B'S BACK IN BUSINESS

Coming off their first 4 game losing streak of the season, the Bruins seemed listless and despondent. They weren't scoring, not on the power play or even strengthed. They were turning the puck over in the neutral zone and even their defensive zone. They needed a spark.

They got it.

Tim Thomas, David Krejci, and Zdeno Chara all had fantastic games. Thomas allowed 1 shot by him, stopping the other 31 he saw. Krejci, a.k.a. The Matrix for the way he seems to bend time and space to his bidding, had a goal and assist. Chara had an assist, 3 takeaways, and 2 blocked shots.

Kessel's goal-less streak was extended, but he had three golden chances to end it. He just couldn't slip it past Cameron Ward. The goals will come. He's not forcing the issue, and he's doing everything else he needs to do. I see a bunch of Kessel goals coming very soon.



Patrice Bergeron was able to end his goal-less streak. He scored the empty-netter that made it 5-1. He hadn't scored since November 21st.

Hopefully the Hurricanes get the 8th seed and the Bruins face them in the playoffs. In four meetings, the Bruins have come out on top 4-2, 4-2, 5-1, and 5-1. That's 18-6 combined. This is also the first year that either the Bruins or the Hurricanes/Whalers have swept the other in their season series.

Bruins stay down South and play the Panthers Saturday night.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker

UPSET CITY, BABY

Boston College 80, #5 Duke 76. A classic contest that may have punched BC's entry ticket into the Big Dance. Or at the very least, put their destiny in their own hands.

This game was won in the 1st half. Duke dominated most of the first 20 minutes, leading by 11 with 5 minutes left in the 1st, and down by 13 with 2 and a half minutes left. Tyler Roche then Tyrese Rice each hit 3s, then Rice hit another field goal to make it a 5 point game going into halftime.

Duke had a chance to put BC away before the half, but they eased up a bit, and the Eagles clamped down on defense. BC gained some momentum, but more importantly, gave themselves a chance to keep it a close game.

The 2nd half saw some good defese, lots of turnovers, and some clutch shooting by BC. They didn't let Duke pull away, and eventually ground out a tie with 13:03 left, then a lead with 9:25 on the clock. Back and forth the two went, but BC made more clutch shots down the stretch, and played outstanding defense.

Reggie Jackson was huge, finishing with 15. Rice had 21, and all of them seemed to come in big moments. With 1:32 on the clock, down by 1, he hit a 3 pointer. That gave BC the lead they held until the final buzzer.



I was working on the floor at this game, and then had to help escort the Duke players off the court as the BC students charged. I had goosebumps, and it was hard to contain a smile.

BC has 4 games left, 2 of which are against good teams. They play in Miami Saturday afternoon, in a contest between two ACC bubble teams. FSU comes to Boston a week from Thursday. Tickets are on sale.

By the way, this was the first time BC has beaten Duke in 24 years.



Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credits:
AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE BRUINS?

The Bruins lost their second straight Friday night, squeezed 1-0 by the trap-happy Devils. The B's have lost two straight in regulation, and three in a row overall. If not for some brilliant goaltending by Tim Thomas against the Senators, it could have been 4 consecutive defeats.

So what gives?

One problem against opponents like New Jersey is the trap. The Bruins' offense is predicated on bringing the puck over the blue line, not dumping it into the corner and forechecking to regain possession. But against a team that clogs the middle of the ice as effectively as the Devils, you have to dump in the puck, try to get it back before they regroup, and punish them for standing up on their blue line.

I don't think Milan Lucic being on the 1st line with Savard and Kessel as the best way to utilize him. Lucic excels at this forechecking business, but Savard and Kessel are typically clever enough to bring the puck in, even against a tight defense. Lucic could be better used to help a less skilled line dump and chase. Just a thought.

In the end, you just have to give credit to New Jersey goalie Scott Clemmensen, who stopped all 31 shots he saw, earning his 2nd straight shutout. Also, the Bruins couldn't buy a good rebound.

