
G-Rant @TheRealG_Rant/Grant Cumming. Bruins fan. Bigger dreams, bigger screens, bigger feelings are planned.
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