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 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 eliminated in game seven, overtime

The Bruins came back from a 3 - 1 series deficit, and fought back in tonight's game to force overtime after being down 2-1 , but ultimately, their season is over. The Hurricanes won in OT tonight, 3-2.

The Bruins had chances to win this game, as did the Hurricanes (including a goal-line-and-post roller that Aaron Ward fished away at the last moment), and despite my obvious preference for a Bruins win, I enjoyed this game immensely. The play was fast, chippy, with some stellar goaltending and big hits. Lucic was incredible, Bergeron was unlike any Bergeron I've seen play before, Thomas stood on his head, and Chara was dominant force. Ultimately, it was not enough though, and the B's will clean out their lockers.

I'll write more about the Bruins' season in the next few days - it has been a remarkable year - and I don't have the capacity to do a roundup right now.

The strange thing is that while I am very disappointed, I guess I've been somewhat aware that the Bruins could be put out for awhile (that's what being down 3 - 1 in a Series will do, I guess), so I'm not as frustrated or as upset as I was after, say, Game Four when the B's just didn't show up. I would very much have liked the B's to continue on, but I've understood what odds they were facing for about a week now, and thought they did an amazing job battle back against those odds.

Still - I think this Bruins club opened a lot of eyes in this year's Playoffs. My goal for the team this year was to make the Second Round (thus improving on their accomplishments from last year). To win the First Round in a sweep of Montreal was awesome, and to push the Second Round to a Game Seven overtime is an incredible development for a team that missed three Playoffs in a row, just prior to the last two. This also means that next year, I will expect them to make the Conference Finals.

And planning for that should begin tomorrow. No pressure.

My congrats to a Bruins club that entertained me all year. My condolences on a loss in a game you probably deserved to win.

bruins win 4 - 2 and force game seven!

The Bruins rolled into Game Six and quickly built upon the dominance they showed in Game Five. Within the first 2 minutes, Mark Recchi tipped home a Patrice Bergeron cross-crease pass, and a short while later, with Byron Bitz screening Cam Ward, Steve Montador's point shot found the twine. The Bruins went into the first period intermission up 2 - 0.

Early in the second period, the Hurricanes were able to pot a goal after a crease-front scramble, but the second period proved to be the Bruins' best. They put two more pucks past Cam Ward and entirely controlled the play in the middle frame.

On the 3rd goal, Milan Lucic dangled in from the blue line, past three 'Cane defenders, before finding a wide open Marc Savard with a backhand pass, and on the 4th goal, Patrice Bergeron fed a long, cross-crease pass to Chuck Kobasew, who was able to tip it in past Ward. The second period saw the Bruins at their dynamic best, maintaining control over the puck and their emotions as they brought the game to Carolina. Boston would leave the second period up 4 - 1.

However, the third period proved to be complex. After five-or-so minutes of back and forth hockey, the Bruins ran into penalty trouble and Carolina was able to claw another goal back, bringing the score to 4 - 2. As someone who saw the final game between Carolina and New Jersey, I am pretty well aware of how little traction the 'Canes need to climb over you.

Ultimately, though, Tim Thomas was at his heart-stopping best, getting in front of pucks he really had no business saving, and weathering long stretches where Carolina had Boston pinned in the defensive zone. The B's killed off two penalties in the final ten minutes and were ultimately able to hang on for the win.

Game Seven, back in Boston, is scheduled for Thursday. I cannot tell you how excited I am.

Of Note: Marc Savard left the game in the third period and did not return. He was the victim of a knee-on-knee collision. It is unclear how serious his injury is, or whether it was decided to send him to the showers to prevent further injury, given that the Bruins were up 4 - 1 at the time. Obviously his presence in Game Seven is important; Byron Bitz continued to impress, adding another physical element that Carolina had seen only from Lucic, and making his presence felt down-low, in front of the net, and along the boards; I did not hear Blake Wheeler's name once, which makes me think he was scratched in favour of Shawn Thornton, who also had an effective, gritty game for the Bruins - his development this year has been remarkable; Patrice Bergeron played the best game I have ever seen him play. He was outstanding in all three zones.

bruins win 4 - 0 - bring the series to three games to two

The Bruins endured about five minutes of the Hurricanes' assault before simply taking over tonight's game. Phil Kessel had two goals and Zdeno Chara had two assists in what could be his best game of the playoffs.

I'm not sophisticated enough to know what changes Claude Julien brought in for Game Five, but I do know that the Bruins came out flying, winning the physical battles with the Hurricane forwards, and bringing back the all-attack-defense that made the Bruins successful all season.

Tonight's game was the first time the Bruins have played the Hurricanes at their full potential, and the difference between Game Five and Game Four was remarkable. The Bruins kept the 'Canes pinned in their zone for long stretches and hit everything that moved, frustrated the speed of the Hurricane forwards, and rushed the Carolina defenders into making mistakes with the puck.

The Bruins also activated their defenders, who were pinching on the side walls for loose pucks whenever they had a chance, or to maintain constant body-contact on the 'Canes players, which began to wear them down as the game progressed. By the end of the game, Eric Staal was a step slower than he has been all series, in large part due to the constant wear and tear. On top of all this, Tim Thomas, who was great when he needed to be, recorded his first career playoff shut out.

With any luck, the Bruins will bring this same intensity to Game Six, and will continue to play with the angry edge that they had tonight. It brings results and forces Carolina into playing Bruin hockey, and gives the B's a distinct edge.

bruins lose 4 - 1 as hurricanes win third straight game

The Bruins looked sloppy on the ice all night, and eventually lost this game because of it.

The B's went down 1-0 within the first three minutes of the game, and continued to have an awful first period, repeatedly turning pucks over and playing far out of position. However, they came out more calm and effective in the second period and, in direct opposition to Game Three, dominated the play along the boards and down low through the middle frame, and were able to tie the game up.

All elements were poised to have a Big Third Period, full of energized attacks and dogged checking. But it never materialized. Zdeno Chara took a penalty in the first two minutes of the third period and the 'Canes scored on the ensuing powerplay. It is the first time Tim Thomas has allowed a third period goal in the playoffs, but it would not be the last: the 'Canes scored two more times in the final frame to put the game out of reach. In the end the Bruins didn't scrap, didn't get any ridiculous close-calls, didn't generate any last-minute hits and therefore didn't send any kind of positive message going into Game Five. They went out with a whimper.

This was a very, very frustrating game if you are a Bruins fan. While there was finally some traffic in front of Cam Ward, the Bruins threw so few pucks at the net (and the Hurricanes blocked a lot of point shots) that the scrambly "garbage goals" that the playoffs are built upon were never really available to the players taking their licks in the crease.

At this point, I feel like the Bruins are being out-coached in the Series, or are simply not acting on the directions coaching staff are giving them. Longtime readers of Black White and Gold will know that I'm a fan of Claude Julien, but the fact is, the 'Canes made an adjustment to their playing after Game One and have won three straight games. The Bruins have not really adjusted their style to what they are seeing from the Hurricanes (they've merely been more or less effective at playing it), and they've paid the price.

The Hurricanes are not playing some crazy system that you cannot figure out - they often utilize a "pick" style play where a secondary player skates in front of a defending Bruin to create space for the puck-carrying player. It's a play often used in basketball and in hockey is better known as "obstruction" or "interference". However, it is not being called by the referees and the Bruins have not altered their play to either a) counteract the pick or b) use it themselves.

My feeling is that unless the Bruins shake up their system in Game Five, they should not expect to win. I think this Series has gone beyond just playing harder or with more heart and expecting their techniques to work. Other than Game One, the Bruins have never really held the play long enough to warrant the belief that their system will be ultimately effective if executed properly.

The Bruins should be looking for more traffic, garbage goals, uglier plays and a general level of chippiness that can lead to turnovers and "flukey" goals, because as the old saw goes: in the playoffs they never ask how, they only ask how many.

Of Note: My inside-source was incorrect, and Blake Wheeler did end up playing in Game Four - however, Byron Bitz was also inserted at the expense of Shawn Thornton; Bitz had a very good game, generating offense through his physical play and paying the price in front of the net; David Krejci had a brutal game, whiffing on clearing attempts at least three times, losing checks and being kept to the perimeter on offense; Steve Montador had another rough game, though with admittedly less drastic consequences; Shane Hnidy was also inserted into the lineup and had a solid, if unassuming, game - nothing wrong with keeping it simple as long as he's keeping it mean.

Game Five is scheduled for Sunday.

bruins lose 3-2 in overtime as carolina takes the series lead

Ultimately, this Bruins club and these Hurricanes are evenly matched and the games have been unbelievable. The goaltending in this series has been stellar and there are enough hits (cheap, illegal and otherwise) to keep a certain vegetarian Montrealer very happy.

Tonight's game could have obviously gone either way. The Bruins opened the scoring, but went down 2-1 within a 1:09 span in the second period. Deep into the 3rd the B's were able to tie it up and send the game into overtime, where the 'Canes got the winner (after about 7 quality Bruins' chances on Cam Ward). Thomas stood on his head the entire game and just barely missed the game-winning goal with his stick.

Steve Montador is deeply in my bad books after a ridiculous giveaway on the goal-line to Eric Staal on the 'Canes' first goal, and then allowing Samsonov to walk in and shoot on Carolina's second, but he salvaged himself a bit with some nice point play on the B's tying tally in the third. Still, I'd like to see Sheriff Shane Hnidy in game four.

Sending this game to OT was really all I could ask of these guys (well, before the game I asked for a 6-0 blowout, but it was clear that wasn't going to happen) given how hard-fought the game was. While a few players had some bad shifts, the Bruins battled for every puck, got the shots on net and dug for rebounds. We lost some people to injury (notably, Andrew Ference, whose absence would again increase the pressure on Montador), but more often than not, had players return for their next shift, bloodied but not broken.

For my part, I squeezed the corner of a couch cushion for three straight hours and now have a hand cramp that makes typing excruciating. But soft! I shall battle through it.

The Bruins and Hurricanes renew their (increasingly hostile and bloody) acquaintances on Friday night, again in Carolina. It's a cliche to say that Game Four is the most important game in a series, because Games One, Two and Three are just as important. However, the Bruins really need to take Game Four and return to Boston with the series tied.

Of Note: Apparently, the Bruins do not read my blog - there was only marginally more traffic in front of Ward tonight, but both goals came from players in front capitalizing on rebounds; the game unraveled quickly when Chara was not on the ice to check Staal (a consequence of Carolina having the last change); I have invented all-new profanity for the playoffs, and after tonight's very tense game, my neighbours are now very familiar with it - désolé mes voisins!

bruins lose 3-0 as carolina evens the series

Over the season I've watched different Bruins teams hit the ice. Sometimes the team shows up and dominates (as per Game One), and sometimes they come out really flat. However, the Bruins club we saw tonight was a rarer beast - one that gets outplayed into making mistakes.

Mostly known for their discipline and adherence to Coach Julien's system, the Bruins tonight put themselves into positions for blocked shots, errant passes and giveaways. The giveaways were particularly costly, as Chara's blind cross-blueline pass on the powerplay was picked off and led to a goal against.

It should be noted that the Hurricanes were expecting that pass, I suspect because their coaches told them to, and also that on the Bruins' powerplay in the 3rd period, Chara played down low, screening the goalie - something I've not seen him do since playing in Ottawa. And it's a good plan to place Chara in front of the net, because:

Cam Ward will stop everything he can see.

I know it's tempting to always have a 105 mile an hour slapshot on your point, but if the shots are not getting through, or being easily seen, something has to change for that shot to be successful. Big bodies in front would help.

Incidently, I have been a little underwhelmed with the play of Blake Wheeler, a hulking monster of a kid with great speed. Given that Ward is playing so well, I think the B's should focus on getting more action in front of him, and consider Wheeler and Lucic for the role. If the 'Canes are expecting those D to D passes, and there is a clear line of sight on every shot from the point:

Cam Ward will stop everything he can see.

Too much is made in the media about the battle between Eric Staal and Chara. The bigger battle is between all the Bruins and Cam Ward. Hopefully Game 3 will bring a little bit more intensity from the Bruins, and create more chances for ugly goals down low.

Of note: This is the Bruins' first loss of the playoffs, and ends their home-ice winning streak at 11 games going back to the regular season; the Hurricanes have never lost two playoff games in a row; Mark Stuart had an excellent game, I thought, quietly making smart, tough plays; the photo at top is Thomas making four saves while being pushed into his net - he was not at fault for any of the goals against.

bruins beat hurricanes 4 - 1 and take game one

I've been anxiously waiting for the Second Round to begin for about a week now, and was really pleased that the B's drew the Hurricanes as an opponent. Tonight's game was one where the outcome (for me, at least) was never really in doubt; the Bruins came out strong early and brought their game to the 'Canes in successive waves, and Carolina, still sweaty from their Game 7 upset of the Devils were largely dominated by a fresher Bruins club.

The Hurricanes did their best to get Eric Staal freed up from Zdeno Chara, and primarily relied on Joe Corvo to advance the puck to the forwards. Jussi Jokinen, Sergei Samsonov and (obviously) Cam Ward all had good games for Carolina, but beyond some brief stretches, all seemed over-matched by the Bruins, who looked bigger and faster in most one-on-one battles.

In watching the highlights after the game, I realized that Tim Thomas made at least 4 unbelievable saves, which is enough that the outcome would have been entirely different had he not been playing or been having an off-night. Cam Ward also made a few incredible stops, and was certainly not to blame on any of the Bruins' goals.

Michael Ryder and David Krejci each scored, and Marc Savard had a pair and looked playoff-tested in tonight's match. Ryder's goal was, I think, the back-breaker for Carolina - he picked off a neutral zone pass and skated in with Wheeler on a two-on-one, and snapped it over Ward's left shoulder. This goal allowed Boston to begin tightening the bolts on Carolina, shutting down the neutral zone and forechecking the time away.

On the whole, the club looked fresh and had several stretches where they owned the Hurricanes' offensive zone. If the Bruins are able to continue moving the puck and avoid penalty trouble as well as they did tonight, they will be in good stead to win this Series.

The Bruins and 'Canes will renew their acquaintances on Sunday night at 7.30. Looking forward to that one, too!

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!

bruins 5 - hurricanes 1

The Bruins lumbered into last night's tilt with the Hurricanes having lost a season high 4-straight games, and promptly gave up the first goal of the game. That shuddering noise you heard was me...raging and slamming my hand into the table.

However, Blake Wheeler tied the game with quick hands on a rebound, and the game winner came from unlikely sniper Shane Hnidy, who's point-shot found the back of the net.

The 2-1 lead was holding fast through the 2nd and into the 3rd period, thanks to some outstanding goaltending from Tim Thomas (who seems to have re-found his form) and hard-fought one-on-one battles along the perimeter. The turning point of the game came with David Krejci's shorthanded breakaway, which seemed to open the gates for the Bruins' goalscorers - the B's quickly added three goals in the final five minutes of the match.

It was a much needed win for the Bruins, who went 2-for-3 on the powerplay against the 'Canes, despite having a powerplay that went 2-for-36 in their previous 9 games (that's 5.5% for you statisticians).

Personally, I thought the game was important simply because the team looked good, and displayed the tenacity that represented them in the earlier part of the season. They battled from a goal deficit and then maintained the pressure after snatching the one-goal lead until they could break the game open.

All good signs, especially in light of their recent skid.

bruins 5 - hurricanes 1

The Bruins hosted their Conference rivals, the Hurricanes, this afternoon, in a match up that had the potential to go either way, given recent performances by each team.

Carolina had a loss in their last game, but had won 4-straight previously, and were riding a very hot Cam Ward and a (finally) warm-ish Rod Brind'amour in that span.

The Bruins, meanwhile, had won their last game, but lost their previous two, and had looked a little unorganized in their final three wins before the Holiday break.

In this afternoon's match-up, the Bruins brought in some younger players to fill in a few holes in the lineup. Byron Bitz had his first NHL start (registering an assist), Martins Karsums had his second NHL start (also recording an assist), and they joined comparative veterans such as Blake Wheeler and David Krejci (who registered a goal and two assists in the win).

Tim Thomas backstopped the Bruins, and he held a shutout until about mid-way through the final frame, and Michael Ryder continued his sharp-shooting ways, registering two goals in this afternoon's game. The Bruins are 14-0-0 when Ryder scores.

After the game, Coach Julien was asked about Michael Ryder's play and he offered the following:

"I don’t think his game is developing; he’s found his game. Put it this way, he’s just in one of those situations where, he is what he is right now. What I mean by that is, the Ryder you see right now is the Ryder that has been a player in the NHL and throughout his young career. He’s been like that for the most part. He’s a gifted goal-scorer, he’s a hard worker, he makes things happen when he’s at his best. We just have to keep pushing him and continue to help him move along in the right direction because he’s been a real helpful addition for our hockey club this year."

If I may offer a translation of Coach Julien's statements, suitable to my own reality here in Montreal: In your face, Canadiens' fans! You mocked this pickup in the offseason, and now you are forced to merely surround my building (with flaming torches!) every night.

The win brings the Bruins to a very impressive 31-7-4 record, tops in the NHL, as they pass mid-season and begin the home drive to the playoffs. Other than a 3-and-3 record against the Northwest Division, the Bruins hold a winning record against every other Division in the League.

Of Note: The Bruins brought Tuukka Rask up from Providence for tonight's game, in place of Manny Fernandez as backup; The Bruins welcomed a sell-out crowd for the matinee match-up; the Bruins chased Cam Ward from the nets, and are 8-0-0 when they play a team forced to change goalies.

bruins 4 - hurricanes 2

The Bruins ended the holiday break with another game against their Conference rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite being heavily out-played in the second period (where the shot totals through two periods amounted to 25-12) the Bruins were able to withstand the Hurricane(s) and pull out a win.

Blake Wheeler had two goals, Michael Ryder had one, and Chuck Kobasew added an empty net goal to seal the win. Tim Thomas got the victory in nets, proving that the B's have a legitimate One A-One B goaltending tandem.

With the win, the Bruins pull themselves to within 2 points of the league-leading San Jose Sharks, who seem to get all the attention this year.

Of Note: The Bruins play litmus-test-rivals the Atlanta Thrashers tonight; with last night's win, David Krejci's point streak extends to seven games; the win was the Bruins' seventh-straight over the Hurricanes.

bruins 4 - hurricanes 2

Amidst an East-Coast-wide snowstorm yesterday afternoon, the Bruins faced some Hurricanes at home. The B's were hoping to advance an impressive 12-game home-win streak against the hot-and-cold 'Canes, and keep their feet firmly entrenched in the Eastern Conference lead.

The news of the game, however, was the loss of Patrice Bergeron to what looks to be another concussion. Bergeron tried to pick off Dennis Seidenberg coming through the neutral zone, only to have his jaw make contact with Seidenberg's shoulder. Bergeron was down for several minutes before leaving the ice under his own steam (with a little help from his teammates). Doctors are evaluating the damage, and while the injury is not as severe as the one Bergeron experienced last season, it is last season's injury that makes this one so much of a concern.

The rest of the Bruins were in fine form, however, with Phil Kessel extending his point-streak to 17 games -- the longest since Adam Oates' 20-game streak in 1997-98 -- and David Krejci extending his production to 24 points in 14 games.

The game winner came from Shawn Thornton (see image above, from his role as a cop in "Superbad"), who picked off a sloppy Joe Corvo pass behind the Carolina net and walked out front to score short-side. With the win, the Bruins extend their home win streak to 13 games, surpassing the 1983 Bruins' streak of 12 games, and now set their sites on breaking the Bruins 16-game home-win streak of the 1976 season.

Of Note: Manny Fernandez is now 10-1-1 in his last 12 starts; Marco Sturm, who returned to action briefly in the Bruins tilt against the Maple Leafs, has been placed on long-term (ie: 30 day) IR; Patrice Bergeron was walking around and talking to teammates in the intermission between the second- and third-periods, but there is no word yet on his condition.

The Bruins play in St. Louis tonight.