Boston’s inability to force overtime in close contests leaves the team without any loser points through 22 games
Boston’s late-game struggles become impossible to ignore
The Boston Bruins have developed a troubling habit that could haunt them come playoff time. Through 22 games this season, the team has surrendered game-winning goals in the final minutes of four separate contests, leaving crucial points on the table in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference.
The math is simple but painful. Boston sits just 14 minutes and 17 seconds away from having at least four additional points in the standings. These aren’t blowout losses or games where the team never had a chance. These are tight, winnable contests that slipped through their fingers when it mattered most.
The trend started on Oct. 21 against Florida, where the Bruins were just 26 seconds from reaching overtime before surrendering the decisive goal. Days later on Oct. 23, Anaheim scored with 4 minutes and 33 seconds remaining in regulation to steal two points at TD Garden. Last week in Ottawa, Boston gave up the winner with 5 minutes and 43 seconds left. Most recently on Wednesday in Anaheim, the Ducks scored with 3 minutes and 35 seconds remaining to hand the Bruins yet another bitter defeat.
The missing loser points
What makes these losses particularly concerning is that Boston currently stands as one of just two NHL teams without a single overtime loss this season. While the Winnipeg Jets share this distinction, their league-leading record provides far more cushion for error. The Jets can afford to leave points on the table. The Bruins cannot.
Morgan Geekie expressed the frustration felt throughout the locker room after Wednesday’s loss. The forward noted that the team essentially threw away two points once again, a sentiment that has become all too familiar in recent weeks.
Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who has been in net for three of these four collapses, acknowledged the pattern with noticeable exasperation. He pointed out that the team remains competitive for most of the game, only to falter in the final 10 minutes. Losing in the last five minutes once again, as he put it, carries a sting that doesn’t fade quickly.
Defenseman Nikita Zadorov calculated the potential damage of these missed opportunities. The Bruins could have added at least four points to their total, possibly even eight if they had won in overtime. In a conference where just eight points separate the best team from the second-worst, every point matters tremendously.
Historical context adds urgency
This marks the first time since Boston’s record-breaking 2022-23 campaign that the team has gone 22 games without an overtime loss. However, that season started with a blistering 19-3-0 record, making the absence of loser points irrelevant.
The last comparable situation came in 2016-17, when the Bruins squeaked into the playoffs by a single point. They needed a torrid stretch under Bruce Cassidy to qualify, barely holding off Tampa Bay down the stretch. Even more cautionary is the 2014-15 season, when Boston missed the playoffs by two points despite accumulating 14 overtime losses.
The 2015-16 campaign serves as the ultimate warning. That year, the Bruins needed to win their final regular season game to reach the playoffs. Instead, they lost the infamous contest when Tuukka Rask fell ill with food poisoning, missing the postseason on a tiebreaker with Detroit. One additional overtime loss would have rendered the tiebreaker meaningless.
The numbers reveal deeper issues
Boston’s struggles when the score is tied go beyond bad luck or poor timing. The statistics paint a concerning picture of a team that loses its composure in crucial moments.
When tied this season, the Bruins allow 3.04 expected goals against per 60 minutes, ranking ninth-worst in the NHL. They surrender 13.21 high-danger chances against per 60 in tied situations, sixth-worst in the league. Even the goaltending falters, with Korpisalo and Jeremy Swayman combining for an .877 save percentage when the score is even, eighth-worst among NHL tandems.
These numbers reflect what fans see on the ice. When Boston claws back to tie a game, the play becomes messy and disjointed. The team that fights relentlessly to make contests competitive suddenly looks confused and vulnerable once they reach even ground.
Geekie has scored five goals to tie games for Boston this season, second-most in the NHL. Yet those efforts continue to go unrewarded as the team repeatedly plays on its heels after drawing even.
Time for accountability
Zadorov didn’t mince words when addressing the situation. He noted that the game completely flipped against Anaheim once the score became tied, a pattern that has repeated itself too often. With the season already 25 percent complete, he called for maturity and accountability from the entire roster.
The American Thanksgiving benchmark looms large in hockey circles, often serving as an indicator of playoff teams. Boston currently sits second in the Atlantic Division, but those four missing points could prove decisive in a tightly bunched conference. The Bruins have shown they can compete with anyone when trailing. Now they need to prove they can finish games when it matters most.