Bruins hit new low in standings with ninth straight loss

The Bruins' late-season, post-deadline tank-job has officially taken them to new heights... or lows depending on how you look at things. On the wrong end of a 4-3 final to the Capitals on Tuesday night, which was 'good' for the Black and Gold's ninth straight defeat, and with a Buffalo victory over Ottawa while that was happening on TD Garden ice, the Bruins will begin Wednesday in the basement of the Eastern Conference. https://twitter.com/_TyAnderson/status/1907247736149119179 This is the first time that the Bruins have been dead last in the East in the month of April since they accomplished that feat during the 1996-97 season. A season that ended with the Bruins earning the No. 1 overall pick for their woes and selecting Joe Thornton with that pick. And ironically enough, the Bruins sunk their way into 16th place in the conference behind one of their better efforts of that slump, with a one-goal loss to the best team in the conference. “Guys are trying to get a win here. We’re all trying to get a win here," Bruins interim head coach Joe Sacco said after the loss. "Credit to our guys, they battled back. That’s the attitude we have to have right now.” In an 0-2 hole through 20 minutes, and with just four shots put on the Capitals' Charlie Lindgren over that opening frame, the Bruins rallied to knot things up with strikes from Vinni Lettieri and David Pastrnak in the second period. And for brief moments and glimpses, it even looked like the Bruins were in position to steal this one from the Capitals, too, with a third-period effort saw the Black and Gold by all means matching whatever it was that the Caps were doing at the other end of the rink. https://twitter.com/SpokedZ/status/1907225145661595988 But Dylan Strome capitalized on a fortunate bounce that clanged off the TD Garden endboards and right out to the right of the Bruins' Jeremy Swayman, while Tom Wilson scored a downright bizarre goal to give Washington a two-goal edge and ultimately hold as the game-winning tally. https://twitter.com/capsreplays/status/1907245448294785368 Up next, the Bruins will head to Montreal for a Thursday night showdown with the Canadiens. This will be the third and final meeting between the sides this season (we live in a world where the Bruins play the Canadiens just once more than they do the Kraken), and their first since a Dec. 1 meeting in Boston.