The Bruins Off-Season - Drafts, Trades and Deals

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

The obvious stuff first:

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

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

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

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

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

The Rumours:

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

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

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

Questions:

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

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

and:

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

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

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

Flyers Beat Bruins - Win Game and Series 4-3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bruins to Face Philly in Round 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bruins Down the Sabres in Double OT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Maul Panthers

In a weird twist, last night I went looking online for the Bruins-Panthers match, only to find out that the game was finishing at 7.30. I didn't realize the game was a matinee and with the time zones, I completely missed the boat.

However, I caught what I could of the game, and was pleased to see the Bruins win.

Florida started (backup) Scott Clemmensen, who played a solid game, and Tim Thomas, after letting in a soft goal at the 4 minute mark, played incredibly well through the rest of the match - especially in the final moments, when he stopped a Florida forward with the tying goal on his stick, from point-blank range.

Marco Sturm and Michael Ryder scored for the Bruins, who have won 3-straight, and now improve to a respectable 19-11-7.

By far the biggest distraction for the Bruins right now is the upcoming Winter Classic at Fenway Park on New Year's Day. With all the hype and media attention, it would be easy for the Bruins to let games like yesterday's against the Panthers simply slide by.

Given that the Bruins usually have a major dip in January, it is very important that they rack up as many points as possible now against the League's "have-not" teams, as that cushion will help them in the playoff race. It's a cliche to say that every win counts, but given how tight the race will be in the Eastern Conference, the cliche is true.

The B's face Tampa Bay tonight, and the Thrashers on Wednesday before facing off against the retro Flyers at Fenway on Friday.

It is a busy week for the Bruins, but if they are able to continue to get wins, they should be in good shape for that push between New Years and the Olympic break.

Bruins Need Shootout to Shut Down Senators

Tim Thomas made his first start in nets for the Bruins since mid-November tonight, in his return from The Injury of Mystery (rumoured to be a broken bone in his hand), and he had a solid game - for the most part...

Frustratingly, for this Bruins fan, the otherwise nationally-broadcast Senators and Bruins game was blacked-out in Quebec, and I had to instead sit through the Capitals and Canadiens game. Which, frankly, was like to eating cold dirt in the rain for me.

However, I was able to keep tabs on the B's and Sens game, and was pleased that the Bruins erased a two-goal deficit to tie the game, and then potted another goal to take the lead.

And, of course, I was suitably dismayed that the B's gave up the tying goal in the final minute of the game, especially given the fact that the exact same thing happened in Thomas' last start (on November 14th), against the Penguins.

But that is not what really irks me. What really irks me is that Mark Recchi had two chances at the empty net in the final minute of the game and missed twice. Honestly? Two shots to the wide-right on an open net? Man, that whole 'timely goalscorer' nameplate is showing some rust, no? Presently, Recchi has only 11 points and is -4 on the season. We need him to be better.

At any rate, the Bruins pulled out the win in the shootout, courtesy of Michael Ryder (getting his second goal of the game), and in doing so, took over top spot in the Northeast Division.

A significant development in tonight's game was that the Bruins were able to score three powerplay goals - a considerable improvement over the 0-7 powerplay record in their game against New Jersey, yesterday afternoon.

On the whole, a messy game for the Bruins, especially in the 1st period, but the win (and the points) will help the team as they head into the December stretch.

Of Note: Milan Lucic's injury will keep him out of the lineup for about 4 weeks; Marc Savard is still finding his form, returning from injury; Patrice Bergeron blocked a shot and went down in a heap tonight, but was able to return to the game; The Bruins have now won 5 of their last 6 games and improve to 13-8-5 on the season, thus far.

NHL Pre-Season - Bruins 2 - Canadiens 1

Just a quick post to say that the NHL returned to Quebec City this evening and saw the Bruins play the Habs in Pre-Season action.

Boston got up 2-0 fairly early on, and then basically held the Habs off for most of the 3rd Period, surrendering a goal, but holding on for the 2-1 win.

