Are the Boston Bruins in Trouble Already?

It is way too early to panic about the Boston Bruins, but it is also getting harder to ignore the warning signs. After starting the season 2-0, Boston has now lost two straight games, including a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden. The Bruins are now 2-2-0, and while that record is hardly disastrous, the way they have played over the last two games raises some questions.

The biggest problem might be the power play. Boston went 0-for-4 against Ottawa and is now a brutal 0-for-10 with the man advantage through four games. That is especially concerning because the Bruins were a top-10 power-play team last season. David Pastrnak admitted confidence has become an issue, while head coach Marco Sturm acknowledged that he doesn’t yet have an easy explanation for what has gone wrong.

The Ottawa game exposed more than just a struggling power play, though. Boston fell behind 4-0 before James Hagens finally got the Bruins on the board in the third period. Tim Stützle was the biggest difference-maker, scoring twice in the first period just 1:43 apart and adding an assist. Ottawa took control early and never really gave Boston a chance to get back into the game.

Boston also made some costly mistakes with the puck. Stützle’s opening goal came after a Bruins turnover created a shorthanded 2-on-1, and Ottawa’s fourth goal came after another failed Boston breakout. Those are the kinds of mistakes that can be overcome occasionally, but they become much more damaging when a team isn’t generating enough offense of its own.

There are still reasons for Bruins fans to remain optimistic. Boston opened the season with two wins, including an exciting overtime comeback against Winnipeg. JJ Peterka scored the overtime winner in that game, while David Pastrnak helped set up Boston’s late comeback. James Hagens has also already scored his second NHL goal, giving the Bruins another young player worth watching.

Jeremy Swayman isn’t the problem, either. He stopped 20 of 24 shots against Ottawa, and there wasn’t much he could do about several of the chances Boston allowed. The bigger concern is what is happening in front of him. Boston has to be much sharper defensively and much more dangerous offensively if this team wants to compete in a difficult Atlantic Division.

The Bruins also have plenty of experience, which is why it would be foolish to write them off after four games. Pastrnak is still one of the NHL’s elite offensive players, and Boston has enough talent to turn things around quickly. But the power play needs to wake up. Going 0-for-10 is one thing early in October; allowing it to become a prolonged problem could completely change the outlook of the season.

So, are the Boston Bruins in trouble already? Not yet. But they are giving their fans a reason to be concerned. A 2-2 record isn’t the issue — it’s the lack of consistency, the special-teams problems and the way they were outplayed by Ottawa. If the Bruins can fix the power play and clean up their mistakes, this rough start could quickly become a distant memory. If they can’t, however, the questions are only going to get louder.