Short Hiatus on Black White and Gold

Due to being extremely busy in a few areas of my life, I've decided to put Black, White and Gold on short-term hiatus until I have more energy and enthusiasm to maintain it.

Lately, I've been enjoying just watching the games, without the pressure of commenting on them here. So that will continue for the next little while.

However, I know myself, and I know the Bruins, and there's no way that I can be silent forever, given how frustrating the team can be. So stay tuned for more posts and more vitriol later.

And thanks, as always, for your patience.

Everything Is Awesome for Bruins Fans

I haven't been posting about the last run of Bruins games simply because I haven't had a lot to say about them. And this time its not because of stifling rage!

The B's have looked great, they're getting unbelievable goaltending from Thomas (6 wins this season, 3 of them being shutouts), and after a bit of a wobbly start, the Bruins' passing is suddenly crisp and purposeful.

Yes, everything is completely awesome.

Of course, being a Bruins fan for as long as I have, I realize that the wheels can come off at any moment, and the team can irreparably fall apart in a matter of days (see: Last Year's Playoffs for an example).

And, like always, I know there will be the traditional Holiday Heartbreak where the B's lose 10 or more straight games in either December or January.

But until then, I'm just enjoying the ride. Let's go Bruins!

There was even a day this week when I had the perfect Bruins fan trifecta: The Bruins won, the Habs lost, and the Leafs got skunked (and each Leafs loss increases the B's chances at a high draft pick, courtesy of the Phil Kessel trade). I mean, what else can a B's fan ask for?

The Bruins play tomorrow night in Buffalo - their first regular season match up since the Bruins ousted the highly-touted Sabres in last year's playoffs. Should be good!

Bruins Roll Out Two More Wins with Thomas in Nets

The B's have racked up two more wins in their games against New Jersey on Saturday night and Washington, just last night.

For me, the fun part of these wins is how solid the Bruins looked against teams playing radically opposing styles. Against the Devils' stifling defense the Bruins were able to crank out a 4-1 win, and against the Capitals' much-vaunted offense, the B's pushed a tenuous 2-1 lead into a 3-1 win, getting big contributions from Horton, Krejci and Lucic in both games.

Thomas had both starts and looked like the Vezina winner he was a couple of seasons ago. There's a very fine line between being able to react in time to get into position, and looking silly while flopping around, and Thomas' off-season hip surgery seems to have made him more nimble. Pretty critical for a goalie who, despite having a great sense of angles, seems to be a "reaction" style goalie.

Overlooking a blatant giveaway or two, the B's top defensive pairing of Chara and Seidenberg seems to be causing the opposing offense fits, keeping Parise and Zajac off the board on the weekend, and keeping Ovechkin without a point last night.

The Bruins have their home opener against the Capitals on Thursday. Given that the Caps and Bruins were the top-two road teams last season, it should be interesting to see how well the Bruins are able to set themselves up for a win.

I would suspect that Rask will get the start on Thursday, just to keep the goalie rotation going. For Bruins fans, the ideal scenario is that both Rask and Thomas push each other to play at the top of their game.

Let's see what Thursday brings.

The Bruins New Season Begins...in Kafka-esque Fashion

The Bruins' new season began yesterday, and with it, the chance to erase the memories of last year's terrible collapse.

In all honesty, you could say that about nearly every new season for the B's.

But this year, the promise and expectations are pretty high for the Bruins, and most insiders and fans expect them to be a solid contender in the East.

After yesterday's listless and lethargic 5-2 loss to a very quick and determined Coyotes team, the B's looked solid, alright, as solid and mobile as Prague Castle.

Today, however, the Bruins came out with more energy and edge and looked like the team they need to be to find success this year.

A start in net for a white-helmeted Tim Thomas gave the club a different feel than they had yesterday, but the biggest difference was that the Bruins were skating with the Coyotes' players, whereas yesterday they looked at pains to merely keep up.

Today's game was a complete turnaround. The Bruins came out faster than they had yesterday (or in any pre-season game I saw), and pretty much dictated the play through the game.

The result was a 3-0 shutout win for Thomas, featuring a great wrist-shot from (an energized) Milan Lucic, a beeeeautiful breakaway goal by young wunderkind Tyler Seguin (see photo above, just before the Aliens finished designing Seguin).

The B's now have roughly a week to get back to North America and de-Euro-fy themselves, which means no coalition governments or accepting topless women in public.

Of Note: I still don't understand why Danielle Paille is on the Bruins, and the blatant giveaway that led to a goal in yesterday's game just confirms my confusion; very strange to see a number 11 wheeling around on the penalty kill - it's Gregory Campbell wearing number 11, but I will always associate 11 with PJ Axelsson; I really like Tuukka Rask and think he's a great goalie, but I also think Thomas is the better, more reliable goalie (and he's far better handling the puck);

The Bruins Off-Season - Drafts, Trades and Deals

Now that the sting has worn off from this year's version of the Great Bruins Playoff Failure, it is time to assess the Bruins' off-season maneuvering.

The obvious stuff first:

Drafted Tyler Seguin: considered the 1a (next to Taylor Hall) in this year's draft, Seguin is apparently an "Yzerman-like Centre". The Bruins are so confident in the 18-year old's abilities, they are already making moves based around acquiring him (see below).

