Bruins 6, Rangers 3, Oscars Style

Last night the 86th Academy Awards were held in LA. In New York, the 681st meeting between the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers was also held. The Bruins won the game 6-3. There were many compelling performances. And since it was Oscar night, I thought it would be appropriate to do a game recap by awarding awards in the style of the Oscars.

Let's start off with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Jarome Iginla who scored Boston's first goal and added an assist. He's scored 18 goals this season, and is almost assured of a 20+ goal season, his 15th. He also has 46 points, on the verge of 50. This would be his 15th 50+ point season. Apart from the recent lockout shortened season, he hasn't fallen short of 50 points since 1997-98. That was also the last time he failed to score 20+ goals, apart from the lockout shortened season. Over 500 goals and over 1,100 points. Quite a career.

Best Supporting Actor goes to David Krejci. Krejci had 2 assists in the game. And on Iginla's goal it was his puck support and then his pass that set Iginla up for the score. Krejci is one of the best supporters in the League.

There is no Academy Award for best new actor, but Dougie Hamilton would have won its hockey equivalent Sunday night. He scored the Bruins' second goal by driving to the net while Iginla won a puck battle on the boards.

The award for Best Foreign Film should go to Carl Soderberg of Sweden. Soderberg roofed a shot that beat countryman Henrik Lundqvist in the 2nd period. Of all the non-American, non-Canadian players, he was the best. It certainly wasn't Lundqvist, who seemed a shell of himself. Nor was it Tuukka Rask, who let in some soft goals and some tired goals.

Best Makeup goes to Ryan McDonagh, who was bloodied late in the 2nd period.

Best Costume Design DID NOT go to the Bruins, as they were frequently undressed in the neutral zone. Too many turnovers, too many breakaway chances for the Rangers, and the Rangers capitalized on most of them.

There's no award for product placement, but Gregory Campbell's mmmm, mmmm good shorthanded goal in the 3rd would certainly garner a nomination if such a category did exist. Campbell's soup, baby.

About 16 minutes into the 3rd, Ryan McDonagh won the award for Best Actor when he collapased to the ice after a light jostling from Jarome Iginla. I didn't buy it. The refs didn't buy it. The Academy didn't but it.

Best Cinematography is an award given to the person who shoots the camera best. So it's essentially the Best Shooter Award. In this game, Gregory Campbell, with 2 goals on 3 shots, was the best shooter.

So there we have the Bruins/Rangers Academy Awards. The Bruins' next performance will be in Boston against the Panthers on Tuesday night.

Photo Credit:
Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Bruins Drop First Game Against Montreal

The Bruins seemed to approach this game waiting to see what Montreal would do and then react to it. The Canadiens came into Thursday night riding an 8-game point streak. And, surprisingly, they've also been fighting a lot. This was a different Montreal Canadiens team than the Bruins were used to. And the B's didn't seem to know what to expect. So instead of being assertive, they reacted.

Montreal was physical, selectively so. PK Subban frequently jousted with Brad Marchand, for example, not with Milan Lucic. There were some penalties, and a few post-whistle scrums, as well as a fight, but it wasn't the bloodbath some had anticipated/dreaded/hoped for. I wouldn't say that the Habs won the physical matchup, however they were not scared by the Bruins. They didn't let the Bruins affect how they played. Historically, when they've been able to play unaffected like that, they've been a difficult opponent for the B's to beat.

It helps that Carey Price had an amazing game. None of the Bruins were able to truly beat him. Gregory Campbell scored on a breakaway and Price had no chance of moving side-to-side fast enough to stop the shot. He stopped the 32 other shots he faced, carrying the Habs to 2 points, and to first place in the Atlantic Division.

Some good news from the game is that Johnny Boychuk was released from the hospital and cleared to travel. In the first period Max Pacioretty hit him at an awkward angle from behind near the boards, and Boychuk went into the dasher collar-bone first. He was taken off the ice by stretcher and transported to the hospital. Pacioretty received a 2 minute minor for the hit. I would have given him 4 (2 for boarding, 2 for roughing). I don't think he should be disciplined further. It was a weird hit, somewhat reckless, but not worth throwing the book at Pacioretty.

There's no word how long Boychuk will be sidelines for. At least he's out of the hospital.

It was a cleaner game than I thought it would be. I don't think the Bruins took the initiative. They let Montreal dictate things. Hopefully they will be more assertive when these teams meet again. Which isn't until January 30th. Isn't that lame?

