“We Thought We Had It, But Small Mistakes Cost Us Big,” Says Bruins’ Kastelic After Streak Ends in Shocking Third-Period Collapse
In a jaw-dropping turn of events, the Boston Bruins saw their seven-game winning streak come to a crashing halt Thursday night, falling 5-3 to the Ottawa Senators in a third-period meltdown that left fans stunned. The Bruins were on the cusp of another victory—until the momentum shifted, and the Senators capitalized on every misstep, delivering a knockout punch that no one saw coming.
The night began with high expectations, as the Bruins entered TD Garden riding a wave of dominance. But from the first puck drop, things didn’t go as planned. A sloppy penalty from Jeffrey Viel early in the first period and an inability to convert on their limited chances set the tone for a frustrating night. The Senators quickly took control, with Claude Giroux firing home an early goal just 1:28 into the game, and Dylan Cozens adding another late in the period to put the Bruins in a 2-0 hole.
Despite their struggles, the Bruins didn’t back down. A revitalized second period saw them respond physically, dominating Ottawa with big hits and more puck pressure. The breakthrough came when Morgan Geekie redirected a beautiful pass from Pastrnak to cut the deficit to 2-1, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
“We thought we had it,” said Mark Kastelic, reflecting on the rollercoaster of emotions that came with the Bruins’ failed comeback. “But small mistakes cost us big. We fought back, but it’s those little details we didn’t execute that killed us in the end.”
And it wasn’t just the third-period collapse that stung. An early line change in the final frame led to a costly goal from Shane Pinto, quickly putting the Senators back in the driver’s seat. Though Pastrnak scored his 402nd career goal to pull the Bruins even again, Ottawa’s relentless play and the Bruins’ defensive lapses sealed the loss.
The Senators, coming off a tough stretch, showed their resilience, taking advantage of every Bruins misstep. Giroux and Stützle were at the heart of the Senators’ attack, but it was Ottawa’s collective effort and defensive poise that turned the game on its head.
For the Bruins, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow. Despite a season full of impressive performances and resilient comebacks, they couldn’t overcome their own mistakes when the game was on the line. Now, as they digest this defeat, the Bruins must regroup quickly, or risk letting this heartbreaking loss linger and disrupt their momentum.
Ottawa, on the other hand, will celebrate this victory as a statement win—one that proves they can hang with the best when they execute. With this win, the Senators are showing signs of a team that can turn its season around, while the Bruins must now find a way to bounce back and prove this setback is just a minor detour on their road to success.
It’s time for a New York Jets debut.
Wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is set to don the green and white colors for the first time this season. He was involved in the blockbuster trade that sent All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts.
Mitchell was inactive for the Week 10 contest against the Cleveland Browns. Head coach Aaron Glenn explained that he needed some more time to familiarize himself with the playbook. Now, Mitchell will get to show what he has learned against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football in front of the entire country.
Mitchell has two and a half years remaining on his $7.3 million rookie contract.
The Jets insisted on Mitchell being in the trade. According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, if the Colts hadn’t included the talented pass catcher in the deal, a trade would have never been completed. Now it’s time to see what the buzz was all about from the Jets’ side.
With Garrett Wilson being placed on injured reserve, Mitchell is going to be expected to take on a heavy workload.
Mitchell, 23, was buried on the depth chart with the Colts. That won’t be a problem with the Jets. They don’t have that first-world problem in New York. The green and white are looking for someone to step up to the plate.
This will be Mitchell’s 26th NFL game of his career. He has been targeted 71 times, has caught 32 receptions for 464 receiving yards, and has averaged 14.5 yards per reception.
Mitchell has all the tools. He stands in at 6-foot-2 and weighs 205 pounds. At the NFL combine he ran a blazing 4.34 40-yard dash.
Colts wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne believes the thing Mitchell is missing is reps. If that is true, then the Jets should find out pretty quickly what they have in the former Texas product. If the green and white hope to upset the Pats, they will need some magic from their young wide receiver.
Gang Green took to social media to announce the inactives for the Patriots game in prime time.
That group included rookie cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, defensive lineman Braiden McGregor, running back Khalil Herbert, tight end Jelani Woods, and linebacker core special teamer Ja’Markis Weston.
Two key defensive cogs for the Jets were listed as questionable heading into Week 11.
Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and pass rusher Will McDonald were both up in the air for this contest. With both players listed as active, they will be good to go for this AFC East rivalry.
Phillips is dealing with a foot issue. He didn’t practice on Monday or Tuesday, but he was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday.
McDonald is dealing with a quad problem. He didn’t practice on Monday, but he was a limited participant in practice on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The former Iowa State product is coming off an impressive four-sack campaign. That is tied for the best single-game sack record in Jets franchise history.