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);

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 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 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 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.

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 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 Shut Out Thrashers

Last night's 4-0 win over the Thrashers was an example of the Bruins playing at the top of their game.

Despite some successes this season, and sporting a respectable record, the Bruins have played precious few games with maximum effort from start-to-finish, instead relying on spectacular goaltending or an offensive outburst to get the win. Sometimes that win doesn't come, naturally.

However, last night's match against the Thrashers saw the Bruins hitting, forechecking and battling for pucks, and the win came as a result. It's good to see, but there's also a problem emerging.

Tuukka Rask got the start in nets, improving to 10-3-2 with a 1.85 GAA, which is outstanding for such a young goalie. Especially one with a Jedi name.

The problem, of course, is that Rask may be out-playing Tim Thomas, who deserves time to find his game given everything he's given to the Bruins, and his record in previous years.

However, as the season progresses, it's also hard to not see Thomas' 10-9-5 record with a 2.42 GAA as vastly below his capacity. How that impacts the Bruins as they make the stretch drive through the Olympics and toward the playoffs is the big question.

Thomas will get the start on Friday at Fenway for the Outdoor Classic, and the USA Olympic Team roster will be announced shortly thereafter (which Thomas is hoping to be a part of), so we may soon see Thomas' game improving simply because he is motivated by these events (and spurred forward by an up-and-coming backup).

Needless to say, the Bruins' streaky play this season cannot be laid at Thomas' feet, but if the team still requires a goalie that can win games they don't deserve to win, then Rask may be asked to shoulder a heavier load.

What that means to the team as a whole is uncertain. But here's hoping that Thomas finds his game soon, and that the B's have access to two goalies playing lights-out hockey as the season heads for home.

The Bruins next play Friday afternoon, outdoor, against the Flyers.

One Hundred Years of Bruins Nightmares

After over an hour of celebrations marking the Canadiens' 100-year anniversary, tonight's game between the Bruins and Habs got off to a fast start, but it was clear within a few shifts that the Bruins were not going to be able to compete with le Bleu, Blanc et Rouge on this much-hyped evening.

The Canadiens scored early and scored often in this utterly brutal match-up between these long-time rivals. The game pivoted when the Bruins were given a full two-minute 2-man advantage, but were not able to capitalize (or, it would seem to this Bruins fan, even register a shot) on the 5-on-3, and within a few minutes of the penalties ending, the Habs were potting goals in quick succession.

The Bruins gave up 4 goals in the 2nd period alone, and, instead of playing the quick-moving, hard-hitting style they've shown lately, chose instead to play a softer, Bantam-level game of giveaways, blown checks, and skate-bys, that ultimately cost them the game.

Matt Hunwick had a terrible game, perfectly setting up one Canadiens' goal (by shooting it at Tim Thomas), and, via a blown body check of one player, blown coverage of another, and finally not picking up his man deep in the offensive zone, was ultimately responsible for another goal against. Derek Morris also fanned on a pass from the blue line, then allowed the Hab forwards to march in, uncontested, for another goal. The ludicrous giveaways and errors continued all night and led to 5-goals against.

Tim Thomas was spared the indignity of having to come out in the 3rd period, giving Tuukka Rask the opportunity to try to save a lacklustre Bruins' effort. The B's potted a quick one (bringing the score to 5-1), and then were given a 4-minute powerplay, that, like all Bruins powerplays, led to nothing positive for the Bruins and was actually physically painful to watch. In fact, the Habs had more chances than the Bruins did. This powerplay led to another 2-man advantage, and then another powerplay, but the Bruins had no goals to show for it and frankly, had little dangerous action.

On the whole, this was a nightmare night for the Bruins, Bruins fans, and especially, Bruins fans living in Montreal who are surrounded by the Canadiens faithful and their smug expressions (despite their 12th-place in the Eastern standings).

I was really hoping for a strong game from the B's - at least a competitive effort - but the Bruins honestly had absolutely nothing to show for themselves tonight. They spent the entire night making the Canadiens look a lot better than they actually are, which is the worst thing you can do for your bitterest rival, whether 100 years ago, or now.