Traded Dennis Wideman (and picks) for Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell: I'm one of the few Bruins fans that liked Wideman, and thought the fans gave him a rough ride for performing a difficult job. Admittedly, sometimes more poorly than you'd like, but far more often solidly and reliably. Nathan Horton is a solid pick-up, and provides some needed relief on wing - he's a perennial 20 to 30 goal scorer.

Craig Ramsay takes Head Coaching job with the Thrashers: Ramsay is a very cool guy, he reminds me a little of William S. Burroughs, and preaches a solid defense. I believe the Bruins will miss Ramsay's ability to really connect with players and stick to the game plan. Chara has undoubtedly learned a great deal from Ramsay and I wish him all the best in Atlanta, because he got a raw deal in Philly and deserves the opportunity.

Bruins re-sign Boychuk and Recchi: Jonny Boychuk re-upped for 2 years and Recchi for 1, each bringing something good to the Bruins. Smart signings with minor cap hits.

Bruins trade Sobotka to St. Louis: This just happened before the free-agency opened. Sobotka was a restricted free-agent, and I suspect this is a cap pressured situation, because after years of waiting for him, Sobotka finally started coming into his own in last year's playoffs. Too bad he's now a Blue. In exchange the B's get a Boston College player named David Worsofsky, a puck-moving defenseman. And so, the circle of life completes itself - out goes Wideman, in come Worsofsky.

The Rumours:

There are rumours that the B's are dangling Marc Savard as trade bait, now that they've drafted Seguin. I don't know what the Bruins want in return, but I hope they realize players of Savard's ability are very hard to come by. He's got Adam-Oates-ian vision and skill, and he makes mediocre wingers better. Imagine him setting up Horton?

There are also rumblings that the Bruins are willing to trade Tim Thomas, and that Thomas has waived his no-trade clause. Again, I don't know what the Bruins think they need, but to trade away a Vezina-winning goalie after a half-season of being outplayed by a rookie seems a bit rash. The Bruins' road to hell is paved with one-year wonders. They must have believed in Thomas at some point - did they think he was the greater risk of being the one-year wonder than Rask?

I'm not really comfortable with trading away your top Centre and a freshly Vezina'd heroic goalie for mostly-unproven talent. They are shedding contracts but not really looking at the dead wood.
Which brings me to the...

Questions:

Why isn't Ryder's name coming up in trade talks?

Why isn't Sturm's name coming up in trade talks?

and:

What's happening with Blake Wheeler? Are they shedding the big kid, or are they going to continue to invest in his development?

While this isn't the most homoerotic photo of Tyler Seguin I've seen, it is in the top three:

It could be an interesting few days in the Bruins nation if trade or free-agency deals get done. I get the feeling a salary dump is coming on.

Flyers Beat Bruins - Win Game and Series 4-3

It is almost hilarious that my last post had the word "stranglehold" in the title, given how fully and completely the Bruins fell apart in this series. By almost hilarious I mean: not at all hilarious.

Tonight's game was no exception, as the B's stormed out to a 3-0 lead, and then strayed from their hard-press game plan to let the Flyers climb back into the game.

It was ultimately a 3rd period powerplay goal that put Philly over the top, taking a 4-3 lead late in the game which they were able to hold on to. The win means the Flyers are only the 3rd team in the history of the league to come back from a 3-0 game deficit in the playoffs.

How did the Flyers play? Pretty tenaciously, actually. I don't think they are necessarily a better team than the Bruins, but they got Gagne back just as the Bruins lost Krejci to injury, and that seemed to be the difference in the series - Gagne scored key goals and provided just that much more offense for Philly than the Bruins could generate.

The loss of Krejci was huge, in fact; he was the Bruins' leading scorer, played on the powerplay and penalty kill, won the vast majority of his faceoffs, and was the primary set-up man for Satan, who went ice cold with Krejci's injury. In his absence, the under-performance of Ryder, Paille, Begin, etc., was all too noticeable.

Now that the Bruins are out, I will face the barbs of the Canadiens' faithful that I work with, but thankfully, for a much shorter time than I would if the Bruins had advanced to play the Habs in the next round. It doesn't make me feel better that the B's didn't win tonight, but it does provide some very small, very cold solace.

It will be a few days before I really accept how badly this playoff run went. I am still pleased that the B's made it through the 1st round and performed (at points) well in the 2nd, but the need for off-season changes to the team are probably obvious to all.

I will take some time to reflect, watch the next rounds of the playoffs, and then begin posting about the off-season moves.

Thanks to all who have been regular readers on Black, White and Gold. You don't comment enough, but I still always appreciate you guys stopping by.

Bruins 4 - Flyers 1 - Bruins Take a Stranglehold on the Series

The Flyers got the lead early in tonight's game, scoring just a few minutes into the 1st period. This was Philly's first lead of the series. The Fyers created a lot of crash and bang in the Bruins' zone, but to the Refs' credit, the teams were allowed to play and find a groove.

After going down 1-0, the Bruins started turning the play around, and quickly reeled off 2 goals in a minute and a half, losing David Krejci on a hit as he passed to Miro Satan for the game winning goal. Highly dramatic stuff, sports fans.