I was only watching with half my attention, because I was also involved in our real-time, multi-city hockey pool draft (Marc Savard, second pick!). What I did notice from the game was that Tuukka Rask is for real, Michael Ryder is coming into form, and that Lovecchio just continues to impress me.

The Habs, in all honesty, looked like the stronger team for stretches in this game. I'm not sure if we can expect the Bruins to come out of the gates firing like they did last season, and obviously many of their Division rivals have improved, so there's a good chance that it will be a long, hard-fought year for the Black, White and Gold.

Of Note: one of our kittens suddenly took notice in the game and starting leaping up at the TV screen, frantically clawing at the players skating by. I would say there was about an 80-20 split for Habs he was clawing versus Bruins he wanted to destroy. I will train him to aim strictly for the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

As far as the difficulties of being a Bruins fan here in Montreal go, things haven't really ramped up yet. Pre-Season is viewed as it should be (ie: as a warm up) by Montrealers, so the trash talk should begin in earnest in a couple of weeks. I'll keep track of what is throw at me, and let you know.

Pre-Season NHL - Bruins 3 - Leafs 2

Another scrambly, somewhat disorganized pre-season game tonight, this time between the Black, White and Gold and the Maple Leafs.

I watched tonight's game online, amidst an alarming number of homophobic trolls pumping out the commentary on the PM sidebar. I spend enough of my life online to know how common this is, but man, it can be a real drag when you are just trying to watch a game. On the plus side, some Francophones logged in and allowed me to practice my French.

For tonight's match, the Bruins put Dany Sabourin in net, who, like Tuukka Rask is fighting for the backup slot behind Tim Thomas. Sabourin played alright, but looked like he'd have a lot of trouble facing a full (ie: not mostly prospects) NHL team, and will probably start the season with Providence. Too many shots just squeaking by the post in the final moments to keep Claude
Julien a young man.

Also positive for the B's was the play of Brad Marchand - one of my "underwhelmers" from yesterday's game really stepped up and played well, scoring the Bruins' second goal. Same thing with Jamie Arniel, who was another "underwhelmer" last night, but tonight played a far quicker game and created opportunities.

Weirdly, it was returning players Byron Bitz and Blake Wheeler who looked a step behind tonight. Hopefully this pre-season rust flakes off quickly, and they can both return to last year's breakout form.

Matt Hunwick, unfortunately, had a brutal game. Hunwick was one of my favourites last year before his season ended with his spleen being removed (off-ice, of course). In tonight's game he was turned inside out on the Leaf's first goal and looked pretty shakey throughout the game, putting shots into shins and missing passes.

Likewise for new Bruin free-agent Derek Morris, who mangled three clearing attempts in the same shift. I truly hope this guy improves because his contract is what's keeping the Bruins from re-signing Kessel.

On the whole, however, I was fairly pleased with the Bruins' win. Despite some sloppy play and a few scary moments in net (and online), it was fun to watch Patrice Bergeron, Michael Ryder and Dennis Wideman playing at their customary level, and also, much like yesterday, it was just fun to watch the B's on the ice again.

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 sweep canadiens, win tonight's game 4 - 1

Despite again giving up the first goal in tonight's game (and regular readers of this blog will know my feelings about that) the Bruins were able to keep continuous pressure on the Canadiens to come back for the win, and complete the 4-game sweep of their arch-rivals.

Michael Ryder had a monster of a game with two goals and an assist, and looked very committed to personally ending the Habs' season, and Phil Kessel officially put the game away by scoring on a breakaway as his minor penalty ended.

Tim Thomas had another strong outing, which is so commonplace that it is often overlooked on a nightly basis, but he absolutely deserves recognition. The B's would simply not be in the position they are had it not been for Thomas' Vezina-candidate season.

The Canadiens' fans opted to not boo the US National anthem tonight, after a request was broadcast over the PA, but they still chose to boo Carey Price throughout the game. Price eventually threw his arms up and shook his head at the crowd's lack of support, but was left out to dry so many times in tonight's game that only those who know little about hockey would hang the loss on his shoulders. Should he have got the start? I don't know, but it wasn't his decision and he played well, so booing him is ridiculous.

