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.

Bruins Beat Philly in OT - Take Game 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game 2 goes Monday in Boston.

Bruins to Face Philly in Round 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bruins Win Two - Retain Final Playoff Spot

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

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

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

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

Bruins Response to Penguins - Total Indifference

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

Sadly, the Bruins' response was lacklustre.

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

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

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

That sound you hear is the playoffs, slipping away.

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

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

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

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 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 Shut Senators Out

Sorry for my absence here on Black, White and Gold. I've been working a writing contract that has kept me really busy and unable to do regular updates. Although, maybe that's for the best, given that the B's last four games have all been losses, and nobody really wants to read my stream of invectives.

Tonight's game against the Senators was what you could euphemistically call a 'defensive battle', but more accurately position as a game between two teams that cannot score.

Tim Thomas got the start tonight (which makes sense), but I was startled to see that Timmy is one game under .500 in his wins and losses, and his GAA is creeping up. It has not been a bad season for Thomas, but it certainly has been inconsistent, and his play of late has added a touch more heart-in-mouth-syndrome than usual. Tonight, however, Thomas was his usual spring-loaded self, and gained the shutout despite a couple of close calls.

The game was tied 0-0 going into the third period, when Patrice Bergeron was finally able to capitalize on a fat rebound to put the Bruins ahead by a goal. About 4 minutes later, Marco Sturm was given a great breakaway feed by Marc Savard, and he potted the Bruins' second of the night. It was all the B's would need for the win.

The Bruins' powerplay was, again, absolutely abhorrent. They went 0-3 and only looked marginally dangerous on one of the man-advantages. I know I know nothing about what actually happens in NHL practices, but are the Bruins even trying to improve this powerplay? I mean, it has been over 30 games and they are still nearly last in the league, run each powerplay at half-impulse-power and look totally disorganized nearly every time out.

Maybe the Bruins need some quality time with Coach O'Connor, my Pee-Wee hockey coach, who taught our team how to run a decent umbrella-style powerplay. We got to the finals that year! Then we lost by two goals. But we had an effective powerplay! But still lost by two goals.

Regardless, Zdeno Chara looked great tonight, and the team welcomed Dennis Wideman back from injury. It turns out they didn't need a good powerplay to win, but man....it sure would be nice to say they had one anyway.

The Bruins play again on Wednesday against Atlanta, and then bundle up for the Holiday break, hoping that Santa brings them some powerplay goals.

Bruins Make Savvy Move

TSN is reporting that the Bruins have locked up forward Marc Savard to a 7-year contract, with an average annual cap hit of $4.2 million. This is great news for the Bruins Nation, as Savard has continued to be an over-achieving / under-appreciated asset in the NHL, and the Bruins clearly want to retain his services long-term.

One of the darkest days for me as a Bruins fan (and there have been quite a few) was the day that Joe Thornton was traded away. At the time (and now!), Thornton was in the top five in scoring, and in exchange the Bruins received players who are simply not in the upper ranks - only one of whom still plays for the club (and before anyone considers this an insult, I will say again that I am big fan of Marco Sturm, but everyone must acknowledge that he does not put up the points that Thornton does). It was yet another example of the Bruins scuttling the quality of the team for some short-term gains.

Conversely, one of the happiest days for me as a Bruins fan came on July 1st, 2006, when the B's signed Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard, ending a looooooong drought where the B's chose the bottom line over on-ice performance. They've both been outstanding Bruins.

As Savard approached unrestricted free agency, I was pretty concerned that the team would decide to shop around, once again bringing in role players and mid-level talent for an elite set-up man. Fortunately, the Bruins decided to stay-the-course they chose a few seasons ago, and re-up Savard for the long haul.

A great move for the Bruins, a great opportunity for Savard, and hopefully, a move that puts Savard onto the radar of the Team Canada management, who have thus far criminally overlooked Savvy for the Olympics.

Welcome back, Savvy.

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.

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.

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 Shut Out Stanley Cup Champion Penguins

The Bruins rolled out their black retro sweaters and took on the defending Stanley Cup champions tonight in Boston, shutting out Sydney and company, 3-0.

Tim Thomas got the start in nets, and backstopped the Bruins to their most complete game of the season.

From the first face-off, through the final moments of the game where they were down 6 players to 4 (on the penalty-kill with the Penguins' goalie on the bench for the extra attacker), the Bruins kept their intensity up and played the up-tempo-defensive system that brought them so much success last season. Matt Hunwick, Daniel Paille and Patrice Bergeron got the goals for the Bruins.

The difference between tonight's game and the game against, say, the Red Wings last week, was remarkable. Tonight it seemed like the Bruins had adapted to life without Savard, Lucic and Kessel (two injuries and a trade respectively), and had begun to find a bit of chemistry on their lines.

David Krejci returned from battling Swine Flu and looked good throughout the game. Michael Ryder did not register a goal but caused a lot of havoc, and both Chara and Morris were effective at shutting down the Penguin forwards.