From that point on, I felt the Bruins just slowly took over the game. With the exception of powerplay opportunities the B's pretty much closed the Flyers down and potted 2 more goals (including the empty net) when the chances came up.

The Bruins lost McQuaid to injury as well, so they played 2 men short, and still blocked shots and caused forecheck hell on the Flyers through the neutral zone. It was a really well executed game plan, but pretty dangerous. The shot margin greatly favoured Philly and Tuukka Rask was expected to be, and was, outstanding.

I think it is interesting that Bergeron shot for the empty net (rather than pass) tonight, given that he messed up the open net in Game 2.

This win puts the Bruins up in the series by the glorious 3-0 margin. Only 2 teams in history have come back from that deficit.

Unbelievably, the B's could eliminate Philly as early as Friday, in a 4 game sweep. Personally, I think Philly is good for at least 1 home-win, given that up til tonight they were perfect at home in the playoffs.

But that honour is now solely the Bruins' - they are the only team who remain undefeated at home this year.

Bruins 3 - Flyers 2 - Bruins Take Two Game Lead in Playoffs

I'm pretty pumped up, having just watched the Bruins beat the Flyers, to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

I didn't really even expect the Bruins to advance past the first round, let alone make a serious dent in the second. So I'm chuffed.

I've said it before, but the Bruins could have lost nearly all of the games they've won in these playoffs. There have been some scary moments, and the B's seem to give up leads with regularity.

But, they are well-coached, they play with a lot of heart, and seem to believe that winning is possible. It's a perpetual underdog perspective that gives the team it's core or meaning.

Everyone seems to buy into the system this year - which is necessary given that isolated mistakes lead to goals-against in the playoffs, such as the giveaway that led to Briere's goal tonight.

However, the win came tonight with 3 minutes remaining, Milan Lucic scoring his first home goal all season. He has had a rough year, but he scored when the team needed him most. The place went crazy.

The win makes the Bruins perfect at home through the playoffs thus far (5-0) - strange since they won the Winter Classic and then lost 10 straight games, winning none at home.

In winning tonight, the B's have successfully retained home-ice advantage and now roll on to Philly on Wednesday. That is a very intimidating rink.

Finally, how lucky are the Bruins that GM Chiarelli brought in Mark Recchi? That guy leads by example and at 42 is still one of the best players on the team.

Bruins Beat Philly in OT - Take Game 1

The Bruins opened their playoff series against Philly with an overtime win, this afternoon in Boston. They may have given up 2-goal leads three times in the game, but the B's eventually won it in OT with drama.

Marc Savard played his first game back since his concussion, and was eased into the lineup by coach Julien, who kept Savard's ice time low until the overtime period.

In the overtime, the Bruins held the play for long, frantic stretches in the Philly end, and Brian Boucher's reputation (gained from besting Brodeur in the last round) was shown to be well-earned.

As is often the case with frantic offensive attacks, defensemen pinch in to help push the offense, and as a consequence the Bruins gave up odd-man rushes and had to rely on Tuukka Rask to stop a few breakaways.

But the Bruins kept up the pressure, wearing down the Flyers, and Marc Savard scored the game winner on a mini-slapper. His celebration was pretty great, and he tossed his stick into the crowd.

Bergeron, Satan, Chara, Recchi and Ference played very well. Wideman got schooled on Briere's goal, but kept the puck in at the blue line to set up Savard's goal, so what does that mean? He played okay?

Rask, despite letting in 4 goals, played incredibly, but I got the feeling the Flyers were starting to figure him out a little based on where they were testing him.

Finally, it looks like the B's will be without Marco Sturm for awhile. He tweaked his knee 26 seconds into the game and had to be helped off the ice. Will the Bruins call someone up, or just activate Thornton or someone, I wonder.

Today's game could have been a nightmarish loss for the Bruins, but instead it is a triumphant victory - it's odd in hockey how close those two poles are.

Game 2 goes Monday in Boston.

Bruins to Face Philly in Round 2

Now that the Bruins have sprayed all over yet another of Ryan Miller's dreams, and the Canadiens have (unbelievably) dismissed the Capitals, it has been determined that the Bruins will play the Flyers in Round 2.

I'm pleased the B's didn't draw the playoff-hardened Penguins. However, the Flyers rode past the Devils with an unexpectedly outstanding goaltending performance by Brian Boucher, and that doesn't sit right with me. Maybe it's his year - that happens sometimes.

The Bruins will have Marc Savard back in the lineup after his concussion. He will most likely be on a line with Sabotka - who has totally come into his own in the playoffs - and Michael Ryder. Maybe having one of the best passers in the league on his line will spark some consistent offense from Ryder.

I think there will be a period of adjustment for Savard, especially if Bergeron is an example; Bergeron was medically cleared and played fine, but it was a few months before he regained his all-star play.

I also think it will be tough for Savard to go from sitting on the bed eating torillas to playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Bruins first game against the Flyers is Saturday afternoon. A weird matinee start.

Bruins Down the Sabres in Double OT

Tonight's match up was as hard hitting as playoff hockey should be. The Sabres and the Bruins both played like they realized what was on the line.

This game had so much to enjoy, its hard to know where to begin. Ooof.

The Bruins were down 2-0 going into the third. They had carried the play for long stretches of the first two periods, but they had also needed Rask to bail them out.

