Dissecting the Bruins’ overtime and shootout struggles isn’t an easy task. They clearly need more positive results, yet the mere presence of a 3-on-3 extra session or a glorified skills competition paves way for a crapshoot more often than not.
Bruce Cassidy’s squad has been on the other end of that 50-50 tossup more often than not in 2019-20. Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets dropped the Bruins to a woeful 2-11 in games decided by overtime or a shootout.
“There have been plenty of them this year, and it’s probably getting a little bit in our head,” David Pastrnak, the NHL’s leading goal-scorer, said after tallying his 30th goal of the season in Thursday’s losing effort.