The Boston Bruins, having already secured a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs, will begin a two-game journey in the South as part of their six-game road trip, starting with a matchup against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. With a record of 43-17-15 and 101 points, the Bruins recently clinched a playoff berth and had a notable victory over the Washington Capitals, winning 3-2 in a shootout. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk scored the game-winning goal in the shootout after the Bruins successfully killed off a four-minute power play in overtime. Shattenkirk praised the team’s ability to close out tight games, highlighting their progress in this area compared to earlier in the season.
Boston, currently leading the Atlantic Division by two points, displayed strong defensive play against the Capitals, blocking 29 shots, with defenseman Brandon Carlo contributing five blocks. Forward Pat Maroon, acquired from the Minnesota Wild on March 8, returned to full practice with the Bruins after recovering from back surgery. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery emphasized Maroon’s playoff experience, noting his status as a three-time Cup winner, which adds valuable veteran leadership to the team alongside other experienced players like captain Brad Marchand.
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Meanwhile, the Predators (43-27-4, 90 points) saw their 18-game points streak come to an end with two consecutive losses on the road against the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche, where they allowed a total of 15 goals. Nashville also struggled defensively, conceding 40 or more shots in two consecutive games, despite managing to take at least 35 shots themselves.
Coach Andrew Brunette expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance at even strength, but highlighted Colorado’s efficiency on the power play, where they scored three goals on six opportunities, compared to Nashville’s inability to capitalize on their five power play chances. Brunette acknowledged the strength of Colorado’s power play unit and emphasized the importance of minimizing penalties to prevent opponents from capitalizing on man-advantage situations. Despite some positives, Brunette acknowledged that the power play performance was subpar and emphasized the need to address issues that have surfaced after the team’s previous successful stretch.
The Predators, currently leading the Los Angeles Kings by three points for the first Western Conference wild card spot, recognize the areas where improvement is necessary. Brunette pointed out that offensive-zone penalties had a negative impact on the team’s performance and highlighted the importance of correcting such mistakes. Despite Filip Forsberg’s seven-game goal streak coming to an end, he has continued to contribute offensively, recording points in nine consecutive games and in 17 of his last 20 outings. Captain Roman Josi praised Forsberg’s ability to score crucial goals and his determination to make a difference for the team. Additionally, Gustav Nyquist has been in impressive form, scoring goals in three consecutive games and registering points in eight straight games, including a one-goal, one-assist performance.