Early in the 3rd period, the Bruins got a powerplay goal, and then scored another soon after, to tie the game with about 10 minutes left. Back and forth chances finished out the game, and the first overtime solved nothing.

In the second overtime the Sabres took a Too Many Men penalty (in the 2nd overtime!), and on that powerplay, Michael Ryder skated out of the Bruins' end, dodged an open-ice hit and gained the Buffalo zone along the boards. He then threaded a perfect pass to Miro Satan floating down through the high slot.

Satan basically out-waited Miller, dipping to his right as Miller dropped and sliding a backhand into the net (which was oddly stuffed with 3 players). Satan's celebration included a little jump, which was nice to see.

It is pretty crazy that the Bruins came back to win this game. They've been down at least 1-0 in every game in the series, and came back from 2-goals-down twice.

Also, for a team that had one of the worst powerplays in the league all year, it seems bizarre that they'd get 2 powerplay goals tonight (including the overtime winner).

Bergeron was superhuman all night, as was Chara. Rask, obviously, kept the Bruins in the game all night with crazy acrobatics - including a diving blocker save late in the 3rd. Mark Recchi again played like a man half his age but with all 42 years of hockey wisdom. Sobotka, of all people, was strong tonight, too.

Krejci, Begin and Sturm especially need to be playing at a much higher level. The Bruins really need the second and third line players to be contributing if they are going to have continued playoff success.

Now up 3 games to 1, the Bruins will look to finish out the Series in Buffalo on Friday. Should be an amazing game!

Bruins Win Game 3 - Take 2-1 Lead in the Series

Tonight, the Bruins played three solid periods of hockey, set the pace of the game for the most part, and earned the home win.

It was very satisfying, if you're a B's fan.

Regular readers (all fifteen of you or whatever) will know that I am a huge fan of an uptempo forecheck coupled with rub-out defense, and that I think the Sabres are a 'barometer' team for the Bruins - a way to assess how the B's are really playing.

So this series has been entertaining for me, with a lot of body contact and speedy finesse, basically making the skilled guys operate in a maelstrom. The Bruins have been the better team for 2.5 of the games, but could have lost all three, really.

Tonight's hero, of course, is Mark Recchi, who set up the winning goal by solidly body-checking the Sabres defenseman away from the puck, and feeding a great pass out to Patrice Bergeron in the high slot. Every shift that guy earns his paycheck and defies his age.

But the real story in this series has been the goaltending. Ryan Miller and Tuukka Rask are playing phenomenally and covering areas of the net that would have seemed impossible 20 years ago. Post to post craziness. Toe kick-out shoulder shrug rebound saves. The works.

Wednesday's game will obviously be huge and the Bruins should expect a far more combative Sabres team.

Of Note: in Saturday's 5-3 win, Recchi became the third oldest player to score an NHL playoff goal; when the Bruins win Game 3 of a playoff series they've gone on to win 70% of the time.

Bruins Clinch Playoff Berth, Set NHL Record

The Bruins beat the Hurricanes this afternoon, in what could be among the top 5 weirdest Bruins games in history, and secured themselves a place in the post-season.

The B's set a record for scoring 3 shorthanded goals on a single penalty kill, opening up the second period in record breaking fashion.

However, the Bruins then allowed Carolina to score 2 goals in under 3 minutes and found themselves fending off the 'Canes until Carolina drew a penalty.

With Tuukka Rask on the bench for the extra attacker an errant pass drifted toward the open Bruins' net, forcing Patrice Bergeron to speed back and rescue the puck from the goal-line. Crazy!

Bottom line is that with the win, the Bruins officially claim the 6th place in the conference. I believe it is still undetermined who they will play.

I must say that over the last half-dozen games, the Bruins have been performing at a higher level more consistently. They've finally started hitting and forechecking and it vastly improves their game. Scoring is still an issue, but if you own the puck enough, at least the chances will come.

Tomorrow's game against Washington is both meaningless and significant.

Bruins Look Solid in Key Win Against Buffalo

The Bruins just finished playing the best 3rd period they've played all season, and took a very important win away from the Sabres.

Contrary to the boos in the crowd, Dennis Wideman had a great game, blocking shots, giving and taking hits, and scoring the game-winner.

Tuukka Rask looked solid in nets, making key saves look easy and keeping the Bruins in the game against some sporadic (but intense) pressure from the Sabres.

This was one of the rare home wins for the Bruins, and also one of the few times this season that they've come back to win after trailing.

Once again, I have to say that Buffalo, like Washington, looked beatable all night. The Sabres may have had Lalime in net tonight, but it was the defensemen having their passes deflected, or the forwards being out hustled for the puck that won the game for the Bruins. Lalime played fine.

Having just seen the last two games, I would much rather the Bruins play Washington or Buffalo in the playoffs, rather than New Jersey. NJ plays a variation of the Bruins style and I think the B's have a better chance exploiting the differences in the Caps' and Sabres' systems.

So, this win gives the Bruins 87 points. The Canadiens, having lost to the Hurricanes tonight, remain at 87 points as well. Thank you, sweet Carolina.

The Flyers aren't playing tonight, so they bummmp down to 8th with 86 points and the Rangers in 9th with 84. These two teams play a home-and-home to finish the season, just to keep things interesting.