In the end, the Canadiens simply did not have enough in the tank to take on the Bruins in the playoffs (or all regular season, frankly), and at points in this series seemed really out of sync with the game the Bruins were bringing to them. The B's clogged up passing lanes, continuously hit defenders trying to head-man the puck, dug for pucks in the corners, and attacked with speed at every opportunity. It is a relentless system and the Habs certainly saw the business-end of it all year.

For my part, I am OVERJOYED that the Bruins put the Canadiens out. I would have preferred that the teams not meet until much later playoff rounds, so that another Canadian club could battle deep into the playoffs and they could each be more battle-hardened, but obviously, any Bruins fan relishes a win over the Habs at any time.

With a couple of periods as exceptions, The Bruins really played well in this series, and they deserve to move on. My goal for the club this year was to improve on last year's playoff record, which they've now done by reaching Round Two. The team will have a few days off before finding out who their next opponent is, and I'll be here in Montreal, watching neighbours slowly remove the CH flags from their cars.

Quietly chuckling to myself, and waiting to see who the team plays next.

bruins beat habs 4 - 2 & push the habs to the brink of elimination

The Bruins did not have a spectacular game on the whole, but were efficient in their checking, and were an absolute defensive force in the 3rd period, and this swung the game in their favour.

The game started with the Canadiens' fans booing the American national anthem (which I am sure their US-born players, Chris Higgins and Francis Bouillon, appreciated), and then booing starting goaltender Carey Price. Over the course of the game the fans at the Bell Centre booed the Canadiens' powerplay, Koivu's efforts in the offensive zone, the referee, and then made sarcastic cheers when Price made easy stops.

Only the booing of Zdeno Chara made any sense to me.

Honestly, if your team is on the brink of elimination to a far stronger team, and your idea of home-town advantage is to boo your own players, you are not a fan of any team, nor should you be surprised when they do not win.

And I certainly do not lump all Canadiens fans into the above category. But the booing at the Bell Centre was clearly heard on the National TV broadcast, and was at points louder than the cheering.

Anyway, despite the bad blood between these two clubs, tonight's game was a relatively clean affair. The Canadiens dished out some great checks in the first period, but less as the game went on, focusing more on trying to retain puck possession. The Bruins seemed to pick up the slack in the hitting department and began finishing checks more often through the second and third periods.

The B's won tonight primarily because of a few bursts of sustained pressure on the Canadiens defense, a lot of chip-and-chase hockey to wear the Habs' D down, and (as mentioned) a smothering defensive system in the third period. Ex-Hab Michael Ryder got the game winning goal, which must have pleased Claude Julien.

Finally, unlike Saturday's game, tonight's match-up was a close affair - but in playoff hockey, those little differences are all that separates any team from a win or a loss. Or all that separates a Series win from elimination.

The B's have a chance to close-out the Series on Wednesday, here in Montreal. Should be a great game!

bruins 2 - senators 1

The Bruins probably should not have had as much trouble as they did, trying to pot goals against the Senators in last night's match, but in the end, they got one more and that's how hockey games are decided.

Alex Auld was very good for the Senators, stopping multiple chances in close as the B's kept the pressure on the Sens for long stretches at a time. On the other side of the rink, Tim Thomas was tested early and often by an Ottawa club with nothing to play for but pride (and the rights to John Tavares).

As has been the case in some Bruins games this year, the B's ended up pinned in their own zone, unable to clear the puck due to arms made of surgical tubing (or something similar - possibly noodles), as Thomas literally dove around inside the crease stopping everything thrown his way. Some players looked great for the B's (Bergeron, Chara, Wheeler, Bitz), while others looked TERRIBLE (Ward, in particular, offered up awful floaters-as-clearing-attempts that kept the heat on his Bruin teammates, and sort of counter-acted that idea of experience bringing veteran leadership).

David Krejci had a good game, which is notable as he's been relatively invisible in recent games, and Michael Ryder was a force every time he was on the ice.

