The Boston Bruins suffered a 2-1 road loss to the Florida Panthers in a game that head coach Marco Sturm wasn’t pleased with.
Boston had been on a four-game winning streak and had won six of its past seven. Yet, against the Panthers, who aren’t going to be making the playoffs, the Bruins struggled, and Sturm felt like the team overlooked Florida.
“We didn’t respect our opponent tonight,” Sturm said postgame, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “They had a lot of guys out, and we didn’t do our job. Shame on us today. It was a big push in the third, but it was a little bit too late.
“With a team like that, I don’t care who is out, they are a good structure team and played hard. We weren’t willing to do it.”
Florida led 2-0 less than eight minutes into the first period, as the Bruins struggled from the get-go and didn’t come out with the jump the team is usually playing with.
Although Boston is firmly in a playoff spot, forward Morgan Geekie said it’s disappointing not to win this game.
“These are important games and we’re winning games at the end of the day,” said Geekie. “It doesn’t matter how we do it. But, tonight, it feels like you let everyone down. Had the opportunities, but it’s been a tough stretch.”
Boston will return to the ice on Saturday on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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