All it took was three straight losses for the talk to turn decidedly negative in Boston.
The Bruins are now in the second wild-card spot in the East, just two points clear of the Islanders, who hold a game in hand.
But one year after the B’s finished 3-8-1 in their last 12 games, missing the playoffs for the second straight time, defenseman Torey Krug is vowing there won’t be another late-season letdown.
“I haven’t thought about it, I haven’t talked about it,” Krug said, per CSN New England. “It’s a different feeling this year. [A collapse] is not going to happen this year.”
The B’s host the Lightning tonight at TD Garden. Tampa Bay is five points back of Boston, so it’s a big game for both teams.
Saturday is another big one, when the B’s are in Brooklyn to take on the Isles.
“We’ve got to come to the rink with no other option except winning that game,” said Krug. “That’s the mindset we’ve got to have.”
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