The win brings the Bruins to 50 wins for the season, and puts them one win away from retaining home ice advantage through the entire Eastern portion of the playoffs (should they advance that far).

Last night's game was a nail-biter, for sure, but the win marks the B's 6th in a row. Great stuff!

bruins 6 - ducks 0

The Bruins had one of those games where every bounce went their way, and practically everything they threw at the net found the twine - regardless of which goalie the Ducks were relying on at the time.

Matt Hunwick returned from the AHL to get the B's first goal, and the torrent started shortly thereafter: Michael Ryder for two, Chuck Kobasew for two, and Bitz getting a nice goal top shelf, while being harrassed by defenders.

It was also quite a chippy affair - George Parros scrapped with Shawn Thornton, and a few minutes later, Lucic got punched and then laid a few to the head of Mike Brown. I don't know if that counts, because he's basically just punching a helmet, but it certainly looked impressive.

I guess that's the point - I really don't know...

Despite all of this, the story of the night, so often the case, was the play of Tim Thomas. His shutout brings his total to four for the season, and even with the Bruins' recent losses, he still leads the league in both save percentage and goals against average.

Some footage of tonight's game can be found here.

bruins 6 - panthers 1

For those of you who were checking the blog for my comments on the Bruins' recent losing skid (at last count, 6 losses in 7 games), I apologize for my silence. Chalk it up to suffocating rage!

No, I actually had the computer version of a massive losing skid, having my laptop seize up like the Bruins' powerplay. I am presently using my old system, which runs on unicorn oil and children's dreams, and emits a high-potency dumbening ray that makes everyone within a 50 foot radius as smart as a Lindros. My apologies for letting you down....take it out of my salary.

The biggest issue in the recent losing skid was the the Bruins' effort, which alternated between sub-par and no-par. Their recent 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay and 2-0 loss to the Panthers were actually far better performances than the B's had offered in their previous games. It was a positive to build on (jeez, any more talk like that and I'll end up coaching the Senators...or worse...Tampa...).

Last night's rebound game against the Panthers was, hopefully, another step toward an all-team, all-zone performance. The Bruins scored earlier (Bergeron within the first minute) and supported the puck in all three zones.

Byron Bitz (pictured above, clubbing Panther goalie, Craig Anderson) became the story of the night, scoring two goals and having the hometown crowd chanting his name. I forget that guys like Bitz (and Sabotka, and Hunwick, etc.) are rookies because I've known about them for so long, but last night's match up with only Bitz's 20th NHL game. He's got good size and as the season has unfolded, he's looked more comfortable out there, better able to anticipate the play and get into the grit of the game (note: I just double-checked and this kid is 6 foot 5...damn!).

To me, the bigger story in last night's game was the return of Michael Ryder, who missed the previous 7 games with an orbital bone fracture. When was the last time YOU had an orbital bone fracture? Hurts, don't it?

Ryder had a goal, and an assist, and I have some stats somewhere that talks about the Bruins' record when Ryder scores....I'll see if I can dig it out.

Regardless, last night's game was a far stronger effort from a team that should be as dominant on the ice as they appear to be in the standings. Their 15 point lead over the second-place Capitals has dwindled to 6 points, due to the Bruins' skid and the mounting wins by the Ovechkins....oh, I mean, the Capitals.

Tim Thomas was his heart-stopping but stalwart self, and the B's will now continue a several-game home stand, hopefully regaining some momentum as the playoffs (and the NHL trade deadline approaches).

The Bruins next play the Ducks on Thursday. Surely a duck is no match for a bear. Surely!

bruins 3 - flyers 1

Just a quick post to summarize the Bruins' game against the Flyers last night. With the score deadlocked at one-goal-apiece through most the game, the Bruins potted two more in the third period, in the span of 25 seconds, to ultimately decide the game.

Tim Thomas was brilliant in nets, looking calm and sharp against a layered offensive attack from Philly. In response, David Krejci and Dennis Wideman had outstanding games, with each player taking care of business in both ends of the rink.

