bruins to play hurricanes in second round

After a crazy Game Seven between the Devils and Hurricanes (where the 'Canes tied it up and then took the lead all in the final minute of the game), the Bruins finally know who their next opponent will be in the Playoffs: the former Hartford Whalers.

The Hurricanes are a fun team to watch - they've got speed and some big centres, and obviously benefit from some superb goaltending from Cam Ward. Plus, I dig their sweaters.

However, when it looked like the Devils would win last night's game, and the Caps had already eliminated the Rangers, and the Bruins were slotted to play the Penguins, I must admit that I felt unease about going up against a fairly refreshed Crosby-Malkin-Fleury team.

But good old winningest-goalie-of-all-time Martin Brodeur never lets me down and one lucky shot from Eric Staal has brought the Bruins a more beneficial match up in those bastards out of Carolina.

The B's record against the 'Canes this season is solid (4-0), but Cam Ward only really warmed up in the second half of the season, and Rod Brind'amour has finally begun asserting some authority after a really disappointing season. So I think the Bruins will face a very different Hurricanes club than what they played during the regular season.

Also too, the Hurricanes must feel pretty confident after fighting their way to eliminating the Devils and will roll on with the knowledge that they can defeat stronger teams, even in the dying moments.

The second round begins Friday. Should be a good series!

claude julien's quote on tonight's series sweep

Here is a quote I found very complimentary to the character of Bruins' Coach Claude Julien:

On how it must feel, on a personal level, to win, in Montreal…

I know there are several people who would like to hear me say this is revenge. It’s not. Or people who would like to hear me say it’s more satisfying. I will continue to say this: it’s here that I got my first chance to be a coach in the NHL. I had a good stay here. Unfortunately, in our business, coaches often get fired. But we manage to land elsewhere. I’ve been lucky this way. I can say that I learned a lot here. It was my first experience. I learned a lot, under Andre Savard and even under Bob (Gainey), who was excellent with me. I grew around these guys. That is why, although I am happy to win, I am not bitter. Whether we win here or in Boston, the most important is that we win the series.

bruins sweep canadiens, win tonight's game 4 - 1

Despite again giving up the first goal in tonight's game (and regular readers of this blog will know my feelings about that) the Bruins were able to keep continuous pressure on the Canadiens to come back for the win, and complete the 4-game sweep of their arch-rivals.

Michael Ryder had a monster of a game with two goals and an assist, and looked very committed to personally ending the Habs' season, and Phil Kessel officially put the game away by scoring on a breakaway as his minor penalty ended.

Tim Thomas had another strong outing, which is so commonplace that it is often overlooked on a nightly basis, but he absolutely deserves recognition. The B's would simply not be in the position they are had it not been for Thomas' Vezina-candidate season.

The Canadiens' fans opted to not boo the US National anthem tonight, after a request was broadcast over the PA, but they still chose to boo Carey Price throughout the game. Price eventually threw his arms up and shook his head at the crowd's lack of support, but was left out to dry so many times in tonight's game that only those who know little about hockey would hang the loss on his shoulders. Should he have got the start? I don't know, but it wasn't his decision and he played well, so booing him is ridiculous.

In the end, the Canadiens simply did not have enough in the tank to take on the Bruins in the playoffs (or all regular season, frankly), and at points in this series seemed really out of sync with the game the Bruins were bringing to them. The B's clogged up passing lanes, continuously hit defenders trying to head-man the puck, dug for pucks in the corners, and attacked with speed at every opportunity. It is a relentless system and the Habs certainly saw the business-end of it all year.

For my part, I am OVERJOYED that the Bruins put the Canadiens out. I would have preferred that the teams not meet until much later playoff rounds, so that another Canadian club could battle deep into the playoffs and they could each be more battle-hardened, but obviously, any Bruins fan relishes a win over the Habs at any time.

With a couple of periods as exceptions, The Bruins really played well in this series, and they deserve to move on. My goal for the club this year was to improve on last year's playoff record, which they've now done by reaching Round Two. The team will have a few days off before finding out who their next opponent is, and I'll be here in Montreal, watching neighbours slowly remove the CH flags from their cars.

