3 Stars: Bruins can’t get out of own way in loss to Sens

The Bruins were not going to close their season on a 71-game win streak, and the streak had to end at some point. It just so happened that the Black and Gold's longest win streak since the end of the 2022-23 season had to be bookended by losses to the Senators up at the Canadian Tire Centre.

The Bruins can take some comfort in the fact that this wasn't a 7-2 blowout like it was the last time they were on Ottawa ice. But the frustration was certainly there (and rightfully so) with this being yet another loss where the Black and Gold made their own bed with self-inflicted errors.

And though the Bruins fought back, it was another comeback effort that ultimately failed to deliver the Bruins any extra points, be it with an overtime loss or another comeback victory. Nearing the 20 percent mark of the season, the Bruins are one of just five teams in the NHL yet to suffer an overtime loss.

The good news? With two road games in Ottawa in the books, Sturm and the Bruins won't have to go back there again during the regular season.

Here's a look at the 985TheSportsHub.com 3 Stars of the game...

Down by two through 20 minutes of play, it was a goal from Morgan Geekie that got momentum swinging the Bruins' way in the middle frame. The goal was good for Geekie's 12th of the season, putting him into a tie for the second-most in the NHL, with only the Avs' Nathan MacKinnon (14) scoring more. (Whenever you're in a convo with MacKinnon, you're doing alright.)

But Geekie did not stop with the goal. In the third frame, Geekie drew the interference penalty on Artem Zub that put the B's back on the power play, and had an assist on the ensuing power-play goal by David Pastrnak.

Another night, another jump in the record books for David Pastrnak.

After scoring the 400th goal of his NHL in Tuesday's win over the Maple Leafs, Pastrnak's third-period, power-play goal in this contest moved him into a tie with Rick Middleton for the fifth-most in franchise history.

And assuming health, Pastrnak will likely pass Brad Marchand (422) and Patrice Bergeron (427) by the end of the 2025-26 season. That would (obviously) make him the third-highest goal scorer in franchise history, trailing only Phil Esposito (459) and Johnny Bucyk (545). 

Outside of maybe Montreal's Brendan Gallagher, I'm not sure there's anybody who dislikes Tim Stützle more than the Bruins at this point.

In his third head-to-head against the B's this season, Stützle put forth yet another impressive outing, this time with two goals (including the game-winning goal) and a helper, and is now up to four goals and six points in the season series.

Overall, though, Stützle's latest outing against the B's was enough to put him into the top-10 among Sens all-time against Boston, with 18 points in 17 career games against the Bruins. He's got a long way to go before catching Daniel Alfredsson as Ottawa's top Bruins killer, of course, as 'Alfie' had 69 points in 86 career games against Boston during his time in Ottawa.

But it's Stützle's pace that has him set up to do it, as he's already in the franchise's top 10 vs. Boston before even playing 20 games against the Bruins.