The important point, however, is that the Bruins keep 3 points between themselves and 9th spot. That elbow room will help in these last few games.

Bruins Lose to Caps, Gain Critical Point in Standings

Former Bruin, Brooks Laich, got Washington’s overtime goal against the B’s last night, scoring on a 4-on-3 powerplay.

By getting to overtime the Bruins were able to gain a single point, bumping them into 7^th spot - ahead of the Flyers and just behind the Canadiens – but not able to grab the two points that a win would’ve given them.

While the Bruins really needed those two points, I was really pleased with how they played.

Given that the Capitals have such a massive point advantage (31 points over the B’s, as of this morning), I was impressed by how the Bruins dominated most of the play and kept the pressure on the Caps throughout the game. Jose Theodore is absolutely beatable in nets for the Caps, and they play like 5 forwards on the ice.

Last night’s match-up is a likely possibility for the first round of the playoffs (providing the Bruins even make it in) and while the B’s will be hard-pressed to beat anyone with such lacklustre scoring power, their hard-forecheck / defensive system clearly caused problems for the Capitals.

The Bruins play Buffalo on Thursday (which should be brutal), the Hurricanes on Saturday, and then the Caps again on Sunday to finish out the Season. It is likely that they’ll need all three games to determine their post-season fate.

Bruins Win Two - Retain Final Playoff Spot

At this point in the season, it's a cliche to say that every win is a big one. But for the Bruins, last night's win over Atlanta, and Sunday afternoon's win over the Rangers, have huge implications for the Bruins' playoff chances.

Not only were the B's able to claim 4 very valuable points (keeping them solidly in 8th, and only one point out of 6th place), they were also able to beat the two teams immediately behind them in the standings.

What alarms me a little is that the scoring is coming from guys like Begin and Satan, instead of Wheeler and Krejci (in Krejci's defense, he's played far better lately). However, given the lack of scoring punch due to the absence of Savard (and Ka$h-Grab Kessel), I guess the B's should take scoring from wherever they can get it. Hell, if Thomas thinks he can pot a couple, put him in the lineup.

The Bruins' next game is against the Lightning on Thursday night. The Lightning obviously have nothing to play for - not even pride - but are still capable of putting pucks in the net. The Bruins need to keep the pressure on every team they play if they expect to make this year's "second season" (which starts in less than a month!).

Bruins Response to Penguins - Total Indifference

Tonight's game was obviously the Bruins' first against the Penguins since Matt Cooke ended Marc Savard's season.

Sadly, the Bruins' response was lacklustre.

Though the liberal media would have you focus on Cooke and Thornton fighting in the first period, or Chara and Rupp in the third, the real storyline is around the Bruins' lack of desperation when points are so valuable in the playoff hunt.

With the Bruins barely hanging on to 8th place in the East, and the Rangers and Thrashers within striking distance, I was hoping the Bruins would be more motivated. But they were out-chanced and out-hustled throughout the game, especially in the second period.

This Bruins team is at its best when it plays a heavy-forecheck, defensive-press type of game - always hurrying the puck carrier and finishing checks. They haven't played that way with any consistency and consequently they haven't been winning.

That sound you hear is the playoffs, slipping away.

"Terrible night for the Boston Bruins, quite frankly." Bob McKenzie for TSN.

The B's next game is Sunday afternoon against the Rangers, which is surely another game that the team should be motivated for. Let's see what level of competition they can offer, now that they don't have to avenge a fallen teammate.

I seriously hope there are a few 'players-only' and 'closed-door' meetings between now and then, because something has to give or the season is effectively over.

Things I Am Tired Of

Here are some things I am tired of:

• The Harper Government.
• Guys in delivery trucks rounding corners into streams of pedestrians while talking on cell phones and eating what looks like salad.
  
• The Bruins losing every game.

Here are some things I am not tired of:

• Our cats, Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell.
• Tuukka Rask.
• Patrice Bergeron.

The Bruins play tonight against the Hurricanes, and currently have a 1-point lead over the Rangers for 8th place in the Eastern Conference.

Bruins Post-Olympics

It was a weird Olympics for the Bruins:

• Bergeron was under-used and then injured for Canada
• Krejci looking great for the Czechs
• Chara looked good, Satan okay, on an inconsistent Slovak club
• Sturm led the plucky charge of the Germans, and finally
• Thomas didn't have a single game for the USA

Now that the B's have played two games, it is fair to say they are not playing very well, post-Olympics. The 4-1 loss to the Canadiens was a fate they deserved after ringing shots off of posts and then surrendering 4 straight goals. Last night's win over the Maple Leafs was pretty disorganized and the Bruins looked like they lacked depth in the line up.

The play of Matt Hunwick has really slid on the games bookending the Olympic break. He got burned twice by the Habs because he was just standing there as the play developed around him, and last night he gave the puck away all night - most notably in the final minutes of the game, straight up the slot, only to be bailed out by Thomas. I know he's young, but he's making far too many mistakes to warrant the ice time he gets.

Thomas has been a bright spot though. He was sharp against the Leafs and played as well as he did last year. It was the first time Thomas has looked like himself in months. Let's hope it continues - you always want your number 1 guy to play at his best, no matter how good the backup is.

It will be interesting to see how these guys respond during the season's final stretch. Every game is a must-win, or they risk missing the playoffs, which start in 20 games.