Quietly chuckling to myself, and waiting to see who the team plays next.

bruins beat habs 4 - 2 & push the habs to the brink of elimination

The Bruins did not have a spectacular game on the whole, but were efficient in their checking, and were an absolute defensive force in the 3rd period, and this swung the game in their favour.

The game started with the Canadiens' fans booing the American national anthem (which I am sure their US-born players, Chris Higgins and Francis Bouillon, appreciated), and then booing starting goaltender Carey Price. Over the course of the game the fans at the Bell Centre booed the Canadiens' powerplay, Koivu's efforts in the offensive zone, the referee, and then made sarcastic cheers when Price made easy stops.

Only the booing of Zdeno Chara made any sense to me.

Honestly, if your team is on the brink of elimination to a far stronger team, and your idea of home-town advantage is to boo your own players, you are not a fan of any team, nor should you be surprised when they do not win.

And I certainly do not lump all Canadiens fans into the above category. But the booing at the Bell Centre was clearly heard on the National TV broadcast, and was at points louder than the cheering.

Anyway, despite the bad blood between these two clubs, tonight's game was a relatively clean affair. The Canadiens dished out some great checks in the first period, but less as the game went on, focusing more on trying to retain puck possession. The Bruins seemed to pick up the slack in the hitting department and began finishing checks more often through the second and third periods.

The B's won tonight primarily because of a few bursts of sustained pressure on the Canadiens defense, a lot of chip-and-chase hockey to wear the Habs' D down, and (as mentioned) a smothering defensive system in the third period. Ex-Hab Michael Ryder got the game winning goal, which must have pleased Claude Julien.

Finally, unlike Saturday's game, tonight's match-up was a close affair - but in playoff hockey, those little differences are all that separates any team from a win or a loss. Or all that separates a Series win from elimination.

The B's have a chance to close-out the Series on Wednesday, here in Montreal. Should be a great game!

lucic suspended for game three against the habs

Milan Lucic, the second-coming of Cam Neely, will miss tonight's game against the Canadiens. The League suspended him a single game for his dangerous cross-check to the head of Maxim Lapierre.

In discussing the suspension, Colin Campbell said, "we would have given him more games, but it was only Lapierre...."

I'm just kidding. Colin Campbell actually said that whether it was a glove or stick that hit Lapierre, it was still a dangerous play, so Lucic gets a game.

We'll see how that alters the Bruins' landscape. Hopefully Shawn Thornton is given an expanded role, and able to build on what has been a really strong year for the enforcer.

Game Three rolls out at 7pm tonight!

bruins beat habs 5 - 1 & take game two at home

The Bruins were again able to gain a two-goal lead on their conference rivals, le Canadiens, in last night's match, and never really looked back from there.

The difference between Game One and Game Two, however, seemed to be the powerplay. Boston went 3 for 5 with the man advantage, with Shane Hnidy (the Sheriff!) getting the third goal. Hnidy has been a healthy scratch in favour of youngster Matt Hunwick, but Hunwick did an unexpected Peter Forsberg impersonation and had to have an emergency splenectomy to have his spleen removed. Ouch.

Hnidy, for his part, showed that in hockey terms "veteran" still has some positive associations. He was a physical force and essentially played a simple, stable game, allowing players like Chara and Wideman the freedom to play their more roving styles.

Of special note in last night's game, in my books at least, was Patrice Bergeron, who absolutely leveled Kovalev at mid-ice in the first period (thus establishing a tone that the team carried through the match) and, unexpectedly, dropping the mitts with Josh Gorges for his first NHL fight. Bergie held his own against Gorges and landed a strong series of lefts to the face of the Canadiens' defender.

Marc Savard had four points in the game, but will unfortunately be a bigger target in Game Three as the Bruins will be without Milan Lucic, who seems to garner an awful lot of attention from the Habs.

Looch was tossed out after he cross-checked Lapierre in the face in the final five minutes of the game, which leads to an automatic disciplinary meeting and probable suspension.

Lapierre, for his part, looked great with a piece of lumber shoved in his face. It stopped him from running anyone into the glass from behind for at least a single shift. Small blessings.

The B's and Habs renew acquaintances on Monday night here in Montreal. Should be an incredible atmosphere in the city!

bruins beat habs 4 - 2 & take game one

This was a tough game if you are a Bruins fan. After jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead, the B's let the Canadiens back into the match, scoring once near the end of the first- and once in the second periods. Added to that, the Habs dominated the play for long stretches (including most of the second period), making for some very scary moments for the Black, White and Gold faithful.

By the way, I'm watching Don Cherry right now saying everything I'm saying. I don't know if that's a good thing or not...

Ultimately, the difference maker in tonight's game came when the Bruins finally executed a powerplay like they are able to, controlling the puck in the Habs' zone for a full minute, and slowly building up the momentum they'd lost through the middle period. Savard faked a shot at the side of the net before feeding it to the point, and Zdeno Chara's point shot found the back of the net cleanly. Some tense moments, an empty-net goal, and that's Game One.

This was, I'm sad to say, the Canadiens' game to lose. They outplayed the B's for a long stretch, and the Bruins looked pretty tight. The positive for the B's is that they did win it, and for portions of the game controlled the play, and continued hitting the Habs' defenders on every chip in. These three points will ultimately help the Bruins through the rest of the series.

During a little post-game interview with Chara, it was great to hear cheering coming from the Bruins' room down the hall. It will feel very good to wear the Bruins cap around town tomorrow.

Game Two is set for Saturday!

bruins versus canadiens in first round

Bruins fans are a little startled by the prospect of such a great season being upended by the Bruins' first round opponent, le Canadiens. The stats are certainly in the Canadiens' favour over the long-term (24-7 going back to 1929-30), and memories are still fresh from the 2004 season's horrible demise.

My first year in Montreal I watched the Habs put the Bruins out of the playoffs. I sat in a dim bar as the day faded outside the open windows and ate Indian food, watching the Habs storm back for a win. On my birthday.

This would have been the 2002 team backed by that year's next-Patrick-Roy, Jose Theodore. After briefly passing the mantle to Huet, the Habs bestowed the honorific on Cary Price, who happens to be a phenomenal goaltender.

What I'm getting at is: since the Canadiens have beaten the Bruins with goalies that clearly were not Patrick Roy, what happens now that they have a guy who could become the next one?

Ultimately though, the B's can really only build their game around their strengths. Certainly the recurring storyline of the Bruins and Habs rivalry, as well as personal storylines - such as Claude Julien's firing by Bob Gainey, Michael Ryder's free-agent signing with the Bruins and Chara and Lucic's popularity with the Habs - should motivate the Bruins' players for each game.

If the Bruins juggernaut rolls out and everyone plays to their best of their abilities, the Bruins will overpower the Habs. But shaky games are things that the Canadiens feed on in this rivalry, so the Bruins will need to be consistent and disciplined.

Despite media suggestions to the contrary, I predict this series will not evolve into a bloodbath, given that neither team can afford it (and are too well coached to allow it to happen), but selfish penalties could turn any game either way. Each player is one noticeable elbow away from costing his team the game.

On a trip this weekend for a hockey tournament I had a chance to talk to a lot of Canadiens' fans. To a one they said that the Bruins will win this round, even in the face of my pretty convincing argument to the opposite.

I must admit that I found this tone a little reassuring, but I still can't wait for Thursday night to judge for myself.

bruins claim eastern conference title, tim thomas inks new deal

Yesterday's 1-0 win over the New York Rangers gave the Bruins enough points to officially claim the Eastern Conference title, effectively guaranteeing the team home-ice advantage for as long as they are in the Eastern portion of the playoff table.

They may, in fact, still be able to leap-frog the Sharks for the President's Trophy (most points in the League), as the Sharks only stand one-point ahead of the B's as of this morning's writing. To do so would give the B's home-ice advantage in every round of the playoffs, including the Finals. While it makes it hard to type, my fingers are crossed that they can reach the Finals to take advantage of this.

Yesterday's win was remarkable on a few fronts. The shut-out was Tim Thomas' 5th of the year, and his first since inking a 4-year, $20 million dollar deal with the Bruins on Thursday. Thomas was set to become an Unrestricted Free Agent this summer, and there was a lot of talk about whether he would test the open market as this may be his last opportunity to find that giant payday that every UFA desires. Instead he chose a fair deal with the one NHL team that has given him the chance to prove himself at the highest level, and he rewarded the team with his loyalty.

For his part, Thomas is currently the NHL leader in goals-against average and save percentage, and this year enjoyed his second consecutive first-team All-Star appearance. To my mind, he is on that short list of players on the Bruins' squad that could have been born to be Bruins: he's the ultimate underdog, remaining signed (by Colorado) but not playing in the bigs before being cut, then posting League MVP rankings in other professional leagues before being given another shot at the NHL (ridiculous in the face of so many porous goalies who are still kicking around the league – particularly in Colorado), his style (and gear!) is unorthodox but ridiculously effective, and he he's a tremendous competitor, never giving up on a play and always playing with pride, even when the odds seem stacked against him.

That last point was especially evident in yesterday's match up against the Rangers. During a routine stoppage in play, Thomas was in front of his crease, stretching, when Uber-Douche Sean Avery skated by and clocked Thomas in the back of the head with his stick. In typical Avery fashion, he then just skated away like it was completely unintentional, obviously expecting no retribution for his bullshit.

Thomas, who clearly has no fear of mixing it up with anyone, got up and charged Avery, punching him in the back of the head, and drilling Frederik Sjostrom in the face when he came in to Avery's defense (surely an unpalatable situation for any of Avery's teammates), as other players went to work on Avery. In the typical form of NHL justice, Avery and Thomas were both given minor penalties on the play.

After the game, Thomas explained that he actually enjoys competing against Avery's tenacity during the game, but in being clubbed in the back of the head with a stick, intentionally, during a stoppage in play, Avery once again shows that he has trouble understanding what everyone else sees as the normal boundaries of competition in the NHL.

Personally, I don't want to spend any of my time thinking or writing about Avery, who is little more than Steve Downie with a Vogue subscription, but I will say that I hope someone fills him in (and smartens him up) in a manner not dissimilar to what Jordan Tootoon recently experienced. If there's any lesson the NHL seems to teach again and again, it's that what goes around, comes around.

And that lesson (in a positive sense) was just reiterated to Thomas, whose commitment to the every shot on every play for the Bruins was recently rewarded with a new contract. Just in time for a nice, long playoff run. Fingers crossed.

Of Note: The B's have not registered 50 wins since the 1992-93 season; if the playoffs started today, the Bruins would face these same Rangers in the first round; by re-signing Thomas the Bruins have slotted in one piece of the UFA puzzle – questions remain about whether Fernandez will be re-signed in the off-season, or whether Tuuka Rask will be brought up from Providence to back up Thomas; the Bruins' next game is on Tuesday, against the Senators in Ottawa.

bruins 2 - senators 1

The Bruins probably should not have had as much trouble as they did, trying to pot goals against the Senators in last night's match, but in the end, they got one more and that's how hockey games are decided.

Alex Auld was very good for the Senators, stopping multiple chances in close as the B's kept the pressure on the Sens for long stretches at a time. On the other side of the rink, Tim Thomas was tested early and often by an Ottawa club with nothing to play for but pride (and the rights to John Tavares).

As has been the case in some Bruins games this year, the B's ended up pinned in their own zone, unable to clear the puck due to arms made of surgical tubing (or something similar - possibly noodles), as Thomas literally dove around inside the crease stopping everything thrown his way. Some players looked great for the B's (Bergeron, Chara, Wheeler, Bitz), while others looked TERRIBLE (Ward, in particular, offered up awful floaters-as-clearing-attempts that kept the heat on his Bruin teammates, and sort of counter-acted that idea of experience bringing veteran leadership).

David Krejci had a good game, which is notable as he's been relatively invisible in recent games, and Michael Ryder was a force every time he was on the ice.

The win brings the Bruins to 50 wins for the season, and puts them one win away from retaining home ice advantage through the entire Eastern portion of the playoffs (should they advance that far).

Last night's game was a nail-biter, for sure, but the win marks the B's 6th in a row. Great stuff!