Bruce Cassidy Takes Blame For Loss To Oilers.
The Boston Bruins dropped a tough one last night to Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.�
Boston sits 5th in the Atlantic and four points out of a Wild Card spot early in the season.�
The biggest problem last night was that the team just didn't get a full effort from the top of the lineup to the bottom. While more often than not it's the perfection line which shows up while others disappear, last night it was the 4th line with the biggest effort.�
Head coach Bruce Cassidy said the team just didn't seem prepared and that's his fault.�
"When a team beats itself, that's on us as a staff," said Cassidy. "We've got to do a better job getting them ready to play and understanding the details, what it takes to win. The lack of not shooting, 100 percent on us. We've just got to get that message across. Because we're not good enough to make some of the plays we're trying to make. So that's on us to make sure we're playing the right way, the best chance we have to win. Because another good team found a way to beat us in crunch time. At some point, it's not by accident anymore."
As mentioned, Cassidy loved what the 4th line brought.�
"Outstanding," Cassidy said of the fourth line. "I've got no issue with their line. Did a terrific job. They checked well. Managed the puck well. Got above people. Limited the damage. D-zone coverage was solid. I know McDavid got in a couple times. But I think some of those were broken plays. One of them was a line change. Our guy knew it. He changed at the wrong time, even though he's fatigued. They had good possession. That allowed McDavid to get through the middle of the ice. The other times, our D got beat one-on-one, which is going to happen with McDavid.
"You've got to really guard against trying to stand him up. You've just got to take him out of the good ice and leave him outside. But I thought they did a real good job. Their line was excellent."
What do you think of Cassidy's comments?
NHL players in this story
Connor McDavid
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