The Bruins are finding new ways to lose.

The Bruins first lost a two-goal lead, then a late one-goal lead when the Los Angeles Kings tied it with 1:35 left in regulation before failing to cash in on an overtime power play. Then Brandt Clarke stepped out of the box for a breakaway and he lifted the Kings to a 5-4 OT win at the Garden.

Ouch.

The Kings held a wide territorial and shot advantage (18-8) in the first period, but the B’s were able to come out of it with a 2-1 lead – and it could have been more.

The B’s were sloppy to start,, missing simple passes on breakouts that had te crowd grumbling early, but they took the first lead of the game at 8:03.

Coach Jim Montgomery decided to put Trent Frederic, who’d been playing in the top six back, on the third line, explaining that that’s where his most production has come from. And, sure enough, he took the puck to the net, bringing took Kings to him while the rebound dangled in the slot. James van Riemsdyk picked out of a crowd and snapped it over goalie David Rittich for the 1-0 goal.

On the next shift, it appeared the B’s took a 2-0 lead when David Pastrnak’s beat Rittich with a long wrister, but it was challenged by LA coach Jim Miller for goalie interference. Though he was pushed into the crease by defenseman Mikey Anderson, Jake DeBrusk did in fact make contact with Rittich and the goal came off the board.

Then LA tied it up at 11:02 when Trevor Lewis’ shot bounced to Matt Roy and he was able to bank a backhander of Linus Ullmark and in. As the Kings celebrated a little too closely to the crease, the B’s took exception. Frederic eventually dropped the gloves wiith Andreas Englund, whom he fought in LA. Frederic took a couple of early shots, landed a couple of late ones before Englund landed on top of him.

That seemingly put the Kings back in control of the game and the B’s had to survive a Brad Marchand interference penalty. When Marchand came out of the box, he drew a slashing penalty on Drew Doughty and the B’s capitalized.

Van Riemsdyk, who missed a wide open net in thursday’s loss to Seattle, was making up for it on Saturday. Charlie McAvoy’s shot was blocked in front and, just as the rebound was about to hit ice, van Riemsdyk chipped it over Rittich at 14:45.

The game opened up in the last couple of minutes and Ullmark had to stone Viktor Arvidsson on a clean breakaway on then Adrian Kempe on a partial break-in off the wing to preserve the B’s one-goal lead.

The B’s had chances to extend te lead with two power plays in the first half of the second period but they couldn’t cash in. But they finally ot their two-goal lead at 13:04 on a hard-working fourth line goal. Jakub Lauko, back in the lineup after a couple of scratches, battled a couple of Kings behind the net. Jesper Boqvist picked himself upp off the ice from a Quinton Byfield check to get a loose puck and make a beauty of a backhand pass out front to Anthony Richard. Richard picked the shortside upper corner for his first as a Bruin.

But the Kings scratched back to stay in striking distance off fortunate bounce. Vladislav Gavrikov sent a harmless looking shot from the blue line toward the net, but it hit off Kevin Shattenkirk in front, changed directions and got past a helpless Ullmark at 16:38.

The Kings tied it 5:51 of the third as problems with the B’s third defense pairing of Derek Forbort and Kevin Shattenkirk continued to dog them. With a pileup in front of the net, the Kings had several whacks at the puck in the crease before Alex Laferriere finally pushed it under Ullmark and over the line.

But the B’s regained the lead at 7:11. Frederic followed up a Morgan Geekie shot and slipped the puck through Rittch’s pads for his 15th of the year, completing the Gordie Howe hat trick.

Pavel Zacha was called for an offensive zone penalty with 3:35 left in regulation. On a 6-on-4, the B’s had a chance to clear after a faceoff win, but it didn’t get past Drew Doughty, whose shot was deflected home by Anze Kopitar to tie it as the penalty expired at 1:35.