Bruins can’t chase down Red Wings, lose 5-4

After exhibiting various extreme streakiness in the first month of the season the injury-addled Bruins have settled into a period of distinct mediocrity The B s dropped the second half of their home-and-home with the Red Wings on Tuesday dropping a - decision at Little Caesars Arena Jeremy Swayman had lately been airtight but he did not cover up any warts in this one and got pulled in the third period Since their seven-game win streak which had wiped out an earlier six-game skid the B s have now gone - in their last and have not won two in a row in that span They are clearly in a desperate water-treading mode to remain in the hunt while they wait wish and hope for a few semblance of good fitness The Bruins discovered themselves chasing the championship early on falling down - in the first period They had indeed started out pretty well putting good pressure on in the Detroit zone But the struggling John Gibson save percentage going into the contest turned aside all shots in the opening And when the B s were pushing in the Wings zone old friend James van Riemsdyk got behind Andrew Peeke on the left wing once Albert Johansson gained control of it in the Wings zone Johansson lifted a long pass for van Riemsdyk and the big veteran winger moved in alone and beat Swayman to the high far side with a snap shot from just inside the dot at The competition marked the return of Viktor Arvidsson who had been out since Nov with a lower body injury A little rustiness established in the Wings second goal when the B s were caught in their own zone Arvidsson backed up deep into the low slot allowing Moritz Seider plenty of time to release his shot that was greatly aided by Andrew Copp s screen to put Detroit up by two at The B s held a - shot advantage in the first but it didn t much matter It didn t get any better early in the second starting with the bad news that they had lost another defenseman With Charlie McAvoy Henri Jokiharju and Jordan Harris already out Michael Callahan lower body could not finish the challenge and the B s were down to five defensemen for the final The B s hurriedly discovered themselves down - just into the period when they mismanaged the puck in their zone From the slot Alex DeBrincat s shot broke through Swayman s arm and body and trickled in After a failed power play the B s conclusively got on the board at of the second off particular strong forechecking by Tanner Jeannot The big winger beat two Wings behind the net and then a third one to get the puck out to Nikita Zadorov at the left point He moved it to Jonathan Aspirot whose right point shot beat Gibson short side for his first NHL goal That injected specific life into the B s and at they pulled within a goal After selected good offensive zone possession Hampus Lindholm s shot from the high slot produced a big rebound off Gibson s pads and right to Alex Steeves who potted his fourth of the season But less than a minute later the Wings had a two-goal lead back Just after Gibson made a strong save on Elias Lindholm Detroit transitioned promptly up the ice Defenseman Ben Chiarot had beaten Morgan Geekie up the ice in time to take a feed from Dylan Larkin and beat Swayman with a wrist shot from the high danger area at to make it - heading into the third The B s flurried early in the third and Gibson came up with a good stop on a Geekie one-timer But after Hampus Lindholm was called for holding the Wings took a commanding three-goal lead again with a Lucas Raymond power-play goal at That ended the night for Swayman who gave way to Joonas Korpisalo It also might as well have ended any hope for a Bruin comeback The B s had to finish the final with four defenseman after Nikita Zadorov got minutes in penalties a roughing double minor and a -minute misconduct for his part in a dust-up with Seider and a meager other Wings The B s did keep playing however Korpisalo made a handful of excellent saves and Marat Khusnutdinov got it back to within two when he redirected Hampus Lindholm s pass for his fourth with left The B s pulled Korpisalo for the extra skater with over three minutes left but could not outcome until there were seconds left when Steeves scored his second of the tournament That s as close as they could get Loose pucks David Pastrnak who had appeared to suffer particular sort of lower body injury late in the B s win on Long Island on Thanksgiving Eve will not skate the rest of the week according to coach Marco Sturm Whether he can make the road trip next week that takes the B s to St Louis Winnipeg and Minnesota remains to be seen Sturm reported he wants to see Pastrnak get a limited skates in before he gets back into the lineup We ve got to be careful with him commented Sturm The Boston Fleet declared they will be playing the Montreal Victoire at TD Garden on April p m It will be the second half of a hockey doubleheader The B s host the Tampa Bay Lightning at p m in what could be a very big contest for their playoff hopes