Bruins’ Marchand Benched in Overtime as Senators Stun Boston

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Boston Bruins squandered a late lead and lost 6-5 in overtime to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night, with captain Brad Marchand notably absent from the ice during the extra session. Interim head coach Joe Sacco confirmed Marchand was not injured but chose to bench the veteran forward, who leads the team in scoring this season.

Marchand, who logged 19:20 of ice time during regulation, recorded just one shot on goal and two giveaways. His absence in overtime raised eyebrows, as he holds the Bruins’ franchise record for most overtime goals (21) and ranks third among active NHL players. “He’s going to make decisions based on how he feels each guy is playing each night,” Marchand said after Sunday’s practice. “I get it. It’s on me to be better.”

The Bruins led 5-3 late in the third period but faltered under pressure. Ottawa tied the game with their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, capitalizing on defensive breakdowns. “We didn’t execute well enough under pressure when they had six on five,” Sacco said. “We had an opportunity to make it 6-3, and we didn’t put it in the back of the net. We have to be better at defending that lead.”

Goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 38 saves, including three crucial stops in overtime, but the Bruins were outshot 44-28. “He gave us a chance to win again,” Sacco said of Swayman. “All you can ask from your goaltender, and he did that again. We’ve got to cut down on certain scoring opportunities to help him out.”

The loss dropped the Bruins out of a Wild Card playoff spot, though they remain in contention with 35 games left in the regular season. Marchand, who turns 37 in May, is a pending unrestricted free agent. Both he and the front office have expressed interest in a new contract, with general manager Don Sweeney stating he wants to make Marchand a “Bruin for life.”

The Bruins will look to rebound when they host the San Jose Sharks on Monday afternoon at TD Garden.