While I recognize that the Pens were without a few key players (most notably Malkin and Gonchar), tonight's game was fairly evenly fought, and there were chances at either end of the ice. The 3-0 score had less to do with the play of the Penguins (and nothing to do with how Marc-Andre Fleury played) and more to do with how the Bruins kept attacking the Pens in waves.

Frankly, it was good to see, and an indication of the full potential of this team which we've only seen in brief glimpses so far, this season.

Of Note: Raymond Bourque was in attendance tonight, as his son Chris was suiting up for the Penguins; Tonight's win marked the first time the Bruins had won 2-straight games this season; Tim Thomas recorded his 14th career shutout, passing Andy Moog for 10th on the Bruins all-time list.

Bruins Rally to Beat Islanders in SO

Well, the Bruins again chose to only play a one-period hockey game, but unlike their game against the Ducks, it resulted in a victory.

In their last game, against Anaheim, the Bruins had a great first period and then fell apart for the next two periods, finally losing 6-1. However, against the Islanders last night, the Bruins spotted their opponents a 3-0 lead heading into the third before finally turning on the jets mid-way through the final frame.

With about 16 minutes remaining in the game, Marc Savard got the B's first goal. A few minutes later, Byron Bitz scored to make it a one-goal game, and with about 2 minutes remaining in the match, Matt Hunwick's point shot found a way through the traffic to beat NY goalie, Dwayne Roloson, tying the score. With each goal the audience became more electrified and the team seemed to start believing they could pull out a win in the game.

Overtime solved nothing, and eventually Savard scored the winner (top shelf) in the shoot-out.

The positive, of course, is the win. The negative is that it had to be in a come-back situation, and was against an opponent that the Bruins - at their best - should not have had any trouble dominating.

Still, this early in the young season, this win was a good test for the mettle of the Bruins club who clearly need to bring their ability to deal with adversity back up to last year's levels.

Tuukka Rask got the start and won his first NHL game. One of the game highlights for me was seeing how totally pumped he was after making the final stop in the shootout. Bruins fans will come to love that level of competition from the young Finn.

Of Note: Dennis Wideman left the game in the second period with a shoulder injury - sorry - undisclosed upper body injury - and did not return. No word yet on his status.

Bruins Blow Hurricanes Away - 7-2

Getting a 3-0 lead in the first period is always a good start for a hockey team (especially when you get two in 26 seconds), but to then continue to pile on the goals is a great way to show your opponent that you haven't forgotten your history against them.

After being dismissed by the Hurricanes in last year's playoffs, then blowing their first game of the year against the Capitals, the Bruins were obviously suitably motivated for tonight's match-up against the 'Canes, and ended up winning 7-2.

Marc Savard had a three point night (a goal and two assists) and Shawn Thornton had a goal and a win in a fight against (former Bruins) Andrew Alberts.

Marco Sturm continued his strong return from injury with a goal and an assist, and the Bruin defenders were able to chip in as well (goals for Wideman and Hunwick, two assists for Morris) in the team's victory.

The win was significant, given how poorly they played on Thursday night, in re-establishing the Bruins as an important force in the Eastern Conference. It also obviously provides some vindication for last year's playoff ouster. But most important, I think, is that it allowed the Bruins to begin to gel in front of Tim Thomas, and to reaffirm that this team full of young talents is "for real" again this year.

Like a lot of Bruins fans, I was worried that several members of the B's would experience the sophomore slump, taking a step back in their second year in the league. While one game does not a season make, tonight's match may show that the Bruins youngsters are inspired to play at last year's level (or better) and to build on the team's unexpected successes.

It also pleased me to see the Hurricanes beaten so, so badly by the Black, White and Gold.

The Bruins next play on Thursday against the Ducks, in Boston.

bruins win 4 - 2 and force game seven!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

bruins 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 beat habs 5 - 1 & take game two at home

The Bruins were again able to gain a two-goal lead on their conference rivals, le Canadiens, in last night's match, and never really looked back from there.

The difference between Game One and Game Two, however, seemed to be the powerplay. Boston went 3 for 5 with the man advantage, with Shane Hnidy (the Sheriff!) getting the third goal. Hnidy has been a healthy scratch in favour of youngster Matt Hunwick, but Hunwick did an unexpected Peter Forsberg impersonation and had to have an emergency splenectomy to have his spleen removed. Ouch.

Hnidy, for his part, showed that in hockey terms "veteran" still has some positive associations. He was a physical force and essentially played a simple, stable game, allowing players like Chara and Wideman the freedom to play their more roving styles.

Of special note in last night's game, in my books at least, was Patrice Bergeron, who absolutely leveled Kovalev at mid-ice in the first period (thus establishing a tone that the team carried through the match) and, unexpectedly, dropping the mitts with Josh Gorges for his first NHL fight. Bergie held his own against Gorges and landed a strong series of lefts to the face of the Canadiens' defender.

Marc Savard had four points in the game, but will unfortunately be a bigger target in Game Three as the Bruins will be without Milan Lucic, who seems to garner an awful lot of attention from the Habs.

Looch was tossed out after he cross-checked Lapierre in the face in the final five minutes of the game, which leads to an automatic disciplinary meeting and probable suspension.

Lapierre, for his part, looked great with a piece of lumber shoved in his face. It stopped him from running anyone into the glass from behind for at least a single shift. Small blessings.

The B's and Habs renew acquaintances on Monday night here in Montreal. Should be an incredible atmosphere in the city!

bruins trade rumours - the way forward (so to speak)

Given how voracious the hockey-gossip mill can be, and all the names being floated out there as possible trades to any team before the looming NHL trade deadline (seemingly every player on every team is available, if you listen to the media), I thought it may be a good time to stop and comment on what the Bruins may do.

As has been pointed out by Fluto Shinzawa at the Boston Globe, the B's face off-season challenges where both goalies (Thomas and Fernandez) are becoming Unrestricted Free-Agents (UFA) this summer; where Krejci, Kessel (pictured above), Hunwick, Lashoff, Karsums, and Soderberg are all becoming Restricted Free Agents (RFA) this summer; and where Wheeler, Lucic, Nokelainen, Stuart, and (goalie prospect) Rask are becoming RFA's in 2010-2011. Given the restrictions of the NHL salary-cap, there is simply no way that the Bruins team we see this year will be the same one next year, and it may be remarkably different the following year. There is not enough money in the pot to keep them all.

Also, HockeyBuzz inside-man Eklund has been regularly reporting on the hot coals under the Erik Cole trade rumours. It seems Edmonton has been unimpressed with Cole's lack of productivity, and the Bruins are looking for a left-handed shot on the top 6 forward lines - to replace the firepower of the injured Marco Sturm. There are also recurring rumours about Chris Pronger joining the B's, or Keith Tkatchuk coming back to his hometown of Boston (something I, for one, am not advocating).

Given Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli's savvy management thus far, I think it behooves the team to move one of the UFAs or RFAs coming up this year, to try and better the team for this season's playoff run. With a few exceptions, this Bruins club is VERY young, but in today's NHL, there is not the luxury of "waiting til next year" for a legitimate shot at a deep playoff ride - there is no guarantee that the prospects and restricted free agents you've amassed will be there for you in the coming years, or that the chemistry in the room will work out to your advantage (look no further than the Senators or Penguins for a magical combo of crazy talent + lack-of-chemistry = total nightmare seasons).

While it pains me to think of some of my favourite B's being moved before their contract expires, it frankly is the smartest option in a marketplace where a team's future depends on maximizing the returns on players for years to come.

If the Bruins were to let any of their hotshot youngsters depart in the off-season - either to test the market as UFAs, or by being offered ridiculous contract-sheets that the Bruins would have to match (hello Dustin Penner!) - I'd feel a lot worse than if they moved whichever players they most risked losing to get some returns.

In this way you are losing the immediate future of a familiar lineup, but reducing the chances of getting caught in an off-season without these players, or the return they could offer.

On the Cole rumours specifically - I have a hard time believing that ANY player's numbers would not benefit if they are partnered with Marc Savard or David Krejci - two players gifted with an unparalleled ability to dish the puck to a sniper. In that sense, he's a good player to consider in the Black White and Gold.

bruins 3 - canadiens 1

Boston met their long-time arch rivals in an up-tempo afternoon game yesterday, and enjoyed a return to early-season form in the win. Les Canadiens took the ice in their throwback "escaped convict" / "barbershop nightmare" sweaters, and were able to get the first goal against Bruins' keeper Tim Thomas. Robert Lang wristed home a shot on a Canadiens' powerplay.

Giving up the first goal fits with the Bruins' recent profile, however, in a reversal of story lines, it was the Bruins scoring in the final seconds of the period to knot the game up at one-goal-apiece. Dennis Wideman got the goal by picking off a Komisarek pass, and walked in from the blue line to get the puck on net. It crossed the goal-line with 0.6 seconds left in the period.

In the second period, Shawn Thornton made his impact felt for a second time (Thornton fought some random Canadiens' call-up in the first period), by potting the eventual game-winner. Byron Bitz fed a pass from behind the net to Thornton in the crease, and he pushed home his 5th goal of the season past Canadiens goalie Price. The goal was just-deserts for a Bruins fourth-line that had been battling hard for every loose puck all game.

In the third period, the Bruins were able to gain a bit of breathing room, with Marc Savard's empty net goal. Savard held his ground at centre, blocking a chip in attempt, and making sure any miss would not be ruled Icing, he hit the empty net for the final goal. The Bruins take the victory.

With the win, the Bruins become the first team in the League to reach 80 points. This was the Bruins 4th win in five meetings against the Canadiens.