The Bruins continue their road trip in the South, stopping at Nashville Saturday night, then Carolina, then Florida. Hopefully they'll be able to work out their small problems against this mid-level calibre opposition.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

C'S SHOW SOME CHARACTER

The Celtics have struggled in close games lately, but last night they turned that trend around. And going into the All-Star break, it was the perfect time to do so.

Paul Pierce's 31 points, and Rajon Rondo's triple-double (19 points, 14 assists, 15 rebounds) spearheaded the Celtics' efforts. The C's were down by 15 at one point in the 3rd, but they outplayed the Mavericks down the stretch. They made their last 9 free throws. Pierce was 5 for 7 in the 4th, with 19 points.

Had the Celtics lost last night, they would have been in a 2-3 slump going into the break with a sour taste in their mouths. Now they have something good to sit back and rest with.

All-Star Game is Sunday night.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

A-JOKE

What a joke Alex Rodriguez has become, and truly has always been. The one thing he had going for him was his numbers. Many believed that one day he'd surpass Ruth, then Aaron, then Bonds. And legitimately so. 100 years from now, people wouldn't remember how much of a choker he was in the playoffs, or all the drama he carried with him like a purse.

And now even that's out the window.

Just how funny is A-Rod's career?

Remember this from the 2004 ALCS?



Then there's his .279 career postseason average.



There was his muscle-bound stripper mistress, who, in retrospect, probably did roids along with Rodriguez, then beat the crap out of him.



Then he won a prize for being Madonna's 10,000th "customer," but got dumped by the 50 year old. That's right, she's 50. And he got dumped.



Then there was Joe Torre outing A-Rod as a figure of amusement in the Yankee clubhouse, nicknamed A-Fraud behind his back. Torre also discussed his obsession with teammate Derek Jeter.

And now he's been exposed as a cheater.

This video clip from 60 Minutes a few years ago is priceless...



Watch it again and notice how he half-nods while saying he's never done steroids or HGH.

This is all just too funny. But it's also sad. Because of cheaters like Rodriguez, Clemens, and Bonds; clean players from this generation will have their numbers overly scrutinized forever. Instead of being honored for succeeding in an environment swarming with cheats, they'll be lowered to their level. And that's the tragedy of all this.

Who is responsible for this tragedy? Selig and Major League Baseball share a piece of the blame cake. The owners knew what was happening, and didn't care until it became public. Looking back at the 1998 Home Run race, us fans were pretty naive to not notice that Sammy Sosa became Babe Ruth overnight, and Mark McGwire was an Irish version of the Incredible Hulk.

But hey, here's a thought; LET'S BLAME THE PLAYERS WHO ACTUALLY DID IT!!!

Nobody put a gun to A-Fraud's head and made him juice up. Nobody threatened Barry Bonds to down some HGH. And these guys were hardly scrapping minor leaguers. These were established MLB stars, multi-millionaires, who's greed for glory exceeded their respect for the game.

Fuck them.

NCAA OR NIT FOR BC?

The BC Eagles hosted #11 Clemson Tuesday night, and faced #7 Wake Forest Sunday afternoon. Both games saw competitive first halves. Both games saw a more talented opponent pull away. But both games, to me, demonstrated that BC belongs in the NCAA tournament.

Last night, the Eagles held a 39-35 lead over the Tigers at halftime. The night ended with Clemson on the good side of an 87-77 score, but the game was much tighter than that, and would have been even closer if not for some generous calls that went Clemson's way.

BC's remaining schedule looks like this:

2/15 vs. #6 Duke
2/21 @ Miami
2/24 vs. #24 Florida State
3/4 @ NC State
3/7 vs. Georgia Tech

They should roll over NC State and Georgia Tech, giving them at least 20 wins on the year. Beating Duke would be miraculous, and would give BC reservations to the Dance, but let's be realistic. If they beat either Miami or FSU, then finish the season with victories over NC State and Georgia Tech, it seems as though BC will make the NCAA tournament.

If they don't beat either Miami or FSU; or don't beat BOTH NCSU and GT, then the Eagles will have to impress in the ACC Tournament.

