The Bruins have long forged an identity as a hard-nosed defensive unit — operating at their best when herding opponents out of Grade-A ice and clogging up shooting lanes, even at the cost of a stinging salvo struck off a shin pad.
But no Boston roster helmed by defensive pillars like Zdeno Chara or Patrice Bergeron painted the same muted — and effective — canvas as the one crafted by the 2024-25 Bruins on Monday night.
At least, such was the sentiment after glancing over the Capitals’ shot map at TD Garden.
Washington has emerged as one of the top surprises in the league this year thanks to a suffocating forecheck and a propensity for peppering the net from high-danger ice.