How Did the Bruins Win Four Straight After Losing Ten in a Row?

After losing 10 straight games, the Bruins have been able to rattle off four consecutive wins and have jumped into 7th spot in the Eastern Conference (ahead of the Habs!) coming into the Olympic break.

In the previous 5 games, the Bruins went up 2-0 in every game, barely holding on for wins in the last four. A couple of nights ago, they held a 5-0 lead on Tampa Bay going into the 3rd period, only to barely hold on in the dying seconds for a 5-4 win.

So why have the Bruins been winning games?

Because:

• As poor (not financially) Tim Thomas warms a groove into the bench, Tuukka Rask has had 6 straight starts, looking sharp in all of them. Rask's record is 13 wins and 7 losses, with a 2.09 GAA, which is 2nd in the league. He's weird looking, too thin, gangly and has a name like a Star Wars bounty hunter, but you gotta go with the hot hand.
  
  
• The Bruins secondary forwards have finally stopped expecting the top forwards to provide all the offense. Guys like Ryder, Recchi, Krejci and Paille have started putting pucks away, and taken the pressure off of Savard and Lucic as they come back from injuries.
  
  
• Savard and Lucic have come back from injuries! Marc Savard's numbers are modest this year compared to his previous few, and Milan Lucic is still an emerging power forward, but these two players strengthen the Bruins by making other players around them better.
  
  Having them back in the lineup and in game shape gives the B's more offensive firepower and frees up guys like Krejci and Bergeron, who other teams had been keying on.
  
  
• Patrice Bergeron has had a great year so far, entering into some sort of Yzerman Zone of offensive gifts and defensive responsibility. He's been the first to pucks, setting guys up, lifting sticks - doing tons of subtle little things every shift that can change a game. I hope he has a great Olympics!
  
  
• Finally, GM Peter Chiarelli hasn't done anything stupid, like pull the trigger on a 'blockbuster' trade to save the season. The Bruins are young enough and talented enough that they could continue to develop into a juggernaut in the coming years. Many in Bruins Nation believe that this year is an aberration and that it is better to maintain a longer view of this team.

Now the Bruins enter into the two-or-so weeks of the Olympic Break, while many of the team's best players fly to Vancouver to play with their respective countries. Hopefully the 4-game win streak and 2-week pause has the team returning to the ice feeling good, and the winning ways will continue.

The B's will have to keep twinning if they expect to make the playoffs. At this point any team could get hot and jump from 12th to 7th in four short games.

Of Note: A sidebar on Tim Thomas: I hope he goes to the Olympics and looks amaaaazing - not against Canada, of course - and comes back to the B's looking renewed and solid for the stretch run. I don't get the sense the Bruins organization wants to bail on Thomas, but he needs to step it up if he's going to actually be the Number 1 goalie he's spent his life fighting to become.

Bruins Drop 10th Straight Game - Aim for 11 Today

Not only have the Bruins lost 10 straight games, they've lost their last two games in the shootout after surrendering a 2 goal lead.

People talk about teams being "fragile" when they go on losing streaks, but I honestly can't imagine how damaged the Bruins players must be feeling right now.

And my response?

I do not care.

The Bruins are playing well enough to win these games - at least the defensemen and goalies are. The reality is that all the chances that guys like Marco Sturm, David Krejci and Blake Wheeler are getting down low have to be buried. If you are a top six forward, it is not enough to be 'contributing' unless your contributions are goals. The Bruins do not need multimillion dollar backchecking forwards - just ask PJ Axelsson (if you can find him....I think he's somewhere in Sweden).

When a 42 year old Mark Recchi is out-hustling guys TWO DECADES his junior, then something needs to happen to shake things up.

One more point: can someone explain the idea of doing chip & chase (or dump & chase) on the powerplay? Like, you already have possession of the puck, and you have one more player than your opposition. What is the logic behind consistently throwing the puck away into the corner, to then go to try to retrieve it? It is not working, and it is a ridiculous idea to begin with. You already have the puck! Jeez, skate the damned puck in, curl back and set it up. Obviously. Just look at any team with a successful powerplay for examples of how it is done. Man.

The Bruins enter this afternoon's game against the Canadiens one game short of their all-time losing streak record of 11 games. Unless they improve some fundamental things right away, they're going to lose today as well. It pains me to say - especially against the Canadiens - but I can't expect the Bruins to win if their last two games are any indication of where the team is headed.

An absolutely brutal streak will be on the line this afternoon.

And Then the Bruins Slip to Twelfth Place

The Bruins have now lost their last 8 games, and it is the team's worst losing streak since 1955.

TSN.ca were reporting earlier today that Michael Ryder is being actively shopped around the league as trade bait. So change is finally in the chilly February air.

Frankly, I'm not sure which problem the Bruins hope to address first, but I think some scoring punch should be the first concern for this low output team.

And top flight snipers are just so easy to come by. So...we'll just give you Ryder and we'll take...mmm...Kovalchuk!

But seriously, they're gonna end up with Jamal Mayers, because the new rule in the NHL is that every team has to have Jamal Mayers at some point.

It should be noted that the difference between 12th spot and 8th in the Conference is just two points. So a win could put the B's back in the hunt, but they'll need a string of wins to keep up with other teams.

The Bruins will be on the ice against the Canadiens tomorrow night. Both teams should be pretty inspired to put in a good performance. Let's see if the Bruins set any new records.

Bruins Slip To Ninth Place in the Conference

Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday I was writing about how the Bruins had won only a single game in their last seven tries, and were looking for chances to right the ship.

Since then, they've lost twice more.

Today's befoulment came at the hands of the Hurricanes, who are - that's right! - in last place in the Eastern Conference.

I don't even know what else to say about the Bruins right now. A couple of weeks ago they were battling for first place in the Division, and now they're barely .500, having dropped out of the playoff picture. Who are they currently battling with? Why, the Islanders, Panthers and Thrashers, of course! The worst part is that the Bruins' losses have made it possible for the Canadiens to crawl back into the playoff standings.

Every team could blame a run like the Bruins have had on the injuries that they have sustained (which is totally valid), but the reality is that every team still has to play every game with the personnel they have available. This is the same throughout the league, and every team gets injuries.

Furthermore, the Bruins started the season with a full lineup and started very poorly. So, I have no idea what the B's can do to stem the tide of losses, but something has got to fall into place.

At this point the Bruins are looking at 5 days off (playing again on Friday) to try to fix things. They have two goalies who can't stop beach balls, a powerplay that is unplugged and a scoring drought that makes....oh, let's say the worst team in the Eastern Conference...look like an offensive powerhouse.

It's not as bad as the bright yellow Teddy Bear sweaters, but it's getting pretty close.

Bruins Add Whoa to their Woes

I've been really busy lately, and after long days in front of a computer, I've been less than willing to also spend my nights in front of the laptop watch the Bruins lose.

Which feels harsh to say, but it is the reality. The B's have 1 win in their last 7 games, and have blown leads in at least 3 of those games. They've looked terrible.

Experience has taught me that the Bruins usually go on a foul losing streak through January (last year being a notable exception), however, despite my efforts, I could not find any month-by-month tally of the Bruins record through the years to corroborate this. Which is just to say, I just don't have access to a year-by-year, month-by-month spreadsheet for these guys to show you what the real numbers are. But rest assured, even their best seasons are mired in the January blues.

Slides like this are what cost Claude Julien his job in New Jersey and Montreal - unexplained skids that are out of keeping with the level of talent on the team. The Bruins have injuries to at least 5 key guys, granted, but these losses are complete losses: everyone is to blame, from the Vezina-winning goalie (and his phenom backup), through the Norris-winning defenseman (and his cohorts), to the surprising top-six forwards. They just plain suck.

The B's will have a chance to try to right the ship this afternoon against Ottawa - a team that they were battling with for Division lead just a couple of weeks ago. The Bruins now hold down 7th place in the Conference, but are 2 points out of 11th spot.

If the Bruins are not able to staunch the losses, as fans, we should expect some changes to the lineup. And as Bruins fans we know that these 'changes' can often come with devastating results (bye-bye Joe Thornton).

Let's see what happens this afternoon....

Bruins Losing Players Quicker Than Games

Last night's blown lead and eventual loss to the Blackhawks will cost the Bruins more than just the 2 points, as Marc Savard joined the long list of injured Bruins. Here is a brief recap of who the B's are missing:

Marc Savard: Injured knee in the first minute of last night's game, will undergo MRI tomorrow, and will hopefully only be out of the lineup for 2-3 weeks.

Patrice Bergeron: Broken finger (in three places!), and will miss another 2 weeks if the projected recovery time is correct.

Byron Bitz: Injured back, status unknown (at least by me - I'm sure someone knows. Possibly his doctor, maybe his wife).

Andrew Ference: Was slammed into the boards by Chris Phillips in the B's game against Ottawa, and will miss at least 6 weeks with a groin injury.

Mark Stuart: Broken sternum. I have no idea what the cause of the injury was, but it must have been craaaazy painful. Broken sternum? Damn, girl...

The only positive news for the B's lately is that Milan Lucic made his return from his second extensive injury of the season. But if you look down the list of players, above, you'll notice the Bruins have lost their top three Centres and two Defensemen who eat up a lot of minutes.

I get the feeling the annual January Slide is about to begin.

On the internet, nobody can hear you sighing loudly.

Sigh.

Bruins Play 3 Minute Hockey Game, Lose to Rangers, Cats Surprised

There were good reasons to watch last night's Bruins - Rangers game. First, there was the chance that the Rangers could lose, which always makes the universe seem like a logical place, following a divine plan.

Also, any chance of the Rangers losing increases the likelihood of watching their coach, John Tortorella, go apoplectic behind their bench. This, as they say in the industry, makes for good TV.

However, it was not meant to be. The Rangers beat the Bruins, Tortorella looked even more like Fonzie and kept his cool, and the universe now seems hazardous, random and prone to crying jags. Or maybe that's just me.

The Bruins, for their part, tried to play a 3 minute hockey game, and (unfortunately) it nearly worked. Being badly outplayed for 50-or-so minutes, the Bruins were unable to string two passes together without a giveaway, let alone generate any offensive pressure, and were down 2-0 deep into the 3rd period.

