Even against a rebuilding Detroit Red Wings, the Boston Bruins faced an uphill battle Tuesday night.
To recap the events leading up to their last November tilt: the league handed Brad Marchand a three-game suspension for slew-footing Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Bruce Cassidy entered COVID-19 protocol, Jake DeBrusk requested a trade, and the Providence Bruins postponed their upcoming slate because of a coronavirus outbreak.
Amid all this, the Joe Sacco-led Bruins outshot the Red Wings, 42-16. Yet, the offensive struggles and costly defensive breakdowns proved costly.
Even with an equalizer on a David Pastrnak 5-on-3 blast midway through the third, the Bruins hardly made Alex Nedeljkvoic’s night difficult.