Bruins host the Penguins Saturday night. That's quite unlame.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson

Keep Calm and Win the Fucking Game

So much to say about this game. To make a long, long story short: the Bruins played their worst 3 periods of the series then played 2 of their best. Tuukka Rask bailed them out 53 times. Vokoun and Rask dueled in the overtime. Jaromir Jagr kept making good plays and eventually the plays Jagr started were finished by Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.

Now let's get into details. For most of this game I was getting angrier and angrier at the Bruins. They scored early thanks to a Pittsburgh mistake in coverage, then played the type of hockey that has allowed opponents to come from behind against them all season long. For one stretch in the 2nd they were outshot 10-2. In the 3rd they were outshot 14-4. Pittsburgh had 8 scoring chances in the 3rd, the Bruins had 0.

The B's weren't dumping the puck on offense. They were trying to carry it in, then screwing around in the middle of the ice in the offensive end, instead of keeping the puck along the boards and trying to win battles. On the power play this inept strategy was exposed even more acutely. There were also a handful of neutral-zone turnovers that the Bruins simply didn't make in Games 1 and 2. Also some dumb, inexcusable penalties. All this gave Pittsburgh great chances to score. Rask was the reason Pittsburgh didn't score.

This was Rask's stand-on-your-head, become-a-Conn-Smythe-contender, where-legends-are-made performance. He was unflappable. The only goal he allowed, no human goalie could save. 53 saves on 54 shots. In this series he's stopped 108 of 110 shots (.981 SV%), and only allowed 2 goals in about 11 periods of play (0.56 GAA in this series), all against the highest scoring offense in the NHL. Such a high level of goaltending against such high level of scorers sounds eerily similar to what Tim Thomas did against the Vancouver Canucks in 2011.

Bergeron won the game in a fraction of seconds. Rask's play for 95 minutes allowed Bergeron to win it.

Some honorable mentions to some Bruins' defensemen. Zdeno Chara played 42:05, all of it great. In the 2nd regulation period he broke up a golden scoring opportunity that Evgeni Malkin would have had. It was a play only he and his vast reach could have made.

Andrew Ference logged almost 35 minutes of ice-time. He played his solid, physical brand of hockey. He left a few marks on a few Penguins.

Johnny Boychuk led the Bruins with 5 blocked shots, 2 of which came in double-overtime when Pittsburgh mounted a major scoring threat.

Dennis Seidenberg didn't have a bad game, but did make some weak/unwise passes trying to move the puck out of the defensive zone. This led to longer Pittsburgh possessions, more shots, more chances, more anxiety from me. However, he sharpened up in overtime.

All of the Bruins seemed to elevate their games in the overtime. Milan Lucic skated hard, Jagr looked half his age, Horton created a few chances for himself, even the faceoffs seemed to even out.

One player we didn't see in overtime was Gregory Campbell, who blocked a shot with his femur, then gutted out the remainder of the shift, doing what he could as a stationary obstacle. That determination energized the Bruins for the next 4 or 5 shifts. That's what you can't see on paper when you look at a roster. That's what you can't count on when all you do is assemble talented all-stars like Pittsburgh. This group of players in Boston have been together for a long time. They play for each other and for the team. And newcomers like Jagr and Krug see that, want to be a part of it, and if they buy into it they're accepted.

I don't know if Pittsburgh has that. Are Crosby and Malkin leaders? How does their leadership stack up against Chara or Bergeron? Or Ference? Or Campbell? Or Thornton? Does Pittsburgh have the same camaraderie in their rank and file? Chemistry counts.

Game 4 is Friday night. A sweep would be fantastic for so many reasons. Crosby, Iginla, and of course Cooke would all end their season in Boston. It would be glorious. Let's hope.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Elise Amendola

Fourth Line to the Rescue

I really thought the Rangers were going to steal this game. Fans up here in Boston had been feeling cocky about the Bruins "beating" Lundqvist for 8 goals, when he actually hadn't played that bad. I thought maybe the players would feel a little too overconfident as well. Lundqvist came out and made some Vezinian saves, and this game looked like it would end as a 1-0 Tortorella special. It would have if not for the play of the Bruins' 4th line.

Some people, such as 98.5's Michael Felger, like to complain about the 4th line. And even I sometimes get annoyed when they're on the ice in a potential scoring situation. The fact is, they play their roles and occasionally add a little more. Thornton is the enforcer. Paille is a speedy penalty-killer. Campbell also kills penalties and is sort of a jack of all trades, master of none. Sometimes they go above and beyond their roles. Like last night when they generated 2 goals. Shawn Thornton's numbers speak volumes to their contribution...

6:42 time on ice, 11 shifts, 2 assists, +2, 2 shots on goal, 3 hits, 1 blocked shot

He only played in 11% of the game, and he did all that.

You never fail to notice that the 4th line is on the ice. Sometimes you don't notice Lucic or Horton or Peverley. But you never fail to notice the 4th line. And they won the game last night. So from me, and from the 4th line, suck it, Felger...

Tuukka Rask's play made it so the 4th line was in position to win the game. The goal Rask allowed in the 2nd possibly could have been saved, but apart from that he was flawless. His 3rd period right-pad stop on Rick Nash during a 4-on-2 breakaway when the game was 1-1 was the biggest save of the game. Bigger than any saves Lundqvist made. It was also a timely save. And it could prove to be the biggest save of the series. That save is probably the difference between a 3-0 series and a 2-1 series. And just like the ball-strike count in baseball, that's a huge difference. The Bruins now have a 3-0 count in their favor, and a green light to swing away.

Continuing the baseball comparison, Rask was like a pitcher who gave up a solo homerun in the 2nd inning, but retired the last 9 batters he faced, starting with striking out the side with the bases loaded in the 7th.

Rask was an Ace last night.

And let's not forget Johnny Boychuk, who scored his 4th postseason goal. That's second most on the Bruins (behind Krejci's 5 and tied with Horton), and the most of any defenseman in the playoffs. He has 10 career playoff goals in 55 games. That's not bad at all for a defenseman.

I do have a question to pose: if the Bruins get all their defensemen healthy, should they put Torey Krug on the 3rd line as a winger? Obviously this is not a serious question. Or is it? It isn't.

Or is it?

Game 4 Thursday night. Expect a desperate Rangers team to fight tooth and nail. It could be the hardest game of the series for the Bruins. Or maybe the Rangers will quit on their coach and get blown out 5-1.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

The Hibernating Bruins Have Awoken

Through two periods last night, the Bruins had 7 goals, the Leafs had 7 shots. That sums it up right there. The Bruins have put together 6 consecutive periods of quality hockey, and they hadn't done that since Thanksgiving. Winter is over. Spring is here. The hibernating bears have woken up. And they mauled Golidlocks (Kessel).

The B's kept up their good habits the whole game despite the lopsided lead. Playing well meant more to them than the two points which were already in their pockets. And that's very encouraging to see.

I'm glad Thomas stayed in net for the 3rd. The idea of resting him and putting in Turco is a bit silly. How much rest are you really giving Thomas? And what if Turco lets 4 go by him in 10 minutes, you have to bring Thomas back? And it's also good to let Thomas go out there in the 3rd and try for a shutout, his 5th of the season, and first since December 17th. He only needed to make 13 saves so it's not like that 3rd period taxed him much anyway.

Joe Corvo was scratched again. And that's very fine with me. 125 minutes without him and the Bruins have played 125 of their best minutes of the season.

On Saturday the defensemen initiated the physical battles against Philadelphia. Last night the forwards followed their example. Gregory Campbell fought 30 pounds above his weight-class and held his own against Luke Schenn. Komisarek made the mistake of taking on Lucic. And he should know better by now.

The crowd chanted "Thank you, Kessel" after Seguin scored to make it 8-0, and I think the differences between Kessel and Seguin emphasize the differences between the Maple Leafs and Bruins. Kessel has 35 goals and 40 assists. Seguin has 26 goals and 34 assists. Kessel is a threat to score 40 every season. Seguin might be that someday, but right now he isn't.

However, Seguin plays the whole game. He makes defensive plays and smart passes. He doesn't hurt his team. He is an elite talent playing the within team's system. Kessel is an elite talent but struggles in systems. Kessel plays Phil Kessel's game. That's partially why he is a -7, and Seguin is a +29.

Kessel is also probably a better golfer than Seguin. That's an individualistic game which suits Kessel's attitude better. And Kessel gets much more opportunity to sharpen his skills.

To be fair to Kessel, the Leafs don't have much of a system for him to play in. And last night they surrendered when they were down 4-0. No fire, no pride, no team mentality. Just 5 individuals skating around. It tends to happen when you build your team around guys like Phil Kessel.