Bruins goalscorers were Ryder, Krejci and Wideman, but won the game due to tighter defense and a fast-action breakout from their own zone.

The B's meet the newly-coached Ottawa Senators tonight.

Of Note: There is no love lost between the Bruins and Flyers - Randy Jones is the....player....responsible for running Patrice Bergeron into the boards from behind, leading to his concussion problems, and Scott Hartnell was the....player....responsible for deliberately driving Mark Stuart's head into the dasher boards. In my book, the Flyers organization deserves no sympathy for the above reasons, but moreso for their shabby treatment of Roger Neilson, Bill Barber and (now Bruins assistant coach) Craig Ramsay.

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 2 - thrashers 1

Manny Fernandez got the start against the Thrashers last night, and once again, the goaltender kept the Black, White and Gold in the game.

The Bruins were largely outpaced for most of the match, and probably didn't deserve the win. It was one of those games where the goalie kept making miracles happen, and / or the Thrasher forwards had weird bounces or unlucky deflectiions spoil their chances to pot a few. In short, the game could have gone either way.

In these sorts of games, I always think about what the result would be if the B's were playing a more formidable foe. For instance, would a Shark or Red Wing forward have capitalized on chances that a Thrasher forward missed?

The argument is moot, of course, given that the Bruins have beaten the Red Wings this season and have yet to play the Sharks, and also that the Bruins may slightly change their game against the Sharks when they finally play them (and let's hope it is in the Finals).

For last night's game, the Bruins saw goals scored by Phil Kessel (perhaps beginning his next 18-game point streak?) and the winner deflected home by Michael Ryder on a pass from David Krejci.

As an aside to all those Canadiens fans who gave me grief about the Bruins signing Michael Ryder in the off-season to a $4 million contract, or to any of the Bruins faithful who felt that Glen Murray would have done a comparable job if he was retained through this year, I point out one statistic: Ryder now leads the league in game-winning goals with 7 tallies, and more importantly, he's a Plus 15.

Not that you can break down a team by their statistics, but a few others jump out at me about this Bruins squad.

They currently retain the top Four of Five leaders in Plus / Minus (Savard, Wideman, Wheeler, Krejci) and with Lucic and Kessel, the Bruins have 6 Plus / Minus leaders in the Top Ten.

The Bruins also boast both goalies in the League's Top Five for goals-against-average.

Final statistic to ponder on this Sunday afternoon: The Bruins come through December with their second consecutive 11-win month.

So much for the December skid that I've been predicting since September. I am very pleased to be wrong.

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 - thrashers 2

The Bruins completed their home-and-home stand against the Thrashers last night, in front of a surprising loud and populous TD Banknorth Centre.

Michael Ryder had two goals and Phil Kessel extended his league-best point streak to 15 games in the victory.

Manny Fernandez got the start (winning his 8th straight and improving to 9-2-1) as the Bruins enjoyed their 11th consecutive home win.

Phil Kessel's emergence as a bona fide offensive threat has begun to get the attention of the sports media as well as the opposition. While it's good to see Kessel get the credit he deserves, there's a down side as well: Thrashers defender Boris Valabik got his stick into Kessel's face, cross-checking and highsticking the young sniper. Zdeno Chara rushed to Kessel's defense, scrapping with Valabik and drawing 17 minutes in penalties.
It seems to me that Kessel's emergence has happened directly after being benched by Claude Julien in last year's playoffs. After riding the pine for two games, he's played with more grit and determination in every game.

After the game, Coach Julien had this to say of Kessel's emergence

And the key word is that it’s always been about confidence. But right now he’s got the confidence in the offensive zone and creating some good scoring chances. And he’s doing a great job at scoring goals. You know, the way he’s scoring them and tonight was one of those (nights). He took a shot and the rebound came right back at him and he shot again. He stood there and got rewarded for it. He’s been hot with the stick and definitely something that we’ve been looking for, for a long time -- somebody who can be a threat every night.

The Bruins do not play again until Thursday, earning some well-deserved rest.