Bruins Lose to Buffalo, Torey Krug Should Have Been on Team USA

The Bruins could have won this game. They should have. They didn't. Let's start with the reasons why they didn't, then move on to the reasons why they could have.

They lost because Chad Johnson is a backup goalie. They lost because of rusty players in their first game after a long break. Neither of those two reasons is cause for much concern. What is cause for concern is that the B's allowed yet another power play goal. Since losing Dennis Seidenberg, the penalty kill has gone from a strength to a slight liability.

There were two Buffalo goals in regulation that could have been prevented with stronger play from the defensemen. The Bruins need to acquire a defensive defenseman. They need a guy who can do the basics of the position and play the penalty kill.

On the bright side, there were plenty of reasons that the Bruins could/should/would have won this game. The power play was amazing. Chara scored a power play goal by camping out in front of the net. And his net-front presence helped Milan Lucic score another power play goal.

Torey Krug also played a big part on Lucic's goal. Krug used the space behind the net to set up a play. Chara and Jarome Iginla kept the Buffalo penalty killers occupied in front of the net. Lucic was wide open on the point and slammed it home.

Maybe Team USA could have used Krug. Not as part of the regular 6-man defensive pairs, but as a specialist on the power play. Krug's 2 power play assists in this game give him 18 PP points on the season. The Bruins have scored 37 power play goals as a team, Krug has been a factor in almost half of them. Among defensemen, he's 10th in power play points. Among American defensemen his 6 PP goals are the most, his 18 points are 5th most. Then again Team USA didn't select the top two US defensemen in power play points (Keith Yandle and Dustin Byfuglien), so what chance did Krug have?

Team USA had plenty of offense when they played Canada and Finland. Ugh.

It's going to be a long time before I get over the Olympics.

Anyway, the Bruins looked much more energized and in rhythm in the later stages of this game. They came back from a 2 goal deficit, took a lead, and Buffalo needed a lucky deflection off Johnny Boychuk's skate to set up their tying goal. This game is not an indicator of the beginning of a poor stretch of play.

The Bruins host the Capitals Saturday afternoon.

Photo Credit:
Gary Wiepart/Associated Press

Bruins Bully Flyers

On Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, the Bruins looked like a rested team that had been playing reasonably well. The Flyers looked like they just wanted to lose and go home. As spiritless as the Flyers played, I think an AHL team could have beaten them.

The Bruins took advantage of that, and never let themselves turn on the cruise control and coast to the end of the game. They continued to push and continued to score.

Zdeno Chara and Jarome Iginla each scored two goals. Chara's 10th and 11th goals of the season both came on the power play. If Chara continues to excel offensively, he might win the trophy for best defensive player in the NHL. Which speaks volumes about how the Norris Trophy is determined.

Iginla scores goals in bursts. Lots of the Bruins do. The B's now have 8 players with 10+ goals. This type of spread-out productivity can be an advantage, it can also be a weakness. If enough players are in a cold stretch, the team falls into a funk and leans heavily on Rask and the defensemen. This happened a few weeks ago. It also happened in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Bruins also spread out their fights. Eleven Bruins have dropped the gloves this season.

One negative to take from this game is that the penalty kill allowed another goal. Since Dennis Seidenberg's loss the Bruins have killed 30 of 43 power plays, an abysmal 69.8%. Before Seidenberg's injury the B's had killed 86.9% of their penalties. The Bruins' PK has dropped to 14th in the NHL.

I'd like the Bruins to get a penalty killing defenseman. I'm not worried about "puck-moving" or "minute-eating," I want a guy who can play the penalty kill. That's the only requirement. The Bruins CANNOT win a Stanley Cup without a strong penalty kill.

The Bruins are on Long Island tonight to face the Islanders. The Islanders are third to last in the Eastern Conference but have beaten the B's twice this season.

Photo Credit:
Chris Szagola/Associated Press