BOSTON — The Bruins have played four games in the first week of their 2024-25 NHL campaign and skate into a three-game road trip with a 2-2-0 record in those contests.
While the sample size is not exactly large, the Bruins have already pinpointed several areas of their game that need to be adjusted for a successful season.
Here are five takeaways from the roller coaster first week:
LACK OF DISCIPLINE
The Bruins have granted their opponents 21 power-play opportunities in the first four games of the season but have miraculously only surrendered two goals while shorthanded. Boston has not only been whistled for at least four minor penalties in each contest but has also allowed its opponents, mainly the Florida Panthers, to get under its skin and win the “mental side” of the game. If the Bruins continue to give up opportunities to other teams, the penalty killing units are more than likely to start giving up coverage and leave the goalies alone to fend off the attack.
POWER PLAY STRUGGLES
Last season the power play was a strong aspect of the Bruins game — in the first half of the season. Suddenly, there was a power outage on the man advantage as Boston limped through the playoffs with a 21.2% success rate. This season, the power play units have been revamped with new players being acquired during the offseason, but the man advantage is off to a slow start, scoring just two goals in 18 opportunities. The Bruins have the right players to be able to run a successful power play, but the chemistry just isn’t there yet for the Black and Gold.
SUCCESSFUL FOURTH LINE
It may only be a four-game sample size, but the Bruins’ fourth line of Johnny Beecher, Mark Kastelic, and Cole Koepke has been the most consistent thus far. The trio has combined for 13 points and 12 shots on goal so far and is making a difference not just on the scoreboard but simply with the effort they bring every time they jump on the ice for their shift.
GOALTENDING IS NOT TO BLAME
Through the first part of the season, the Bruins have had many defensive breakdowns in front of Joonas Korpisalo and Jeremy Swayman. Multiple goals scored by the opposing teams have been the result of backdoor tip-ins from the Bruins’ defense not clearing their players from around the net. As the defensive pairings get more acclimated to each other and continue to communicate on the ice, there should be fewer goals scored unopposed from the high-danger areas.
THE TOP SIX “AREN’T DOING THEIR JOB”
While the fourth line has been a powerhouse for the Bruins so far, the top-six forward group is struggling to generate offense on a consistent basis. Granted both the first and second lines were revamped in the offseason, Elias Lindholm is centering David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha, and Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand are skating with Morgan Geekie through the first four games. The chemistry within the group is still building as the forwards work toward knowing each other’s games. To put it simply, the top weapons remain off-kilter but have shown some flashes of potential. Time will tell if Jim Montgomery will keep the lines as they stand or begin to shuffle some pieces around in the hopes of generating more offense.
It’s still early so there’s no need to panic just yet. The Bruins have three key areas they need to focus on — effort, execution and starting on time. If they can consistently do those things, the chemistry will build and so will the wins.