Sadly, when the Bruins did start skating with 5 minutes left in the game, they were immediately rewarded with 2 quick goals to tie it up. I say "sadly" not because I wanted the Rangers to win (re-read my opening paragraphs) but rather because I hate the idea of the Bruins being rewarded with a win for a game they didn't really ever compete in. Seriously, if you are making millions of dollars a year, the least you could do is try for more than 3 minutes a game. Even I skate hard for longer than 3 minutes a game.

Last night, the B's played like their pre-game meal was everything I ate over the holidays, stacked up and served to them in one sitting. They were lifeless and loose, disinterested and slow. It was a very frustrating game to watch.

My usual companions for Bruins games - our two cats - learned all sorts of new words last night. Ever seen a cat's ears catch fire? Missed Bruins pass - WHOOSH! Soft Bruins backchecking - WHOOSH!

To make matters even worse, one of the few B's who played well - Patrice Bergeron - took a slapshot off the wrist (shot by his own defenseman, of course), and left the game. The extent of his injury is unknown, but it almost certainly marks an end to the Bruins' already dismal offense.

Yes, it was awful all around for the Bruins last night. Fortunately, they have a chance to redeem themselves tonight when they take on the Senators.

It will be interesting to see how the Bruins respond after such a brutal outing. Hopefully, Coach Julien used the post-game briefing to rip into his players, and lit up their ears like a couple of unsuspecting cats.

Maybe that's what it takes to make the Bruins come out motivated tonight. Certainly that pre-game meal didn't do them any favours.

Bruins and Satan - A Match Made in Heaven?

Saatanan Saatana - Has 51% Ownership of the Letter A

TSN is reporting that the Bruins have signed veteran winger Miroslav Satan for about $700,000. Satan won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins last year, but has (from what I can tell) been without a contract for the 2009-2010 Season, so far.

Satan was a 50 to 70 point scorer in his Buffalo years, and racked up 66 points with the Islanders in the 05-06 season, but has obviously had diminishing numbers in more recent years. He put up 36 points in 65 games with the Pens last season.

For my part, I've never been a fan of Satan, as I've seen too many games where he just floats around, out of position, waiting for scoring opportunities - rather than creating them, or taking care of his defensive responsibilities.

It is noteworthy that Satan's plus-minus rating is all over the place, going from +16 to -3, +6 to -15, +12 to -8 in successive years. What the hell, dude?

And his little "phone me!" goal celebration when he wanted a trade out of Buffalo was, to me, something that reeked of a player without class - especially stinky given that he was in an organization that had helped him reach the Stanley Cup Finals and two All-Star Games. I think it is also telling that only a few seasons removed from his little celebration, Satan was sitting at home waiting for someone to phone him with a job.

However, the Bruins are obviously far below last year's scoring output (when the team led the league in goals-for), and their powerplay is a dismal mess, so hopefully a little bit of Satanic Magic will help the Bruins' offense as they wait for Lucic to recover from injury.

It is also hopeful that the Bruins stalwart defense can compensate for Satan's appearance on the team, because, if previous season have been any indication, he's going to make gaffs that lead to counter-attack scoring chances.

Let's hope the season doesn't go to hell now that the B's have added Satan.

Aaaaaand other Satan-related humour....

Bruins - Flyers Winter Classic Summary

The words "magical" and "special" are used far too often in the hockey world, usually by players and coaches who have learned this media-speak shorthand to avoid describing their actual feelings.

However, yesterday's Winter Classic game, held outdoors in Boston's Fenway Park, actually was magical and special, and showed fans (new and established alike) the best of what hockey can offer.

It helps that the Bruins and Flyers were both hungry for the 2 point win. Had yesterday's game felt more like an All-Star Game (ie: where the win doesn't matter), it would have fallen flat. But the two-generations of animosity between the Flyers and Bruins seemed to spark both teams, and once the wonder and nostalgia of playing outdoors faded, the teams got down to hitting, fighting and trying to chip the puck into the net.

There's been barrels of digital ink spilled on the event already, so I won't rehash the details of the game here, except to say that it was awfully fun to see Tim Thomas be responsible for a goal against (due to a poorly-timed, though not undeserved, cross-check to the back of Scott Hartnell), then battle so hard in the final moments of the game to preserve the win, making at least three unbelievable saves on point-blank chances.

To then have Thomas named to the USA National Hockey Team - his dream since being 5-years old - at the end of the game, it was like writing another chapter in Thomas' storybook, vastly underdogged, career.

My previous posts have highlighted the problem with having Thomas play below his potential this season, but even having said so, there can be little doubt that he is one of the best Bruins of all time - if only for his continual ability to prove doubters wrong, and get the job done simply through his lunch-bucket work ethic.

The Winter Classic will be remembered as one of those rare, ultra-high-profile sporting events that actually lives up to the hype. The Bruins can take the experience (and the win!) forward through the rest of the season, and hopefully build on it as the Olympics approach.

Of Note: It is an absolute joy to watch so many interviews with Bobby Orr - just listening to Bobby makes me happy; For as happy as I am that Tim Thomas was named to the US National Team, as a Canadian, I cannot wish him too well in the tournament; The Bruins' retro sweaters are easily the best sweaters they have and I hope they wear them in more games this season; Coach Claude Julien and his coaching staff looked amaaaazing in their little brown fedoras - like the coaches of old!