Bruins playing worst stretch of hockey since October

The Bruins did not spend Presidents Day selling cars. But they most certainly worked on
refueling their engines.

Mired in their worst stretch of hockey since the opening 10 games of the season, head coach Claude Julien made the easy call Monday, giving his road-weary Bruins the day off, in advance of tonight’s game against the Blues in St. Louis (8 p.m., NESN).

And after a frustrating 2-0 loss to Minnesota on Sunday, never was a day off more appreciated.
“When you’re not winning you sometimes think that practicing will solve the issue, but I sense a lot of weight on their shoulders right now,” Julien said. “You can feel it. It’s heavy.”

The Bruins are currently suffering through their worst month since October. Back then, it was a Stanley Cup hangover that led to a 3-7 start to the season. Now, in February, heavy legs have translated into a 3-6 month, including being shut out four times.

The schedule does not get any easier the rest of the way. Starting with tonight’s game, the Bruins play 25 games over the final 46 days of the regular season. After having this upcoming Sunday and Monday off, following the conclusion of their current six-game road trip, the Bruins will have two consecutive days off just once over the season’s final 40.

Not that anyone is crying tears for the defending champions. Fatigue promised to be a factor after the Bruins played all but three possible postseason games last spring, and now, it has become a reality the team must overcome over the next six weeks.