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 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 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.

For Bruins, Frustrations & Losses Mount

Unless you've only been a Bruins fan for a single season (in which case, let me be the first to tell you that there are far more robust bandwagons to hop on), you'll know that a big part of being a Bruins fan is negotiating the frustrations that come along with the job.

In my lifetime, the Bruins have not won a single Stanley Cup, despite making the Finals 5 times. Equally frustrating, they've also missed the playoffs 5 times. Hence, the radical dichotomy that exists inside all B's fans.

Witness the last two games for the Bruins as examples:

Against Florida on Thursday, the Bruins peppered Tomas Vokoun with 40-something shots, extensively outplayed the Panthers, received great goaltending from Tim Thomas, yet ended up in a 1-0 loss.

Last night against the Penguins, the Bruins were down 2-0, battled back into the game, exchanging goals with Crosby & Co., and ended up taking the lead with a little over a minute left in the match. However, the Bruins were unable to shut the Penguins down, and gave up the tying goal with 0.3 seconds left (less than a second from victory), ultimately losing in overtime.

It has been that kind of season thus far for the Bruins and the Bruins faithful. The Bruins scoring touch may have returned against the Pens, but the result was still a loss. The offense may have been going on all cylinders against the Panthers, but the result, again, was still a loss. Marc Savard and Milan Lucic may have resumed practices with the Bruins, but the results, for now, are more losses.

The most frustrating part, of course, is that the Bruins have basically looked pretty good in these games. They are playing well, and just haven't been getting the wins. While that may be some comfort to B's fans, generally speaking, teams are not given access to the post-season because they've almost won games.

With the season one-quarter over the Bruins need to find those small differences that make close games into wins. It is what they were able to do last year, and those small differences are what ultimately wins games in the playoffs.

Until then, Bruins fans are stuck pondering the what-ifs - the same way we did in the years we only made the finals, or missed the playoffs entirely.

Bruins Lose to Canadiens in Shoot-Out - 2-1

The Bruins and Habs met for the 700th time in the Regular Season tonight. The Bruins, of course, have been shut-out in their last two games, and have been decidedly snake-bitten lately. Losing David Krejci to the Swine Flu early this afternoon did not help the Bruins offense one bit, either.

I thought the B's played a pretty solid game tonight, overall. They were hitting in the 1st and 3rd periods (less so in the 2nd) and kept their game up-tempo, with a good transition from their zone. For as few goals as the Bruins have potted lately, they've certainly had their chances to score. Tonight was no exception, as the B's put 42 shots on Carey Price. Thomas, for his part at the other end, was incredible - making fast kick-outs and at one point reaching behind himself to stop a shot with the flat of his stick.

In the 1st period, Dennis Wideman got caught up with a Bruins team-mate in the neutral zone and the blown coverage allowed the Habs to circle the net and get their first goal. While people may point to Wideman's error, a sharp spotlight should be shone on the Bruins centre (remaining nameless), who, after covering former Bruin Glen Metropolit through the slot, left him alone in front of the net and allowed an easy tap in to put the Bruins down a goal.

The Bruins kept pressing, and a series of power-plays (two in a row at one point) gave them many chances on net, but still no goals emerged for the Bruins (and, obviously, the powerplay woes continue).

Deep into the 3rd period (less than 50 seconds remaining), with Tim Thomas on the bench, Patrice Bergeron was able to win an offensive zone face-off, then carve to the side of the net where a rebound found its way onto his stick. One little curl and side-step and he made no mistake, tying the game at 1-1.

4-0n-4 Overtime solved nothing, so the teams went to the shoot-out, where Brian Gionta was able to score for the Habs. Canadiens 2, Bruins 1, much to the dismay of water-bottle-throwing Team President Cam Neely.

For my part, I'm pleased that the Bruins played as well as they did and that they were able to tie the game up in the final seconds. They deserved a better fate than a loss, given how they played tonight, but that matters little in the NHL. Hopefully, the desperation they felt in the final seconds will carry over to their next games and the offense will start clicking.

