Lars Eller scores a goal on Jaroslav Halak. (Will Newton/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Bruins enjoyed a 5-1-and-2 preseason, but got thumped by seven in D.C. by the defending Stanley Cup champs last night.
No time to dwell. Boston's in Buffalo tonight at 7 p.m. for the Sabres' opener, and B's coach Bruce Cassidy expects his guys to show their true colors.
"This is a group that we've put a lot of trust in, so we're going to have to take a step back," he said. "Listen, we lost seven nothing. The video is probably going to reaffirm what we know--we didn't compete nearly hard enough. We didn't execute very well at all. We weren't in the same class as the Capitals, plain and simple. So, we'll discuss that if there's something we feel will help us, but at the end of the day, this group of players is what we're relying on, so I just expect them to bounce back."
Cassidy said his group lacked competitive spirit and wasn't ready to go. Showed when the Bruins fell behind by two inside the first two minutes. Jaroslav Halak was penciled in to start, but he relieved Tuukka Rask last night, so we'll see.
Sabres have eight new players among the 23 on their season-opening roster, including Jeff Skinner, Conor Sheary, and former Bruin Vladimir Sobotka, but they're led by former Boston University star and new captain Jack Eichel.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports