The World Mourns Another Bruins Fan - R.I.P.

On October 16th, I received word that my brother died, unexpectedly and accidentally. He was just a week shy of his 46th birthday.

He was also a hardcore Bruins fan, and was among the factors that influenced me becoming a Bruins fan at a young age, when these sorts of decisions are very important.

He was a regular reader and an occasional commenter (usually as "bruinsnorth") here on Black White and Gold, and I am pleased that we had this way to connect with each other across the distances, both physical and emotional.

I post this simply to note my loss, explain my absence here (and elsewhere), and to post a couple of photos of my brother's Zippo lighter emblazoned with the Bruins' insignia. Engraved on the front is 1972 - the year the Bruins last won the Stanley Cup - and on the back, his initials.

There is no way to briefly summarize the last couple of weeks, or the range of emotional peaks and valleys my family and I have been through, so I won't even attempt to, here. Suffice it to say that I am nowhere near 'recovered', but am able to focus enough resume writing again, and right now that feels like the right thing to do.

Finally, I look forward to the day when I will be able to engrave a new date on the front of my brother's lighter, demarcating another Stanley Cup win for our Bruins. It is an achievement I've waited my whole life for, and sadly, one my brother did not live long enough to see come to fruition.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this long silence. Black, White and Gold will resume its regularly scheduled broadcasts this week.

A Short Delay on Black, White and Gold

Due to a tragedy in our family, I'm afraid I won't be able to post anything to Black, White and Gold for about a week or so. My apologies to the Bruins faithful that read this blog, but the circumstances are beyond my control.

Thank you for your patience and understanding at this difficult time.

I will post about the Bruins again, as soon as I am able. Hang tight.

Thanks.

Bruins Buried by Avalanche

Yesterday's matinee game (Thanksgiving up here, but Columbus Day down south) saw the Bruins hosting the Avalanche, and repeating the mistakes of the previous few games.

The B's once again spotted their opponents a 2-0 lead, and then tried to claw their way back into the game by tying it up, but without changing their work ethic. Not surprisingly, the results were not positive for the Bruins, and they lost 4-3 to the Avs.

The hardest part of yesterday's loss, however, was that the winning goal came shorthanded and was sparked by a lousy turnover on a terrible line-change, essentially handing the Avs an opportunity to walk in on Tuukka Rask (which they did) and score (which they also did).

This loss brings the Bruins Season-opening home stand to a close with two wins and three losses, and a lot of questions about where last season's team is hiding.

Coach Claude Julien summed up the Bruins pretty well, when asked about the team's defensive breakdowns:

You've got to get back your identity. We used to be very good at that, and until we can get that straightened out, we're going to have to battle and come from behind all the time. That's what's putting us behind the eight-ball in every game. We battled back in the second period, tied the game up. The next shift is crucial. We had a terrible shift, had a penalty, and they're back at it,
and then it's three to two. That shift has to be important and we have to bring the momentum and bring it back in their own end. The little things like that are game changers.

The Bruins next play on Friday, in Dallas.

Bruins Rally to Beat Islanders in SO

Well, the Bruins again chose to only play a one-period hockey game, but unlike their game against the Ducks, it resulted in a victory.

In their last game, against Anaheim, the Bruins had a great first period and then fell apart for the next two periods, finally losing 6-1. However, against the Islanders last night, the Bruins spotted their opponents a 3-0 lead heading into the third before finally turning on the jets mid-way through the final frame.

With about 16 minutes remaining in the game, Marc Savard got the B's first goal. A few minutes later, Byron Bitz scored to make it a one-goal game, and with about 2 minutes remaining in the match, Matt Hunwick's point shot found a way through the traffic to beat NY goalie, Dwayne Roloson, tying the score. With each goal the audience became more electrified and the team seemed to start believing they could pull out a win in the game.

Overtime solved nothing, and eventually Savard scored the winner (top shelf) in the shoot-out.

The positive, of course, is the win. The negative is that it had to be in a come-back situation, and was against an opponent that the Bruins - at their best - should not have had any trouble dominating.

Still, this early in the young season, this win was a good test for the mettle of the Bruins club who clearly need to bring their ability to deal with adversity back up to last year's levels.

Tuukka Rask got the start and won his first NHL game. One of the game highlights for me was seeing how totally pumped he was after making the final stop in the shootout. Bruins fans will come to love that level of competition from the young Finn.

Of Note: Dennis Wideman left the game in the second period with a shoulder injury - sorry - undisclosed upper body injury - and did not return. No word yet on his status.

Bruins Quotes from Tonight's Game

Some quotes from the Bruins on this evening's game:

Claude Julien on the attitude of the Bruins tonight…
As far as that’s concerned, I think the first period was good for us. We could even have brought our game up another notch and that’s what we needed to do in the second period.

But it’s hard to bring that when, again, the effort just wasn’t good enough tonight from most of our guys. When you’re talking about your fourth line being your hardest working line it doesn’t bode well for the hockey club. Aside from that line, nobody played to their potential. We need to have those guys play up to their potential.

Steve Begin on tonight's game...
Everybody has to show up. It’s not a two, three, four or five guys. So it’s everybody, we have 20 guys in this room. It’s cliché. You guys are going to hear that a lot but it’s but that’s how it is. A hockey game is 60 minutes and if you don’t show up for 60 minutes there’s a good chance you are not going to win the game.

Shawn Thornton on if this game was embarrassing...
It was frustrating. You will never here me say that I am embarrassed of my teammates. I’m frustrated, it wasn’t what we needed and it got away from us.

Tim Thomas on this being a game you just drop and don’t think about after tonight…
No I don’t think so. I think you better learn from it. And you better remember it. If there were any times during the year where you start to slip you look back on this game like ‘whoa’ and we have to get going or else it’s going to be ugly like that game.

Bruins Get Beat Up by Ducks, Lose 6 - 1

A great start from the Bruins led to an absolutely brutal finish, and a complete collapse against the (apparently still Mighty) Ducks of Anaheim.

The Bruins turned in a good first period - getting 19 shots on net and maintaining solid, sustained pressure for long stretches of the period. Also, I must say it is great to see Krejci and Sturm playing so well, coming back from injury.

The Bruins' first (and only) goal came from a defensive break-out from Dennis Wideman, forwarding it up to Savard, who saucered it to Sturm, who was skating down the left wing. Sturm was able to blast a slapshot past Duck's goalie, Jonas Hiller.

Starting the second period, an early 5-on-3 powerplay gave the Ducks the tying goal, on Selanne's point shot, and less than a minute later (on the remaining 5-on-4 powerplay), Selanne got the lead for Anaheim. Unfortunately, the Bruins powerplays later in the period were a lot less effective, or possibly, the Duck's penalty-kill was completely unreal. Seeing Saku Koivu have an impact on the Bruins' players while not be wearing Bleu, Blanc et Rouge does not soften the blow, I have learned.

With about 7 minutes left in the second period, Corey Perry was able to cross through the slot, deke out at least two players, and out-wait Thomas, who lay prone and looked foolish as Perry went top shelf. Suddenly, after being dominated in the first period, the Ducks enjoyed a 3-1 lead.

Then my online stream of the game died suddenly, and I missed the final 4-or-so minutes of the second period, and the first 5 minutes of the third. After searching around a bit I was able to find a new stream, which also subsequently died. Oh, internet, how you hurt me so.

Either way, with about 5 minutes gone in the third period, I found another stream of the game and almost immediately saw Evgeny Artyukhin score for the Ducks, by simply out-muscling the defender to the puck and potting it behind Thomas.

With about 11 minutes left in the match, with the Bruins now down 4-1, I found myself just hoping for a lucky goal for the B's, to just regain some of the momentum the club lost when the first period ended. That's not how you want to cheer for your club..."Come on guys, just get lucky!"

Sadly, from Artyukhin's goal onward, the Bruins looked disorganized and uncoordinated. Bruins players bumped into each other at the offensive blueline and behind their own net, passes went several feet errant. With their composure nearly completely shot, the Bruins' loose passes led to a turnover and then Anaheim's 5th goal, from Bobby Ryan, with about 6 minutes left.

Brutal. But not yet the end.

In an act of over-the-top horror, with less than a minute left in the game, Corey Perry broke in alone on Thomas, and took a shot which Thomas stopped with his shoulder. It then deflected back out, went off Perry's HEAD, and into the Bruins net, making it 6-1.

On the whole a brutal night of unexpectedly terrible hockey, lousy internet streams and Finns haunting B's fans at every turn.

The Ducks are a good club, but really, they're not 6-1 good.

Bruins Blow Hurricanes Away - 7-2

Getting a 3-0 lead in the first period is always a good start for a hockey team (especially when you get two in 26 seconds), but to then continue to pile on the goals is a great way to show your opponent that you haven't forgotten your history against them.

After being dismissed by the Hurricanes in last year's playoffs, then blowing their first game of the year against the Capitals, the Bruins were obviously suitably motivated for tonight's match-up against the 'Canes, and ended up winning 7-2.

Marc Savard had a three point night (a goal and two assists) and Shawn Thornton had a goal and a win in a fight against (former Bruins) Andrew Alberts.

Marco Sturm continued his strong return from injury with a goal and an assist, and the Bruin defenders were able to chip in as well (goals for Wideman and Hunwick, two assists for Morris) in the team's victory.

The win was significant, given how poorly they played on Thursday night, in re-establishing the Bruins as an important force in the Eastern Conference. It also obviously provides some vindication for last year's playoff ouster. But most important, I think, is that it allowed the Bruins to begin to gel in front of Tim Thomas, and to reaffirm that this team full of young talents is "for real" again this year.

Like a lot of Bruins fans, I was worried that several members of the B's would experience the sophomore slump, taking a step back in their second year in the league. While one game does not a season make, tonight's match may show that the Bruins youngsters are inspired to play at last year's level (or better) and to build on the team's unexpected successes.

It also pleased me to see the Hurricanes beaten so, so badly by the Black, White and Gold.

The Bruins next play on Thursday against the Ducks, in Boston.

Back on the Regular Season Horse

After blowing their first game of the Regular Season (a 4-1 loss to the Capitals on Thursday night), the Bruins will try to right the ship tonight against the Hurricanes. Which is a hell of a metaphor.

This is obviously the first game between the two teams since the 'Canes sent the Bruins home in Game Seven of the Conference Semi-Finals, last season.

The Capitals and the Hurricanes represent a pretty significant challenge for the Bruins this year - the Caps were one of the few teams (perhaps the only team, in the East) to have a winning record against the Bruins last year, and they're even stronger this season. The 'Canes, of course, showed how tough an opponent they can be, and, Aaron Ward or no, they will bring the ghosts of last season with them into tonight's game.

None of this is news, of course. But given that the new Season is upon us, and the B's schedule starts out so rough, I think it's important to view the Bruins' opponents clearly - they'll pretty much all be tough in the East this year (more on that, in later posts).

The Bruins and 'Canes play tonight at 7pm, in Boston.