This is how competitive the ACC is this year. BC is in 7th with a 6-5 conference record. Yet they're only 2 games out of 1st. ESPN.com's Bracketology forecasts 8 ACC teams selected for the NCAAs. That might be on the high side. But what's vital for BC is to separate themselves from teams like Miami, Maryland, and Virginia Tech.

Otherwise, they'll find themselves hosting NIT games.


Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

BEANPOT PREVIEW

#1 Boston University faces #3 Northeastern. BU has the most Beanpots (28), Northeastern has the fewest (4). Northeastern hasn't won the title since 1988. They beat the Terriers that year. But they've lost 4 straight title games since then. They lost all 4 to BU.

These teams faced each other in November, with BU winning convincingly, 3-0. But since then, Northeastern has turned it on. NU goalie Brad Thiessen made 45 saves against BC in the opening round, and is arguably the best netminder in Hockey East.

But this is BU's tournament. BU has beaten a laundry list of good teams already this year. North Dakota, Michigan State, Denver, Northeastern, UNH, BC. I think they have more depth than the Huskies, and they'll be more poised in the big game.

BU 3, Northeastern 2.

REFS AND BROAD STREET BITCHES STEAL SOME POINTS

I try to avoid using the L word for sports as much as possible. To me, bad luck isn't hitting a post, or hitting a flyball 400 feet and into an outfielder's glove. Typically, plays that are deemed by many to be lucky are the end results of good play leading up to a fortunate happening.

But Saturday afternoon, the Flyers were lucky. They were lucky that the referees called a tight game on the Bruins and a loose game on them. They were lucky that as the most penalized team in the NHL, they received a mere 6 penalty minutes. Meanwhile, the Bruins were shorthanded 6 times.

The Flyers are pussies. It's as simple as that. They wait for an opponent's back to turn, then they get all rowdy. Face-to-face, man-to-man, they're cowards. And now, they're also divers.

Philly's first goal came during a 5 on 3. Both penalties on the Bruins were correct and indisputable. But Mark Stuart's tripping should have been a coincidental minor with Braydon Coburn (the Flyer he tripped) for diving. Coburn pirouetted like Sasha Cohen, embellishing the call. And by the rules, that's a dive, even if the player was actually tripped or hooked.

Philly's 3rd and tying goal also came on a BS power play. Chuck Kobasew was called for a ticky-tack interference penalty, and once again, the Flyers demonstrated their acting abilities. Claude Giroux convinced the refs Kobasew had molested him. Once again, instead of coincidental minors, the Bruins were shorthanded, and they let up a goal.

The Flyers also got away with numerous small infractions, the likes of which were being called on the Bruins. In a battle for the puck on the boards, Bergeron got punched in the kidneys. Matt Hunwick got hit 40 feet from the play and there was no interference call. Philly only got penalized when it was blatant.

But all the blame can't be leveled at the officials, or the Fruit Flies. The Bruins defense collapsed due to miscommunication on Glen Metropolit's goal. That score really gave Philly hope. They had been down 3-1, had pulled their goalie, and were on the road. The importance of that goal cannot be underestimated.

The Bruins had a power play to end regulation, and for 36 seconds into OT. They did next to nothing with it. They passed to the Flyers more than each other, and if not for a stunning glove save by Fernandez, Philly would have won with a shorthanded goal.

Mental lapses, miscommunication, and low percentage passes are all inexcusable. As much as the officials sucked, the Bruins can look in the mirror to see why they lost this game.

But it's hardly the end of the world. They got a point, have cushion enough to not be perfect at all times, and were quite clearly the superior team.



Byron Bitz (Cornell '07) also got his first NHL goal.

Massive game Tuesday night. Joe Thornton and the Western Conference leading Sharks come to town. And I'll be working the BC/Clemson game so I won't be able to see it live. But neither will most of you. Remember, the game is on Versus.

Way to go NHL. Way to get those fans back by putting huge games like this one on a channel hardly anyone gets, or if they do get it, they don't know what number it is.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson