Happy Holidays and a Happy, Healthy New Year to all of the readers out there!





As you can see if you read this blog, I fell very far behind in these game blogs. I've realized that there are plenty of places to read a game story, and that a FoxSports blog is probably not the first place one would look. I'm still going to comment on most of the games, just in less o####ame report fashion.


Since that last post on the December 20th game against Pittsburgh, the Bruins have fallen on rough times indeed. At that point, the Bruins sat in 4th place in the Eastern Conference, and were within reasonable striking distance of the first place Ottawa Senators. However, since scraping a point out of that Penguins contest, the B's lost to the Blues at home, the Pens in Pittsburgh, the Hurricanes in Raleigh, were destroyed by the Thrashers in Atlanta, and won a good game against those same Thrashers on New Year's Eve. Also, before that OTL on the 20th, the B's had lost at home to the Senators. So what does that all mean? It means that the Bs went from fourth place in the conference to being tied for tenth before Monday afternoon's game by going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. Currently, the B's are tied for seventh in the conference with 42 points (same as the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders), and have fallen to third place in the Northeast division, 3 points behind second place Montreal and a whopping 12 behind the Senators. To make matters worse, the B's have yet to beat Montreal or Ottawa this season in six tries.

So what does this all mean? Is it all downhill from here for the Bruins, just as Kevin Paul Dupont so direly predicted?

Maybe, but Monday's win certainly was encouraging. After falling behind 2-0 early, the Bruins scored 5 straight goals to avoid another embarrassment at the hands of the Thrashers. The team showed some resiliency after falling behind early, and really dominated the second and third periods of that game. I consider tomorrow a must win against the Caps here at home, simply because the Caps are in 14th place, and this is a game the Bruins should win.

(On a historical note, Dennis Wideman scored the Bruins' franchise's 18,000th goal, the first of the game on Monday. They are the second team to reach that milestone, with Montreal being the first.)

Where do we go from here? No one can tell, really. Brandon Bochenski, the Bruins underperforming, underplayed, and somewhat grumpy sniper was shipped to the Ducks for defenseman Shane Hnidy and a 6th round draft pick in 2008 tonight.

What's the deal with this trade? Hard to say, really. The B's added another defenseman, filling a void after Aaron Ward has been hurt, as has Andrew Ference. The B's defense has been their strong point, and they faltered when their d-men got hurt as of late. Hnidy also brings a physical and intimidating presence to the ice, making the B's a bit tougher of a team overall.

(BTW, for all of you Bruins fans who remember PJ Stock, and all of you should, Hnidy went toe to toe with him twice...in the same game.)

Why did Bochenski have to go? A few different reasons, really. He wasn't fitting in here, and wasn't really playing well (when he was even playing). He didn't seem to fit in Claude Julien's system, and didn't really show many flashes of that offensive firepower he showed towards the end of last year when he came from Chicago in exchange for Kris Versteeg. To put it plainly, he wasn't doing what the B's needed from him, and Anaheim must have expressed an interest in him. Best of luck to Bochenski in Anaheim. Let's hope he's not another former Bruins who goes out West and revives his career. Who could that be?

All in all, this is really meant to be a "get caught up to now" post. Nothing too detailed, nothing too in depth. Right now, the B's find themselves in a tough spot, needing to stick it out through these difficult times, or they risk seeing their great start fall through the cracks.

In the spirit of the New Year, here are some resolutions for some Bruins players:

Chuck Kobasew: Keep up the good work! Kobasew has been the Bruins most consistent offensive player this season, and is making the Brad Stuart trade seem pretty lopsided at this point. Before Milan Lucic added a goal in the closing seconds last time out against Ottawa, Kobasew had been the only Bruin to score this year against the Sens. He has shown toughness, determination, and a great work ethic. Hopefully he can keep it up, as he seems to be on pace for a career year, which the Bruins would certainly appreciate.

Marco Sturm: Wake Up! Sturm has fallen off the map as of late, and at the worst possible time. The B's need offense desperately, and with Glen Murray out for an unknown amount of time, Sturm can't afford to get cold now.

(For evidence of how intense Sturm is, check out this picture...of a table tennis game. And no, this isn't sarcastic at all. Have a look.)

Phil Kessel: Keep on keepin' on! Kessel is a great talent, and cannot get down on himself. After a lackluster effort (in Julien's eyes) against the Penguins, Kessel suffered what may have been the first benching of his entire hockey career. He didn't take it too well, but did seem to respond the next time out. He worked hard on both ends, and scored a goal in the third period. Kessel is the future of the B's, and can't let all of the doubters who cited his bad attitude be proved correct. These past few weeks could prove to be little more than growing pains for Kessel, who should be on his way to becoming an NHL star very soon.

Tim Thomas: Calm down! Any Bruins fan who has watched this team over the past few years knows that Tim Thomas has made some highlight reel saves. However, an educated fan knows that many of these saves are necessary because Thomas finds himself horribly out of position at times. One of the reasons for his early season success was that he was a lot more sturdy in the net, and didn't find himself flopping around at all. Why is that? Some say it is his increased strength, others say yoga helped him. Either way, he has looked a little flustered out there in recent efforts, and needs to get back to keeping it simple, and stopping one shot at a time.

Peter Chiarelli- Look to the future! Chiarelli is on the hot seat, and is, in all likelihood, done if the B's don't make the playoffs this season. One of the things that bothers me about this is that he is almost like a GM with nothing to lose, willing to sell the farm to make it now. Barring a major Brad Richards/Martin St. Louis/Vincent Lecavalier/Marian Hossa level trade, this Bruins team isn't one that is going to be a Stanley Cup favorite. It is going to take another year or two, and the B's have one of the stronger farm teams in the league. Be patient (and the same goes for the Jacobs family in regards to firing Chiarelli), and the B's youngsters times will come.


That's enough Bruins writing for tonight. Let's hope the B's can get back on the winning track with their second straight tomorrow night against Alexander Ovechkin and Co.


Thanks for stopping by, and please feel free to leave comments on this format change or on anything above.

 

 

 

                     
               VS.

 

 

 

The Bruins rolled into the Shark Tank on Saturday, hoping to close out their season opening road trip with a win against one of the Western Conference's top teams. Joe Thornton and his Sharks are considered to be Stanley Cup favorites by many hockey minds, so a win against this group would be a great boost for the B's confidence. 

The team was looking to carry over its offensive show from the LA game, but also had to tighten up dramatically on defense. In the defensive case, the Bruins definitely succeeded. Tim Thomas was given the start in net, and did not disappoint, stopping 26 of 27 San Jose shots.

The game was played back and forth, and the Bruins played some of their best hockey of the season so far against one of the better teams. Patrice Bergeron scored the first goal with around 4 minutes left in the first period, and that looked to be the decisive strike until Milan Michalek tied the score with just under 40 seconds left. This is where the Bruins of last year would have fallen apart, and probably lost this game in overtime, if not in the final seconds. However, further distancing themselves from last year's team, the Bruins fought hard and were rewarded.

Right off the post-goal face-off, Patrice Bergeron worked hard in the corner behind the San Jose net and won a loose puck. Marco Sturm took the feed from Bergeron, and sent it out to the left face-off circle, where Aaron Ward slammed a slap shot past Evgeni Nabokov to give the B's the lead and the win. In 26 seconds, the Bruins went from a let-down tie to a somewhat shocking win. When I saw the score, I assumed the B's scored an empty net goal and then allowed a late one to the Sharks. However, when I saw what actually happened, I was very excited. This isn't the team that had the propensity to roll over from last season. They took a game from an elite team at their home opener, and did it right after allowing the tying goal late in the game. Talk about a statement. Let's hope the momentum can continue against the Lightning at the B's home opener Thursday night.

There were some problems with this game, as the B's only mustered 20 shots on goal. That isn't going to cut it most nights, but with the defensive effort being what it was, the 2 goals were enough on this night. I'd like to see Manny Fernandez get the start at home on Thursday, because he needs to get his confidence back. He's clearly shaken, and won't get better by sitting.

Other than that, the B's need to keep up the offensive pressure, keep the power play strong, and keep play solid defense. The Lightning are a skilled team, and if the Bruins play a physical game against them, they may be able to take control.

 GOALS:

Bost
on- Patrice Bergeron (3), Aaron Ward (2)

San Jose- Milan Michalek (3)

SAVES

Bo
ston- Tim Thomas, 26 saves on 27 shots

San Jose- Evgeni Nabokov, 18 saves on 20 shots

NEXT GAME: Thursday, October 18 vs. Tampa Bay, 7:00 PM EST

 

 

 

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This game, it can be said, may have been a case of "Be careful what you wish for". In my last post, I said that the Bruins needed to jumpstart their offense. Well, I'd say that scoring more goals in this game (8) than in the previous three combined (5)  certainly qualifies as an offensive explosion.

Despite the win and the great offensive show, this was a game of ups and downs for Bruins fans. They were up 1-0 as the 1st period was winding down, then "old friend" Brad Stuart scored a power play goal with 0:13 to go in the first frame, effectively killing any momentum the Bruins had going into the break. However, they came out firing in the second. The B's scored 3 goals (2 on the power play) in a span of about 6 or 7 minutes, and they came from a variety of sources: classic goal scorer Glen Murray got the first, followed by a somewhat unlikely goal from Aaron Ward, then Kessel scored his second of the night on another power play. However, even with the 3 goal lead, Bruins fans saw something all too familiar: a late period collapse. The B's promptly gave up 2 goals, cutting the lead from a comfortable 4-1 to a very uncomfortable 4-3, again surrendering a goal in the last minute of a period.

So again, the Kings had all the momentum going into the 3rd, only to have Phil Kessel #### it back on another nice goal, cementing his first career hat trick and probably his best game as a Bruin. With the lead back at 5-3, the Bruins had me thinking that maybe this WASN'T last year's team all over again...until they again promptly surrendered two goals, the later tying the game when LA's sophomore sensation Anze Koptiar slammed home a power play goal, his second goal of the game. So, having surrendered what was at one point a 3 goal lead, it was gut-check time for the Bruins, and they responded by scoring 3 straight goals to put the game out of reach. The go-ahead goal was scored on a power play by Marc Savard around 2 minutes after Koptiar tied the game, giving Savard his 4th point of what would turn out to be a 5 point night. The next goal was another big one, and the eventual game winner, as rookie Milan Lucic scored his first career goal on a great pass from fellow rookie David Krecji. Lucic continues to impress, as he had an assist earlier in the game as well, and went toe-to-toe (and held his own) with LA's tough guy, Raitis Ivanas. The B's final goal came with about a minute and a half to go, as Chuck Kobasew, who continues to be strong offensively in the young season, scored, with assists from PJ Axelsson and Marc Savard.

All in all, this was a promising game for the B's offense. They should explosiveness that they definitely lacked last year. One thing that needs to be improved is the defense. They let up a goal in the last minute of each period (though the third one was somewhat inconsequential). Anytime a team lets up 6 goals, there are some defensive problems. Manny Fernandez was far from spectacular again. I thought he was going to be taken out after taking a shot to the collarbone/neck and going down for a few seconds, but he toughed it out and held the fort enough to get a win. He was shaken after the game, however, saying things along the lines of that he doesn't really know what's wrong, and seeming like he had very little, if any, confidence left. As most hockey fans know, confidence is something that isn't an option in a goalie, it's a necessity. Let's hope Manny can turn it around, and play like the goalie he is.

The B's need to tighten up dramatically on defense if they hope to beat the Sharks. The game is San Jose's home opener, so an already strong Sharks team will most likely be even more fired up. If the B's play the same defense as they did against LA, this game will be over by the end of the first. However, if they tighten it up and continue to play tough, they just may be able to end this West Coast swing on a high note.

GOALS:

>Boston: Phil Kessel (3 in the game, 3 on the season), Glen Murray (1), Aaron Ward (1), Marc Savard (1), Milan Lucic (1), Chuck Kobasew (3)

Los Angeles: Brad Stuart (1), Brady Murray (1), Anze Koptiar (2 in the game, 2 on the season), Mike Cammaleri (5), Patrick O'Sullivan (1)

SAVES:

B
oston: Manny Fernandez, 25 saves on 31 shots

Los Angeles: Jonathan Bernier, 23 saves on 30 shots (The B's last goal was an empty netter)

 

 

NEXT GAME: Saturday, October 13, @ San Jose Sharks, 10:30 PM EST

 

 

 

                     
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Fresh off of their first win of the season, the Bruins skated into Anaheim to take on the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Ducks. This was the Ducks home opener, so all of the ceremony and celebration took place prior to the game. Perhaps this young Bruins team got a taste of what success is like, and they now have a celebration of their own to strive for. The Bruins were coming of####ood win against the Coyotes, and were looking to build some momentum against an established Western Conference power.

Tim Thomas was given the starting nod again, playing in consecutive games after recording 36 saves against Phoenix. He played fairly well, as the first Anaheim goal was on a great individual effort by Ryan Getzlaf, and the winning goal was scored on a deflection, which is always a hard play to fault the goalie on.

Chuck Kobasew scored the Bruins only goal, on a great deke and shot combo, beating Ilya Bryzgalov just 1:05 seconds into the first period. It was a great way to start the game for the B's as it helped to silence the crowd and get the team started out on the right foot. The young team held their own against the physical Ducks in the first period, and had some good scoring chances. However, it seemed like as soon as the Ducks tied the score, the Bruins fell into their old habit of playing "shell shocked", not attacking the offensive zone and getting sloppy in their defensive zone. Against a team like Phoenix, they may have been able to get away with a period of playing this way, but not against the Ducks. Anaheim essentially shut down the Bruins attack, and left them simply trying to shovel the puck out of their own zone, not leaving much time to think about offense. Anaheim kept up the pressure, and was finally able to break through with 6:25 left to go in the 3rd period. The Bruins had a few chances to tie, but not nearly enough. They got the goalie pulled, but couldn't set up any offensive plays and ended up falling, 2-1.

The Bruins put in a good effort in this game, but it wasn't a 60 minute effort. This is something the team fell into last year, rarely playing a complete game and often seeming overwhelmed whenever they gave up a lead. Claude Julien won't let this happen to this team, as he stresses playing the full 60, and always keeping composure. I did like the somewhat increased physical presence of the Bruins, throwing their weight around against a team that had a reputation for being the toughest in the league last year. However, they do need to increase the offensive output, dramatically. 19 shots on goal isn't going to win many games in the National Hockey League, especially not against the defending champs. More offense needs to come, and hopefully Julien will push the team to play harder and work harder in the offensive zone.

GOALS:

>Anaheim: Ryan Getzlaf (3), Francois Beauchemin (1)

Boston: Chuck Kobasew (2)

SAVES:

A
naheim: Ilya Bryzgalov, 18 saves on 19 shots

Boston: Tim Thomas, 28 saves on 30 shots

 

NEXT GAME: Friday, October 12 @ Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 PM EST

 

 

 

                   
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Coming off of an opening game where one of the only bright spots was "at least it was better than last year" (referring to last season's opening night(mare) 8-3 drubbing at the hands of the Florida Panthers), the Bruins were seeking another repeat of last year, looking for a bounce back performance in game number two of the 82 game campaign. Last season, the Bruins came out strong and took home a win on the road against a tough Tampa Bay team. This year, they rolled into Phoenix to face what is the consensus weakest team in the NHL. The Coyotes are extremely young, and are looking to improve this season, but this game was as close to a must-win game as one can get this early in the season.

As expected, Tim Thomas got the start in net. I was happy about this, because I think Claude Julien needs to let the two goalies duke it out early in the season, and play a goalie until he loses or needs a rest. This may not sit well with Manny Fernandez, but until he earns it, he should have to fight for the spot.

Bruins' Line-up:

 

Schaefer-Savard-Koba
sew
Sturm-Bergeron-Murray
Axelsson-Krejci-Kessel
Lucic-Metropolit-Thornton

Chara-Ward
Alberts-Ference
Stuart-Wideman

Thomas

 

The B's came out flying in this one, setting a fast pace early and pressuring the young Coyotes team into ill-advised plays and passes. They had good pressure early, and immediately capitalized on their first power play opportunity, with Patrice Bergeron scoring his second goal (and second power play goal) of the season at 4:09 when he slipped a shot past Mikael Tellqvist after a great shot fake. After the ensuing faceoff, Peter Schaefer took an interference penalty when he crashed into Tellqvist , giving Phoenix a power play. However, the B's PK unit turned up the heat on the 'Yotes, and forced a turnover near their own blue line that led to 2 on 1 rush by Chuck Kobasew and Peter Schaefer. The B's took a 2-0 lead when Kobasew elected to shoot instead of pass, and snapped one under Tellqvist for the team's first shorthanded goal of the season.

The Bruins seemed well in control of the game throughout, thanks in part to the play of Tim Thomas. He may not have made many of his trademark tumbling saves, but he was solid in net, and was beaten by a somewhat fluky goal that deflected in off of a skate. But a goal is a goal, and despite seeming firmly in control, the B's only had a 2-1 lead going into the third. Phoenix may have gotten a little momentum with that goal, and the Bruins lost some serious steam when Marc Savard had to leave the game with a "core injury" (Today it is being called a mild groin strain, and Savard is listed as day-to-day. According to Fluto Shinzawa of the Globe, he will be re-evaluated tomorrow.). However, even with out Savard, the Bruins put the game essentially out of reach with a power play strike halfway through the third from Marco Sturm. The goal was Sturm's first of the season, but, perhaps more importantly, was assisted by David Krejci, who recorded his first NHL point.

The B's nearly scored a fourth goal in the empty net, but still secured their first victory of the young season. I was pleased by a lot of things in this game, especially the power play unit. Phoenix had 3 penalties, and the Bruins scored on two of them. The game was pretty physical again, as Julien has stressed again and again that he wants the Bruins to be a tough team to play against. One of my favorite moments of last night's game came again courtesy of 19 year old Milan Lucic, who was bringing the puck down the boards and saw a Coyote coming to deliver a big hit. The youngster not only perfectly absorbed the hit, but sent it right back from where it came, knocking the Phoenix player on the ice and maintaining possession. It's exactly the kind of tough, gritty play the Bruins need.

As for Wednesday night's game against the Ducks, it is, in all likelihood, going to take more effort than last night to get a win. The Ducks haven't been spectacular thus far, but they remain a fearsome team and, until June 2008, the Stanley Cup champions. They are a physical group, and it will be interesting to see if the B's can match them hit-wise. I'd like to see Tim Thomas, who was named the game's first star last night, start again, and possibly see Brandon Bochenski get some ice time after being a healthy scratch for the first two games. Phil Kessel and Patrice Bergeron continued their strong play last night, and need to keep it up in order to drive the offense if Marc Savard is out for any extended period of time.

Stay tuned for game number 3 on Wednesday, and until then, enjoy the Patriots' fifth straight win and the Red Sox' ALDS sweep.

GOALS (Season Total in parentheses):

Phoenix- Niko Kapanen (1)

Boston- Patrice Bergeron (2), Chuck Kobasew (1), Marco Sturm (1)

SAVES:

Phoenix- Mikael Tellqvist, 21 saves on 24 shots

Boston- Tim Thomas, 36 saves on 37 shots

 

NEXT GAME:  Wednesday, Oct. 10 @ Anaheim Ducks, 10:00 PM EST

 

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The hour that I had been eagerly awaiting since this past summer finally arrived Friday night at 8:30 PM: it was time for the puck to drop on the Bruins' 2007-2008 campaign. I had read every season preview, played plenty of games of NHL 08 on PS2, and even been to a preseason game at the Garden. Sure, all of the season previews from major networks (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Hockey News) were predicting the Bruins to finish last in the Eastern Conference, if not last in the entire league. For some reason, I just don't see that happening. I think that this is a team with potential. I am in no way under the impression that this is a Stanley Cup team, but, as I predicted in June, I do think the Bruins will make the playoffs as the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference. I will stand by that prediction throughout the season, no matter what highs or lows this team may reach.

As for opening night, it's always an exciting time. Even with such pessimism from the media, every team has a chance at the Cup on opening night. The Bruins traveled to the Lone Star State to open their season, the first game in a hellish first road trip (at Dallas, at Phoenix, at Anaheim, at Los Angeles, at San Jose). Dallas has a strong team, and has retained most of the parts of a team that racked up 107 points last season. Marty Turco is consistently strong in net, and Mike Modano shows little sign of slowing down on offense. This was going to be a tough game for the young Bruins, even more so since it was the Stars' first home game of the season. Also, the Stars had the benefit of having a game together under their belt, having lost to Colorado in their first game of the season.

The Bruins lines:

Schaefer-Savard-Murray
Sturm-Bergeron-Kobasew
Axelsson-Krejci-Kessel
Lucic-Metropolit-Thornton

Chara-Ward
Alberts-Ference
Stuart-Allen

Fernandez

Defenseman Dennis Wideman and forward Brandon Bochenski were the healthy scratches tonight. I don't argue with the decision to start Fernandez, either. He was a member of the Stars at one point in his career, and faced them frequently with the Minnesota Wild in the past few seasons. The lines looked good to me, as the top 2 lines have a fair amount of explosiveness in them.

The team came out pretty well, but couldn't establish much in the offensive zone. The defense looked strong early, catching the Stars offside frequently and standing them up at the line as well. However, the team began to have some breakdowns, and ended up with some holes on defense that led to Dallas' first goal. For the rest of the game, the team seemed like a reincarnation of last year's squad: messy, undisciplined, and at times, just plain uninspired. There were sparks, however. The team, to the delight of old school Boston hockey fans, showed their willingness to drop the gloves, as there were fights on consecutive plays in the second period, one for newcomer Shawn Thornton, and another for the 19 year old Milan Lucic. They had a great power play to end the second period, where they scored their only goal. It was a great behind the back feed from Peter Schaefer (first point as a Bruin), and Patrice Bergeron only had to #### it into the gaping cage. After that power play, there was plenty of pep in the step of the team, but the Stars, who were seemingly back on their heels, got "saved by the bell", as the period came to a close with the B's down 3-1.

However, even with this revived attack, the B's fell short and seemed to fall back into their shells. The dagger, Dallas' 4th goal, was soft, and never should have happened. I don't usually like to criticize the difficulty of plays, but this goal was a soft one. Sure, Sergei Zubov may have a hard shot, but as an NHL goaltender, Manny Fernandez needs to be able to save a slap shot from the blue line, especially one that he had a clear view of (as there were no screens set) and one that was not deflected. After that, the Bruins were in too much of a hole to dig out, and Dallas had the game under control.

Overall, I thought Fernandez didn't play all too well. A couple of the goals were questionable. He needs to play better if he wants to solidify his hold on the number 1 goaltender spot. Glen Murray and Marco Sturm were nearly invisible, and didn't seem to impact play much at all. Marc Savard, Patrice Bergeron, and Phil Kessel played well, and need to continue to do so. Zdeno Chara played pretty well, as he seemed to be willing to hit a little more than last season. I need to see more of an edge from him this season. The biggest guy in the league needs to hit. I loved the willingness of Lucic to drop the gloves. Playing in his first NHL game, he seemed more than ready to play with the big boys, and showed strength on and off the puck as well. Also, for tomorrow night's game, I'd like to see Tim Thomas get the start. If he plays well, expect him to get another start against Anaheim. Until one player establishes himself, I'd say Claude Julien should ride the hot hand.

Tomorrow's game is in the desert, against the Phoenix Coyotes (1-0-0), at 10:00 PM EST.

**I apologize if this blog is a little choppy, I'm watching the Sox game while I write this.

After going 8 for 8 in the first round (though I will concede I made those picks with a late start), it's time for the predictions and thoughts for the second round of what have already been great games in the NHL Playoffs. The first round is always the easiest to pick, as the higher seed won all but 2 series (San Jose and New York Rangers). The second round match-ups should be great ones, and if the first round is any indication, hockey fans are in for as good a playoffs as we saw last season.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Buffalo Sabres vs 6. New York Rangers (Season series: Buffalo, 3-1)- Buffalo took care of business in the first round, dispatching the Islanders in 5 games. As the 1 seed, this isn't much of an accomplishment, more like the fulfillment of an expectation. Either way, the Sabres looked strong in the first round, and it appears certain that their 113 point season was no fluke. The Rangers, on the other hand, are coming off an impressive sweep of the Southeast Conference champion Atlanta Thrashers, including a 7-0 beating in game 3. The series win helped the Rangers get the #### off their back of having not won a playoff series since 1997, and certainly cemented the confidence of the team. This should be a great match-up, and it's hard to pick which way it will go. It'll be interesting to see if Sean Avery makes good on his promise to "hurt" the Sabres, or if it just further motivates the talented Buffalo group. For whatever reason, I feel like the Rangers may have the edge in this series, and may be on enough of a rule to sneak past the Sabres. Rangers in 6.

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2. New Jersey Devils vs 4. Ottawa Senators (Season series: New Jersey, 3-1)- Ottawa disappointed the national media in dismissing the Penguins, and in doing so sending home the biggest star in the league, but Pittsburgh was simply too young and Ottawa too talented for that series to go any other way. The Devils came back strong to beat the Lightning, winning in 6 after falling behind 2-1. An area of concern for Devils fans is, surprisingly enough, goaltending, as Brodeur has at times been inconsistent this postseason. After watching game 6 however, I think it's safe to say he may be back. He turned back shot after shot in Tampa's last gasp rush at the end of the 3rd, and looked like the goaltender he really is. Also, Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta and Patrik Elias began to produce near the end of the series, which is a big bonus for the Devils. Ray Emery has played well for the Sens, and they need him to keep playing well to have the best chance to win. It'll be close, but I think the Senators will expose the Devils and take the series. Senators in 7.

__________________________________________________
_______

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Detroit Red Wings vs 5. San Jose Sharks (Season series: San Jose, 3-1)- This should be a fantastic series, even if the seedings make it seem a little uneven. Detroit took care of their "number 1 seed" business in the first round, holding off the Flames after a late charge by Calgary. The Sharks impressively dispatched the Predators in 5 games, and looked good doing it. Evgeni Nabokov continues to play well in the playoffs, and Dominik Hasek was a little unsteady against Calgary. I'd give the goaltending advantage to San Jose, but the offensive firepower is pretty even. Detroit is under a lot of pressure, or should be anyways, after a few disappointing playoffs in a row, especially considering last season's series defeat at the hands of Edmonton. Even with the home ice advantage, Detroit won't be able to hold off San Jose's offensive onslaught and will be sent home early again his summer. San Jose in 6.

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2. Anaheim Ducks vs 3. Vancouver Canucks (Season series: Anaheim, 3-1)- These two teams are coming off two completely different series. Anaheim easily sent Minnesota home, winning their series in 5 games. Vancouver, on the other hand, finally beat the Stars in a marathon of a series, especially considering the length of the first game of that series. Anaheim has been a Cup favorite since the beginning of the season, and they have done little to show that they don't deserve such recognition. They are a force to be reckoned with, and will give the Canucks more than they can handle. Even with the way Roberto Luongo has been playing, the Ducks will be able to outlast the Canucks. I think it will go 7, but the Ducks will prevail in the end. Ducks in 7.

So there you have it. These picks are a lot less confident than my first round selections, but we'll have to wait and see. Feel free to leave any comments or your picks too.

Thanks for stopping by, hockey fans.

I still think that the NHL has the best playoffs out of any major sport, with baseball probably being close behind. I'm sure I'll be ripped by fans of the NFL and NBA who claim that their playoffs are just as good, if not better. The NFL does sometimes hold my interest when the Patriots aren't involved, but I just cannot get into an NBA playoff game unless the Celtics are playing. With the NHL, I can watch every game, even without a vested interest in either side, and still be very entertained. Last year's Stanley Cup Finals was once of the best series I have ever seen in any playoffs, and most of the other series didn't disappoint either.

 I know at least a little bit about all of the teams in this year's playoffs, and know a lot about some of them too. I don't really have a favorite team this year, but there are some teams that I guess I "wouldn't mind" seeing hoist Lord Stanley in June.

 My favorite teams in this year's playoffs are:

-San Jose Sharks:  I've always liked the Sharks, for reasons that I don't really remember. It probably began when I just liked their cool logo back when they were an expansion team. Now, they have an exciting team, and also have some former Bruins with a guy named Joe and Kyle McLaren. They also have one of the better scorers in the league in Jonathan Cheechoo, an exciting young rookie in Milan Michalek, and a formidable goalie tandem in Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala. They will be strong contenders for the Cup, but they do face a strong first round opponent in the 110 point-Nashville Predators.

 -Calgary Flames: I also don't know why I'm a fan of the Flames. I'm interested in seeing how Wayne Primeau and Brad Stuart perform. Also, I loved the passion shown by the Calgary fans in the '03-'04 Stanley Cup Finals loss in seven games to the Lightning. I don't know what it is, but Calgary would be a cool winner, especially because they are an 8-seed out West, and I'm always a fan of the underdog.

-Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are what I wish the Bruins would be, mainly because of their physical style of play that seems to almost be the norm out West. They have a very strong defensive corps, led by Francois Beauchemin, Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer. They also have good offensive weapons in Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Kunitz and Rob Niedermayer. Like the Sharks, they also have a strong two-pronged goalie duo with Ilya Bryzgalov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. They are going to be very tough to beat out West.

 

I don't think it's any coincidence that no teams from the East are among my favorites, simply because they are all frequent opponents of the Bruins. I'd jump on the Pittsburgh bandwagon, because a Stanley Cup victory by Sidney Crosby's Penguins would be a huge marketing boost for the NHL, but I think that enough of the national sports media has climbed on the bandwagon, and it might be a little full.

Let's take a look at each series in the first round, with the predictions for each at the end in bold. Since I'm writing this after all of the series are in full swing, the current series records are in parentheses after the team names.

 

 

EASTERN CONFERENCE

 

                

 1. Buffalo Sabres vs 8. New York Islanders (Series tied 1-1)- This seems like it would be a completely one-sided series, since the Sabres have been amongst the best teams in the league all year. I wouldn't mind seeing the Sabres go down, mainly because Daniel Briere is my least favorite player in the league. The Islanders entered the playoffs in probably the coolest way possible (and eliminated the hated Leafs in the process) by winning a shootout against the New Jersey Devils. They have been riding the hot hand of Wade Dubielewicz, and got a solid performance from Rick DiPietro in his first game back in game 2. However, even with my overall distaste for the Sabres, I can't deny the amount of weapons they have as a team, and think they will prevail in the end. Sabres in 6 games.

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2. New Jersey Devils vs 7. Tampa Bay Lightning (Series tied 1-1)- This is a great match-up, with two of the league's top five scorers in Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis of the Lightning facing off against one of the greatest goalies in history in Martin Brodeur. The Devils have been playing really well all year, and even made a run at the Sabres for best record in the East towards the end of the year. I can't pick against solid goaltending, so I think the Devils will come out on top. Devils in 6 games.

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3. Atlanta Thrashers vs 6. New York Rangers (Rangers up 2-0)- This seemed like it would be a really close series, with both teams playing really well down the stretch to secure a playoff berth. The Rangers were on the verge of being out of it, then went on a tear and moved all the way up to sixth place. The Thrashers seemed rejuvenated with the arrival of Keith Tkachuk and Alexei Zhitnik. However, after the first 2 games, the Rangers seem like they have the series under control. They took the first two games on the road in Atlanta, and are now firmly in control of the series, and I can't really see them losing control. Atlanta will take one, but the Rangers will take the series. Rangers in 5 games.

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4. Ottawa Senators vs 5. Pittsburgh Penguins (Ottawa up 2-1)- This is the series that everyone is watching. The Senators have been perennial playoff disappointments, and the Penguins have been the league's darlings all year. Everyone wants Sidney Crosby's team to succeed. To his credit, his team has had an amazing turn around, one of the top 5 point turn-arounds season to season in NHL history. They have a great group of players in Crosby, Colby Armstrong, Sergei Gonchar, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, and a great young goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury. The Senators have a strong team as well, with Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, and the always-entertaining Ray Emery in net. This series is going to be a dogfight, but I think the Senators will be able to pull it out. Senators in 7 games.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

 

                                                                           
   

1. Detroit Red Wings vs 8. Calgary Flames (Detroit up 2-0)- Detroit has been a quiet success, not receiving much media attention while accumulating 113 points and tying Buffalo for the most wins at 53. Calgary snuck in as the 8 seed, squeezing in ahead of the surging Colorado Avalanche. Detroit still has a ton of talent, and the steady playoff hand of Dominik Hasek in net. Calgary also has talent, with plenty of toughness as well in Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regher. They also have one of the best goalies in the league between the pipes in Miikka Kiprusoff. After losing the first two games in Detroit, I think Calgary will be able to take at least one of the next two at home on the Red Mile. Even so, Detroit is too good to blow this series lead. They have been dominating this series so far, outshooting the Flames 97-35 in the first two games, and will be able to close it out without much of an issue. Detroit in 5 games.

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2. Anaheim Ducks vs 7. Minnesota Wild (Anaheim up 2-0)- When Minnesota came to Boston in early March, I was surprised to hear that they were in solid playoff standing, simply because I hadn't heard much about them. They are a good young team, led by Marian Gaborik and Brian Rolston, and have pretty solid goaltending with Manny Fernandez and Niklas Backstrom. Even so, I don't think there is a chance for the Wild to win this series. They may sneak one in at home in front of those rabid Minnesota hockey fans at the Excel Center, but the Ducks will win the series. Anaheim in 5 games.

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3. Vancouver Canucks vs 6. Dallas Stars (Vancouver up 2-1)- Before even getting into who has the advantage in this series, I have to say that game 1 between these two teams pretty much captured what is so great about playoff hockey. FOUR overtimes! That's nearly 140 minutes of full tilt, pedal to the metal, playoff intensity hockey. Vancouver had 3 players with more than 50 minutes of ice time (Mattias Ohlund, Willie Mitchell and Kevin Bieksa), and Dallas had 2 (Sergei Zubov and Philippe Boucher). Zubov led all players in ice time at 55:08. That's nearly 56 minutes on the ice, which is almost a full game. Roberto Luongo made 72 saves in his first career playoff game. SEVENTY-TWO!!! An amazing game, one that I wish I had been able to watch but couldn't due to Versus not being offered on my dorm's TV. Either way, I read stories and saw highlights, and this game was everything that the playoffs should be. As far as the actual series goes, it should be a good one. Vancouver has been quietly fantastic all year, as has Dallas. Both teams have solid goaltenders in Luongo and the Stars' Marty Turco, and both also have proven scorers in Dallas' Mike Modano and Vancouver's Markus Naslund. This should be a great series, though it may seem like a let-down after such a thriller in game one. I think Roberto Luongo will be the difference maker. If he can continue to play as well as he has (and I think he will), the Canucks will be able to hold of Dallas. This series does have the potential to go the distance, especially after another overtime game in game 3, but Vancouver will prevail. Vancouver in 6 games.

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4. Nashville Predators vs 5. San Jose Sharks (Series Tied 1-1)- This series, when I looked at the seedings, really surprised me. Nashville with 110 points at number 4, and San Jose with 107 points at number 5? Both of these teams are very talented, and are only numbers 4 and 5 respectively because of who else is in their division (Detroit for Nashville and Anaheim for San Jose). This is probably going to be the best series of the playoffs, and it's hard to decide which way to go. In the end, the duo of Toskala and Nabokov could prove too much for Paul Kariya, Peter Forsberg and the Preds. San Jose in 7 games.

 

 

 

So there you have it, playoff predictions just a week late...

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No blog post is complete without Bruins news or thoughts, and this one is no excuse. Here are some "quick hits" from the Bruins.

• The Bruins took a lot of grief all year from Toronto and Montreal fans, so one can imagine my happiness as both teams were eliminated from the playoffs in the last two games of the season. So what did these two teams gain by being "this close" to the playoffs? Nothing. They are still taking an extended summer vacation, and are actually worse off than the Bruins are, since they are now picking further down in the draft. Taking joy in others' misfortunes isn't usually an admirable thing do to, but rules are out the window when dealing the Toronto and Montreal.
• In looking at the above playoff predictions, one thing stands out. A lot of the elite teams have 2 dependable goalies, and their success isn't just a coincidence. The Bruins have a wealth of goaltenders in their system, and just need to figure out what their plan is for the future. In talking with my brother the other night about this team, the tough position that this team is in came to light. They showed flashes of excellence this season when Tim Thomas was on his game, and he can be a solid goalie. However, the team is in a bind as to what to do next. Should they bail on Toivonen and bring in a Toskala, Nabokov or Giguere? The sticky situation gets worse when thinking about how young Hannu is, and a team never wants to give up on a young player who has shown so much talent at times. He just needs a little more experience and more development. Also, bringing in a high-caliber goalie would probably delay the NHL arrival of the "Chosen One", Tuukka Rask. Even this has a catch though, as Rask is going to need some time. He is likely going to spend all of next season in Providence, then see where he is headed after that. Should the team really base the next 2 years (at least) on the possibility that Rask will be the goalie of the future? By all accounts, Rask will be great. He is already near the top (if not the number one) goalie prospect in the world, but it's never good to put that much pressure on such a young kid. My opinion? Do nothing. Keep Thomas and Toivonen, let them play 1-2 next year, and let Dave Lewis ride the hot hand in 2007-2008. This team's problem last year was both inconsistence and defense. If the defense can be shored up with a small trade or free-agent signing, that would be the best solution. Toivonen and Thomas can do the job, and if Toivonen steadies his game, Bruins could be looking a Finnish-tandem of Toivonen and Rask a few years down the road.
• In watching "The Bricks", Andy Brickley's end of season awards show for the Bruins that highlighted the best plays of the year, it became apparent that this team's offense really fell apart with the loss of Glen Murray. The flak that this guy gets is puzzling. Sure, he's not that young, but he's also no Chris Chelios. He had 28 goals in 59 games, missing a bulk of the end of the year due to injury. As the show showed highlights of the great goals of the season, the Bruins' power play worked like clockwork at times. Pass from Bergeron to Chara, Chara to Savard, Savard back across to Bergeron, Bergeron across to Murray in the slot, Murray into the back of the net. Bing, ####, boom. This is why the "TRADE MURRAY!" complaints are so puzzling. He is one of the key cogs to this offense, probably second only to Marc Savard's amazing playmaking ability. Sure he may be getting up there, and he does have a pretty large contract, but he's still a pure scorer and a great player.
• Dave Lewis' job has been all but secured for at least the START of next season, and I'm really not disappointed. I think he deserves another shot, considering he was as new with his players as they were with him. If he doesn't start off well next year though, Chiarelli won't hesitate to let him go. If next October is as sluggish as October '06, Dave Lewis will be looking for a new job.
• Please, please, please, please, PLEASE don't trade Patrice Bergeron. This came up in an article by Kevin Paul Dupont in the Boston Globe a few weeks ago. Dupont said that if a trade was to be proposed to San Jose for Nabokov, a Murray/Toivonen package would no longer cut it due to Murray's injury, and Dupont then elaborated, saying that Sharks GM Doug Wilson would probably ask for Patrice Bergeron instead. If this trade happened, it would push me away from the Bruins probably for good. I don't think Chiarelli is this rash or, to put it bluntly, this stupid, but I felt like it needed to be said.