Bruins Ultimately Tame Wild in Shootout

Tonight's game was one the Bruins had no business winning.

The B's came out hard against the Wild in the 1st period, and then played with less and less steam as the game progressed. They got into penalty trouble in the 2nd, had their offense dry up through the latter 2/3rds of the game, and were forced to rely more and more on their goalie as they limped toward the shootout.

If not for the goaltending heroics of Tuukka Rask, this game would have been out of the Bruins' reach by the midway point of the 2nd period. Despite being outplayed in the opening period, the Wild came out in the 2nd and 3rd periods far more energized than the B's, and as the Wild's offense increased, the Bruins' diminished.

The Bruins stopped shooting the puck, and somehow thought they could still beat All-Star goalie, Nick Backstom, with only 16 shots on net (including overtime). It was very frustrating to watch an endless stream of Bruins forwards try to stick-handle through a maze of defensively-sound Wild players, without letting any shots go.

However, the Bruins were able to hold the Wild to a 1-1 tie, and pushed the game to a shootout, which David Krejci won for the Black, White and Gold. I'm not convinced the Bruins deserved to win this game, but there it is: they did.

Despite my negativity, there were some good things to take away from the Bruins' game tonight. Their passing was crisp, their physical play was (for the most part) up to par, and, as mentioned, their goaltending was outstanding.

But, the game really held more bad than good for the Bruins, even with the win. Most notably, with about 4 minutes left, Milan Lucic was slew-footed at the offensive blue line and collapsed awkwardly, twisting his knee as he fell. He left the game, went to the dressing room (with assistance), and did not return. Other negatives, the Bruins powerplay is still an abomination, and the penalty trouble and low-shot-count were devastating to the B's chances of controlling the game.

Having said all that, the Bruins' 4-game road-trip ends with 4 wins, and they return to Boston with a respectable record (12-8-4) to prepare for their matinee game against the Devils on Friday afternoon.

Let's see which Bruins team turns up against the Devils - the one that dominated the Blues on Monday, or the one that limped to a win against the Wild, tonight.

Bruins Play Wild Tonight

After winning their third-straight game (for the first time this Season) the Bruins continue their road-trip in Minnesota, with a game tonight against the Wild.

The Bruins are coming off a solid performance against the Blues on Monday night, where the B's fought down two comebacks from St-Louis to ultimately add two unanswered goals and win 4-2.

Monday night's game was Marc Savard's first game back from injury, which is obviously a boost to the Bruins offense, but also to my chances in the hockey pool I am currently being slaughtered in.

Milan Lucic continued to return to form, scoring again against St-Louis and creating shockwaves from his relentless hitting, and Patrice Bergeron had assists on every Bruins goal. Man, talk about having an impact.

My hope is that the injuries to Lucic and Savard, and the trials the Bruins faced in their absence in trying to maintain at least a .500 standing, will make the Bruins a better club overall. Perhaps these injuries were a bit of a wake-up call for a team that has high expectations placed upon it, but started the Season rather sluggish.

Tonight should be a good test for the Bruins, and for Tuukka Rask, who is still managing goaltending duties in the wake of Thomas' injury.

Bruins Rattle Sabres - Win In Overtime

The Bruins opened their 4-game road trip with back-to-back games against the Thrashers and Sabres, and were able to get wins in both.

Last night's game against Buffalo saw the Bruins offering a very gritty effort, and showed how the addition of a single player can sometimes open up several offensive options.

Milan Lucic has been hailed as the second coming of Cam Neely since he was first drafted from the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, and while there are some similarities, the biggest difference between the two players is that Neely was a regular 50-goal scorer, while Lucic, as of yet, is not. Not even close (17 goals last season, 8 the season before).

However, in just his second game back from injury, Lucic had a major impact on last night's action. His physical presence and solid checking kept the Sabres players honest (and paying attention!), and he also potted the Bruins' tying goal on a great cross-ice feed from Byron Bitz. He was hitting everything that moved, and, being one of the hardest checkers in the league, this offensive weapon brought a physical element that seemed to influence the entire Bruins squad. One player, full-team impact.

In fact, Lucic's style of play seemed to directly bring out the speed and size of linemate Byron Bitz, who has been playing well lately, but seemed to be an entirely different player last night. Maybe he was inspired by Lucic's play, or maybe he just gained more open ice because of Lucic's impact, but the twin-engine attack of Bitz and Lucic generated a lot of chances, balanced the offense, and allowed players like Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to use their finesse skills more.

Tuukka Rask got the start in nets, his first back-to-back action in the NHL, and he looked very strong. He has now won 4 of his last 5 starts, and looks comfortable with the increased action. Tim Thomas' injury is still undisclosed, but the Bruins' management maintains it is not serious and he will return to action shortly. Either way, the team must feel comfortable knowing they have solid goaltending in Rask, in the interim.

Patrice Bergeron got the winning goal in overtime, perfectly deflecting a Chara point shot past Ryan Miller. Bergeron is easily the Bruins best all-around player, and it is striking how much of a game-changer he can be while just quietly playing his game. A healthy Bergeron equals a stronger Bruins club.

Coach Julien was positive in his post game comments, talking about the Bruins strong effort - especially through the 2nd Period - and the importance, going forward, of remembering the effort that was needed to get these two wins. Hopefully, these wins, and the return of a few key players from injury, will help the Bruins re-gain a piece of last season's form as we head toward the pivotal, pre-Christmas, stretch of the season.

The Bruins' road trip continues to St-Louis, to play the Blues on Monday.

Bruins Powerplay Beats Buffalo

On Saturday night, the Bruins limped into another game against a Division rival - this time against the Sabres and the red hot goaltending of Ryan Miller.

The Sabres may not represent the same level of Bruins-Killer that they did in the 80s and early 90s, but they still field a strong team that matches up well against the Bruins, especially when the Bruins have just finished consecutive games where they are unable to score, and have lost three straight.

However, on Saturday night, the Bruins and Sabres both played their backup goalies - Tuukka Rask and Jhonas Enroth - possibly because they both sound like Jedis or United Nations chairmen - and the Bruins were able to pull out a 4-2 win over Buffalo.

Most important in the Bruins win is that they broke their 0-for-20 goal-less run on the powerplay, and that a few players who had been struggling lately were able to score.

Zdeno Chara got his first goal of the season, Marco Sturm scored for the first time in about a month, and Byron Bitz, recently returned from injury, was able to help out as well. The B's scoring was rounded out by Mark Recchi, who, by my estimation, has been ice cold so far this season and has yet to regain that "inspiring veteran" status that he has been known for over the last four or five years. Hopefully, Saturday night's game was an indication of Recchi warming up a little bit.

Coach Julien's post-game comments touched on the team's effort lately, and how finally getting some bounces to match the Bruins' work ethic finally led to a win:

We talked about trying to get the team to relax a little bit and have confidence in their skills knowing eventually you are going to score goals. I felt that our team has been working hard in the last couple of weeks and probably deserving a better fate. When you don’t score and you don’t win games you have to find a way to keep your team focused, being believers, and knowing that if you stick with it someday it will turn. Hopefully it is a start tonight. We all know that we have a much bigger game against Pittsburgh, but right now you have to enjoy a win and enjoy the way you did it.

That "bigger game against Pittsburgh" comes this Tuesday for the Bruins. Hopefully, Saturday night's win will rejuvenate the B's a bit, and they can carry some momentum into the game against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Pre-Game News: Krejci has H1N1 & Rask Signs Extension

Two brief notes before tonight's game between the Bruins and Canadiens:

David Krejci has been diagnosed with H1N1 (Swine Flu). He has been isolated from the rest of the team, and the Bruins' medical staff are working to keep him healthy. He'll be out of the action until he is symptom-free for at least 24 hours, and in the mean-time the Bruins' offense takes another serious hit. Do I feel badly for commenting on Krejci's merely okay play in the last game, now that I know he has Swine Flu?

Sort of.

The other news from the Bruins' camp is that Tuukka Rask has been signed to a contract extension through 2011-2012. The young gun is the Bruins' newest next-big-thing and excitement hasn't been this high since Jon Casey, John Grahame or Andrew Raycroft.

Personally, I'm still waiting for the next Andy Moog.

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.