Marco Sturm tries to make sense of Bruins' struggles at home during playoffs

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Marco Sturm tries to make sense of Bruins' struggles at home during playoffs

Lauren Campbell · MassLive

Sat, May 2, 2026 ·

2 min read

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BOSTON — All season long the Bruins were a dominant team at home.

That wasn't the case in the playoffs.

Boston dropped all three first-round games at TD Garden, including Friday's Game 6 loss that knocked the Bruins from the playoffs.

"We didn't think on the road. I think on the road it was much easier. I think, obviously, we noticed a little bit of the pressure. I don't know. I'm not sure. I'm just talking, I guess what I feel," Sturm said. "What I think is we felt a little bit of the pressure, especially after last game being at home."

Why did the Bruins feel pressure in a familiar building that brought them so much success in 2025-26?

"Because we care," Sturm said. "I think guys care. They wanted to prove everyone wrong, and sometimes it doesn't go your way. And I think that's what happened a little bit. We never really got the flow. Buffalo played good, played solid. They played the game like we played the other night in Buffalo, so that's sometimes how it goes. But again, it's not lack of effort, it's not lack of attitude. These guys care. I can tell you that. We're here for a reason. We played a hell of a season because of the character we have in that room. And unfortunately came up short."

The Bruins were 29-11-1 at home and 16-16-9 on the road in the regular season. They earned a Game 2 win in Buffalo, but couldn't find the comforts of home the way they did on a consistent basis.

The offseason now begins for the Bruins. While Friday's loss is still fresh, they'll have their eyes on the NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday to see whether they'll get the Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick should it fall out of the top-five.

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