Bruins head West to San Jose Thursday night. The Bruins are 3 points ahead of Ottawa with a game in hand. The Senators host New Jersey tonight.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Bruins Find 4th Gear in 3rd Period

The Bruins have an uncanny ability to turn up their intensity, focus, and dominate the 3rd period of games. If games only had 2 periods, the B's would be in the middle of the pack in the Conference. But thanks to their 3rd period play, they're one of the best teams in the NHL.

It was more of that last night. The Bruins recorded the first 10 shots on goal. Thomas didn't have to make a save until about 10 minutes into the period. And by then, it was 3-1 Bruins.

Ference had a snipe that Brodeur couldn't see thanks to his own teammate trying to clear Paille out of the slot. Horton had a tip in after some nice wing to wing to wing passing on the Power Play. And Campbell's goal came after a cross-corner dump in, a Jersey turnover, and a flurry of shots and rebounds off Brodeur.

This year the Bruins have pounced on teams when there's blood in the water. They've scored 2 goals in 1 minute 14 times this year. That's absurd. Last season, they'd score a goal and then play defensively, even relaxing a little bit. This year, they score one goal, and the next line wants to add to the total.

It must be demoralizing on an opponent.

Kelly added an ampty-netter. He has 14 goals this year. His career high is 15.

It wasn't a clean game, but it was a well-deserved win. The Bruins played it tight all game, then pulled away in the 3rd period. And Tim Thomas looks to be back to his A-Game.

Now they get to host the Rangers, whose owner is already talking about his team winning the Cup. Don't think that hasn't caught the attention of the Bruins.

B's vs. Rangers Saturday afternoon.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Bruins Vanquish Devils

It's fitting that the Bruins achieved win #6 of their streak against the Devils. 6 as in 666, as in the Devil (even though 666 actually refers to Nero Caesar, not the Devil. Yes, I am that much of a nerd that I know that). And unlike the other games, they didn't pour 6+ goals in order to win it. They grinded this win out, against a determined New Jersey team.

The Bruins got contributions from guys who aren't on the top two lines. Gregory Campbell showed up big time, with two goal-triggering passes. He's the reason why Chris Kelly and Shawn Thornton scored goals.

The Bruins earned this one. They started a bit slower than the Devils, who came out determined. They withstood the onslaught and kept themselves in the game. And in the 3rd period, they willed their way to win. Which was extra impressive because they've been cruising in the 3rd period lately. They reached down and found that little extra something and they've now won 6 straight.

Just a bit of a tangent here: How good is Zdeno Chara? He might be the most complete player in the NHL. Obviously he's a dominating defensive force. But he plays in every key situation. The Bruins tried (and succeeded with) that set-play off the faceoff with a winger fainting wide then cutting to the center of the ice. Who has been the defenseman who made the tape-to-tape pass before both goals? Chara.

He's +9 during this streak, +10 on the season, with a goal and 12 assists. There are a handful of defensemen who have more points than that, but none of them are anywhere near as defensively stifling as Chara.

Bruins host the Blue Jackets Thursday night. They're dead-last in the NHL with a 3-13-1 record and are 0-7 on the road. This is a great opportunity for win #7 so long as complacency doesn't set in.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

BRUINS MURDER CANADIENS, CALL THE POLICE

The Bruins didn't just kill the Canadiens, they took their souls.

When these teams have met this season, the game tends to be decided early. That trend continued. The Bruins were in charge from the drop of the puck. The Power Play struggled with entry, but once they took the zone, they stayed there. The Bruins simply wanted it more.

Everyone contributed (except Ryder). Gregory Campbell atoned for his mistakes in the New Jersey game with a rare 3-on-5 goal. Horton looked like a scorer again. Peverley was a few inches here and there from a multi-point night.

The defensemen played well in all three zones, smothering the Canadien forwards, and contributing on offense. Like Chara with 3 assists. Kaberle with his first goal as a Bruin. McQuaid scored, as did Boychuk, who was in playoff form all night.

Then there's Thomas, who only had 24 stops to make, but some of them were pretty big in the 1st period. And some of them were pretty difficult in the 2nd and 3rd. 8th shutout of the year for Timmy.

The Bruins didn't do much wrong last night. It was a Flawless Victory, with Campbell's 3-on-5 goal the Fatality.

You had to be pleased with the Bruins putting in maximum effort for 60 minutes. Actually, 60 minutes and 2 seconds, because that's when Seguin shot the puck at Auld after the buzzer.

So let's enjoy this big win over our ancient rival. But come Saturday, this is in the past. Bruins host a team that actually has a heart. They're called the New York Rangers. That's another potential playoff preview.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo