BOSTON \u2013 For the first time since December 23, the Boston Bruins skated off home ice without two points.<\/p>\n
The Bruins\u2019 (36-23-6) 13-game win streak came to a close on Thursday night with a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks<\/a> (31-26-6). The Bruins put 41 shots on Alex Nedeljkovic<\/a>, and he stopped 39.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, their goalie was the best player on the ice today,\u201d Nikita Zadorov said after the game. \u201cHe made a couple of good saves. We didn\u2019t capitalize on our chances. They did on theirs.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Nedeljkovic finished with 1.42 goals saved above expected, per NaturalStatTrick<\/a>. He stopped ten high-danger shots from the Bruins, with only five coming at 5-on-5.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fraser Minten<\/a> and David Pastrnak<\/a> were able to beat Nedeljkovic, but both goals came after the Bruins went down 4-0 in the third period.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it\u2019s nice,\u201d Fraser Minten said about tallying the goal. \u201cNice to have them go in, but it would have been better if it contributed to a win.\u201d<\/p>\n Minten\u2019s goal came at the 8:30<\/a> mark of the third period, Pastrnak\u2019s at 19:07<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Those goals came too late for the Bruins, though.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe know when we score one, we are going to get the crowd going and we can change the game,\u201d Marco Sturm said after the game. \u201cBut then, especially after that third goal\u2026 that was\u2026 I think that was a tough one.\u201d<\/p>\n The third goal killed the Bruins \u2013 and it highlights a newer problem.<\/p>\n The power play.<\/p>\n Although it was one of the Bruins\u2019 greatest<\/a> strengths<\/a> this season, since they returned from the Olympic break, they have gone 4-for-28 (14.2%). They have also allowed two shorthanded goals in that span. The one tonight was the third goal of the game, the one Sturm referenced, and it was Lincoln, MA, native Collin Graf<\/a> who scored<\/a> it.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Bruins went 0-for-2 on the man-advantage Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I think it\u2019s just got to be direct,\u201d Marco Sturm said about the power play. \u201cWe got to have that attitude, the shooting mentality, kind of going towards the net. It\u2019s just sometimes a little slow. I think the last few games, it got a little bit better, but again, more on the outside than inside. We wanted to be more on the inside today. We did it once or twice, but that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something we have to be better at because that\u2019s a big part of our game, our power play. We need them, big time. Going back to our best players, they just have to get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n Marco Sturm harped on that in the postgame press conference. He put the forward line combinations into a blender during the game, looking for a jump from anyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n He moved around all of the lines, but did not disassemble the second line<\/a> until the final period.<\/p>\n \u201cI was just trying to get something going,\u201d he said about the line changes. \u201cI feel like all the lines, a little bit, got stuck. Needed a little bit of [a] push. I thought David (Pastrnak) had a little bit of something, just didn\u2019t get enough help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTop guys need to be your top guys. And you know, that\u2019s why in those kinds of moments, you need them even more. And we just, unfortunately, we just didn\u2019t really have it today.\u201d<\/p>\n Marco Sturm on the line changes: \u201cI was just trying to get something going. I feel like all the lines, a little bit, got stuck. I needed a little bit of push.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was too flat for me today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTop guys need to be your top guys. And you know, that\u2019s why in those kind of moments,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/IWFEMCelrd<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Jack Studley (@jackstudley13) March 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The Bruins\u2019 next three games come on the road, where they have not performed well recently.\u00a0<\/p>\n Struggling on the road did not faze Marco Sturm. That conversation is for Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, Hampus Lindholm offered some insight.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the starts and you\u2019re playing a tight game, road game, you always try to simplify it a little bit more,\u201d Hampus Lindholm said<\/a> after the game. \u201cOn the road we\u2019ve been playing a little too loose, try to make those seams, and just try to play a little too loose. I think we need to get back to even more playing our identity and being harder to play against and frustrate teams at home.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bruins practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday morning at 11:30 AM before heading to Washington, DC, for the first of three road games. The Bruins will face the Washington Capitals (33-27-7) \u2013 on ABC again \u2013 before heading to Newark, NJ.\u00a0The trip ends in Montreal. <\/p>\n FOLLOW @JACKSTUDLEY13 ON \ud835\udd4f<\/a>\u00a0 | FOLLOW @BOSHockeyNow ON \ud835\udd4f<\/a>