Recap: Offensive woes continue as Bruins lose to the Islanders, 1-0

The Bruins dropped their second game in a row on Monday evening, falling to the New York Islanders by a score of 1-0.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the game’s lone goal with just under five minutes to go in the third period, and while the Bruins knocked on the door late, they couldn’t beat Semyon Varlamov.

Normally we’d post the Bruins highlights too, except...there weren’t many of note tonight.

Unfortunately, the only highlight of note involves an injury to defenseman Matt Grzelcyk:

Grzelcyk’s right arm appeared to be twisted rather awkwardly, opening up speculation as to whether he may have suffered a shoulder or elbow injury.

Grzelcyk didn’t return, and the B’s didn’t have an update on his condition after the game.

Overall, the compete level was there. The Bruins outshot the Islanders. The penalty kill was a perfect 5/5. The forwards were relentless, making the puck carrier uneasy while the rest of the killers took away passing lanes. The Bruins were able to sustain zone time with cycles, exchanges, and a couple opportunities from the point.

However, the effort culminated in not enough high danger chances and Semyon Varlamov made all the saves he needed to, withholding the Bruins from the scoreboard.

“It’s one of those things that we’re very aware of,” said Jake DeBrusk, of the team’s five on five offensive struggles. “But at the same time, we have confidence in our group. I think we’re really stacked up front.”

“It obviously stings when you lose 1-0,” continued DeBrusk.

Tuukka Rask made several quality saves in the losing effort, stonewalling Anthony Beauvillier on a breakaway in the third period and stopping Jordan Eberle in close on the man advantage.

Ultimately, it was a wacky one that won the game.

“Big picture, you know you’re doing a good job defending when those are the goals that are going in,” said Bruce Cassidy, on the tough break on the Islanders’ goal. “On the flip side, no consolation to lose a game like that when you feel like you were the better team. Around the net, I thought we had some tough luck again tonight.”

Game notes

• The Bruins have allowed five goals this season, and they were victimized by some funky bounces on two of them: the wacky pinball machine goal against the Devils, and Pageau’s bat-in tonight. Pageau deserves credit for having the coordination to put it in, but the puck was all over the place before that.
• Nick Ritchie certainly was engaged in this game. The big forward had six shots on goal, two hits, and a slashing minor. He had a decent chance in the crease toward the end of the game too, and also had a good dust-up with Cal Clutterbuck: Clutterbuck cleaned him out from behind in a scrum, then Ritchie dropped him with a gloved hand shortly thereafter.
• It was zeroes across the board for Jack Studnicka in his return to the lineup. He did register 2:36 in PK time.
• It will be interesting to see if Bruce Cassidy throws his lines in a blender again for Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The offense simply hasn’t been there in the first three games, and while it’s too early to panic, the shortened season leaves the team less time to figure it out.
• On another “it will be interesting” note: if Ondrej Kase is out for a bit after being placed on IR, the Bruins could elect to bring in another wing from their taxi squad. Zach Senyshyn, anyone? It would have been great to put Senyshyn in the lineup tonight purely for the 2015 Draft takes.

Back at it on Thursday night!