Bruins Lose 4-1 to the Senators, ‘Make Sure That Never Happens Again’

BOSTON –– The Boston Bruins got behind early on Monday at TD Garden and couldn’t get themselves back in the battle during the eventual 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators.

“There’s no message. Everybody knows. We dropped the ball at home. Didn’t come ready to play today,” Nikita Zadorov said. “It’s on us to do the homework and make sure that never happens again.”

The Senators jumped to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame with two goals from Tim Stützle. His first was off the rush, short-handed to make it 1-0 at 7:39. Stützle then doubled the advantage just as the B’s penalties expired on another odd-man attack at 9:22.​

“That’s a tough loss; tough first period. Can’t give away two short-handed,” David Pastrnak said. “Lack of confidence [on the power play]. The puck is bouncing whether it’s with the hands or confidence – have to be more direct, have to recover pucks…We proved that we can be a good power play last year, so we just have to get back to it.”

Drake Batherson extended Ottawa’s advantage in the second period with a backhanded shot at 1:06 before Michael Amadio snapped one in from the slot at 5:19 for the 4-0 scoreline heading into the third.​

“We’ve just got to get back to our identity,” Zadorov said. “Our identity is to play really good, structured, defensive hockey.”​

James Hagens got the Bruins on the board at 3:30 after Samuel Ersson, who came in for Linus Ullmark to start the third, misplayed the puck behind the net. Hagens picked up on the whiff and banked it in off of Ersson from below the goal line. It was Hagens’ second goal of the season and brought the B’s within three, 4-1.

Hagens was, nonetheless, hard on himself postgame.

“Personally, I was a big reason for a couple of those goals going in. I have to be a lot better. That was unacceptable on my end,” he said. “You never want to be out there for a goal against, but that’s hockey; it’s tough to play a game without mistakes. Just have to learn how to let go of it and try to get back into it right away as soon as possible.”

Sturm views it as an opportunity to grow for the 19-year-old forward.

“I won’t blame him. He’s a kid who needs to learn. I think our top guys, games like this, they have to be in charge,” Sturm said. “I think overall as a group, we have to help those kids out. And the kids have to play better as well. But I won’t blame my young guys for that. They’re kids; they need to learn the hard way sometimes, but they need help. And that’s all of us.”

The Bruins are back in action on Thursday when they host the Utah Mammoth at TD Garden for a 7 p.m. puck drop.

“It’s okay. It is early in the year; obviously there are new faces, different linemates,” Zadorov said. “The guys take time, but we will be fine.”