Of Note: Both the Habs and Bruins had goals waived off tonight; Mark Recchi looked awful for most of the evening, but I must admit, gave a good interview after the 1st period, so that's something; Tonight's win will make all my friends who are Canadiens fans completely insufferable - the solution: stop allowing Canadiens fans to be my friends.

Bruins Fall to Red Wings - 2-0

The Bruins' loss tonight pivoted on two minutes of poor play, where the Red Wings were able to pot a powerplay goal and then follow up with a quick even-strength tally in the 1st period, leaving the Bruins unable to respond for the rest of the game.

It was a very frustrating night for this Bruins fan, simply because the B's had chances to score - there were several shots rung off posts and at least one goal-line-trickler - all of which go toward making Chris Osgood look better than he actually is. That actually hurts me.

What also hurts is the Bruins' dismal powerplay, which ranks 29th in the league and went (by my count) 0-for-4 tonight. Coupled with the B's scoring only 3 goals in their last 4 games, the Bruins offense is looking pretty anemic right now and they need some guys to boost their play.

Not helping things? David Krejci, who actually played okay, but only okay, and frankly that's not going to be good enough with the contract he's sitting on and the injuries the Bruins have sustained. Krejci needs to be a force on the ice every time he's on it, and right now he's only causing a few surprises every 10-or-so shifts.

Also in my doghouse is Marco Sturm who was only notable tonight for taking the penalty that led to the first Red Wings goal, and Mark Recchi who seemed ineffectual at best and completely invisible at worst. For some reason, Recchi was awarded ice time in the final 2 minutes of the game and it was the first time I'd noticed him in 2 periods of play.

Frustrating also was the play of Blake Wheeler and Andrew Ference who each looked out of their respective positions for most of the night. I don't know if the Detroit speed caught them off-guard, but they looked like they were caught being reactive, rather than proactive, all game.

It was not a total washout for the Bruins though - I thought Patrice Bergeron looked really strong, I was impressed by Brad Marchand's energy and grit, and both Chara and Morris looked good as the number-one defensive pairing.

Tim Thomas also had a really strong game, snagging pucks out masses of bodies, and keeping his team in contention. Obviously, Detroit are known for how hard they crash the net, and Thomas did not look particularly phased by the activity in front of his net tonight.

But by far the strongest Bruins player of the night was Shawn Thornton, who created scoring opportunities and created chaos every time he hit the ice. Along with Steve Begin and (call-up) Trent Whitfield, Thorton's line seemed to be the one the Red Wings had the most trouble controlling.

And that's terrible.

When a team like the Bruins, rich in talent and depth (even with their injuries), has to rely on their 4th line for leadership and goal-scoring prowess, there's something not right in the line up.

Having missed the last few games for obvious reasons, I am going to reserve judgement on the Bruins so far this season, but tonight's game seems to echo reports of their most recent and Claude Julien has his work cut out for him: address the (awful) powerplay, improve the play of the top six forwards, and perhaps spend some time with Ference, some video footage, and a cattle prod.

The Bruins next play the Canadiens, this Thursday.

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 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 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 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.

catching up with the bruins

What's it like to be a Bruins fan while living in Montreal? Well, it's busy.

I've been taking French classes (C'est bon, mais un peu difficile) and taking on a few more freelance writing gigs. Between the two - and a dash of a little thing I call "life" - I've been following the B's, but not posting much.

Added to that, the Bruins are in a very strange pocket of the schedule, which saw them playing last sunday against the Devils, but not playing again until this coming Saturday.

All of this to simply explain the silence on the Black White and Gold. But here's what's been happening:

The Bruins went one-and-one during weekend matinees a few weeks ago, one-and-one the following weekend (repeatedly blowing leads against the Penguins in the second game), and sprinkled in between, some wins and losses. They are basically playing ramshackle, .500 hockey, but have been so inconsistent, it's difficult to know what club we will see in the post-season.

This past weekend, the Bruins were able to convincingly win against the surging New Jersey Devils, in one of the better games I've seen the Broons play in recent memory. The Bruins' best players were actually their best players, and the whole team played that relentless-forecheck game that I've been praising for about half a season now.

Added to this was the goaltender battle between Tim Thomas and Martin Brodeur (who has looked okay lately, I guess, coming back from an injury and posting several wins, a couple of shutouts and breaking the record for most wins by any goalie in history). However, on Sunday, he was bested by the guy that nobody thought could be a starter in the NHL. He looked lucky sometimes, but as they adage goes - you have to be good, to be lucky.

This last game was a major test for the Bruins. Jersey are second in the Conference, and have enough momentum that they could end up in the hunt for the President's Trophy, if other teams oblige. However, the Bruins played the Devils hard, largely neutralizing Elias, Langenbruner and minimizing the impact that Brodeur could have on the game. It was the first game in at least two months where I've seen the B's play the full 60-minutes at top speed.

With the Bruins enjoying a six day break (longer than any vacation I took for at least 10 years, for which I blame someone...mostly me), it remains to be seen how sharp they will be on the flip side. However, given how well they played when it mattered, against a team that should be taken seriously, I look forward to Saturday's game against the Maple Leafs.

Which, as always, I recognize could be words I learn to regret.

bruins 0 - blue jackets 2

Last night's Bruins game was one that I could not track down online, so I had to rely on highlights. And I did not like what I saw. The Jackets were out-hitting, out-shooting and basically dominating the B's, sending dudes flying and getting to loose pucks.

Steve Mason registered his league-leading 9th shutout, whereas the Bruins have dropped 5 of their last 6 games.

Of note: Phil Kessel received a clean hit and left the game in the first period (he would return) and Tim Thomas was absolutely run by Jiri Novotny, breaking Thomas' mask and forcing the netminder to use Manny Fernandez's helmet. What disturbed me was that there was no penalty call on the play (despite it being an obvious and deliberate body-check) and NO Bruin decided to teach Novotny a lesson.

This is, I feel, part of the larger issue with this team right now. They are not fighting for pucks, not fighting for space in front of the net, and frankly are not even fighting for each other. If it hasn't been clear from earlier posts, I am very frustrated with the Bruins' lack of consistent effort lately, and am not sure how many losses it will take for them to figure out what they need to do to win.

bruins go one-and-one in weekend games

The Bruins were able to claw their way back into their matinee against the Rangers this afternoon, having come from 3-1 to tie it up in the third period, but alas, they could not hold off the Ranger offense, and lost 4-3.

Manny Fernandez got the start, and from the highlights, looked confused on at least two of the Ranger goals (one of which he put into his own net). This brings his current losing streak to 5 games, after having posted a 10-1 record for a good part of the season.

Coach Julien was told of Fernandez accepting blame for today's loss and had the following to say in his defense:

''He's hard on himself, that's the way he is....if everyone is (as) hard on themselves like that, and then they go out to correct, we'll be okay.''

Yesterday's match-up between the Bruins and Blackhawks had the Bruins up 4-1 before Chicago mounted a comeback, bringing the game to 4-3 before Alexsson's empty net goal sealed the deal for the B's. Tim Thomas registered the win, and was especially heroic in the final 6 minutes of the match.

Mark Recchi (seen above in the danger zone) scored his first two goals as a Bruin in yesterday's game (and looked great doing it), whereas ex-Maple Leaf Nik Antropov scored for the Rangers in today's match, showing the impact of the trade deadline in concrete results.

The Bruins actually played better over the last two games than they have played lately, but neither game resulted in wins I would call confident. The B's are still unable to play a full 60 minutes of their uptempo style of attack, and whenever they take their foot off the gas, their opponents gain the upper hand.

With the current rush from New Jersey and Washington, I think the Bruins will be hard-pressed to maintain their current first-place in the East position; however, this is a situation where I am sure every Bruin would be comfortable with just entering the playoffs on a competitive streak, putting wins together with a consistent effort.