So much for quick hits, but there is always plenty to say about this Bruins. I'll be keeping up with the NHL playoffs with more predictions for the second round, and will also do some posting on the Red Sox. Stay tuned for more updates...

 

Since the Bruins' scene isn't exactly something I'd like to pay much attention to until the Montreal game after Saturday's debacle, I thought I'd write something on a hockey incident that I came across on TSN today. It happened Saturday in a game at Nashville between the Predators and the Dallas Stars. Jordin Tootoo, who apparently has a reputation as a dirty player (any Nashville fans who can vouch for that?), laid a huge, but seemingly clean, hit on Stars' alternate captain Mike Modano. Stephane Robidas, a defenseman for the Stars was closest to the play and immediately came to the defense of his teammate. So far nothing special: a big hit prompts a reaction from a teammate. However, as Robidas charged in on Tootoo (who was still getting off his knees after laying Modano out), Tootoo saw him coming and quickly threw out a straight right hand, knocking Robidas on his back and seemingly out cold. This of course immediately sparked a gathering of every player on the ice, as Stars' G Marty Turco even went over and approached Tootoo. Since that description may be a little unclear, here's a YouTube link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWw_
VrQiSMU

Bob McKenzie, a TSN columnist, wrote about the incident and whether or not Tootoo sucker punched Robidas. McKenzie seems to be a little bit undecided on the subject, and I tend to agree with him. The first time I saw the replay, I thought there was nothing wrong with it and that it was self defense, and he just caught Robidas in the wrong place. However, after seeing it a few more times, it seems clear that Tootoo saw Robidas coming, turned, and threw out a wicked right hand. Either way, Tootoo definitely could have reacted differently. Most players in the NHL know that if you throw a huge hit, your probably going to get hit back, and Tootoo may have just reacted instinctively and, understandably, in his best interest.

I have to put some of the blame on Modano also, simply because he exacerbated the situation. Tootoo'#### was, in my opinion, a clean hit. He was finishing his check, and hit Modano right after he released the puck for a pass. Modano then got up and immediately went after Tootoo when as a seasoned veteran who recently scored his 500th goal, he could have handled the big hit more calmly. In any case, it will be interesting to see how the NHL reacts, as Tootoo will most likely be suspended. Robidas was taken off on a stretcher, so he deserves best wises for a speedy recovery as well.

Before I get to the trades, a couple of things that were especially painful about last night's home loss to the Atlanta Thrashers:

• 1. Atlanta is a team who is ahead of them in the standings, another quality opponent where a win could have built confidence for this team. Not only that, they were reeling themselves, having gone 2-5-2 in their last 9 before last night's game. They were 8 points in front of the Bruins last night, and this could have been a great win for the team.

• 2. This was one of the Bruins hidden tools down the stretch: a game in hand. One of the reasons I've yet to concede defeat this season is that the Bruins have at least 2 games in hand on nearly every team in front of them. This was one of them, and it was wasted in a losing effort.

• 3. I couldn't watch the game, since my dorm's satellite TV doesn't carry Versus (Sorry, this is more of a personal complaint).

This upcoming game vs. Philadelphia is a must win (aren't they all down the stretch, though?), since this team can barely afford another loss, let alone another one of their infamous mini-skids. The game vs. Florida Saturday night was a lost cause, and fans probably could have sensed this one coming going into the game. It came on the tail end of a long, difficult road trip, and was against a team that the Bruins have struggled mightily against all season. Sure, 7-2 is a bit much of a loss, but a loss is a loss, no matter by how many or how few. I think some of the internet message boards bashing of Hannu Toivonen is unjustified. Yes, he let up 4 goals in 2 periods, but he also faced 33 shots, an amount that most goalies will face in an entire game. Blame should be put on Toivonen for the goals, but he shouldn't bear the brunt of it, as a sieve-like defense in front of him did little to prevent Florida's offensive onslaught.

Chiarelli has finally done the right thing with Toivonen in sending him down to Providence. Joey MacDonald can serve as an emergency backup down the stretch, and Toivonen can continue to develop and play regularly down in Providence. A point was made the other day that Toivonen, had he been an American born player, could be (just as an example) be a starting senior goalie at Boston University this year. He's just a kid at this point, and hasn't gotten the time or chances that he both deserves and needs to develop into the player that he should be.

Now, on to a wild day of trades, and not just by the Bruins. However, since they affect me the most, I'll start there.

Paul Mara (D) to the New York Rangers for Aaron Ward (D): In my opinion, this trade is a wash. I liked what Mara brought to this team. He was a local guy who seemingly wanted to play here. He also brought a little edge to the team, and his fight against Leafs' punk Darcy Tucker remains one of the highlights of the season. Ward is older (34 vs. 27), but brings a lot of experience with his age. He was a member of Carolina's Stanley Cup winning team last year before signing with the Rangers this summer as an Unrestricted Free Agent. He was a member of 2 other Cup teams as well, both times with the Detroit Red Wings (1996-1997 and 1997-1998). The only area where this trade benefits the Bruins is monetarily, as Ward's salary is slightly lower than Mara's ($3 mil. vs. $2.75 mil.).

Brad Boyes (C/RW) to the St. Louis Blues for Dennis Wideman (D): This was a head scratcher for me. I love Boyes, and as a player, he was one of my favorites on the team. There is no denying that he wasn't producing this year, but I think Chiarelli may have given up on him too early. Boyes is a second year player, only 24 years old. Everyone in sports knows of the famed "sophomore slump". Yes, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin aren't suffering from the same slump, but no one would ever suggest that Boyes is of the same talent level as those 2. Wideman is a young guy who has been in the league for a year. I don't really get this trade because of the seeming wealth of young defenseman that the Bruins have in Providence (Matt Lashoff, Mark Stuart, Jonathan Sigalet, etc.). He is listed on TSN as a "career potential" power play specialist. Hopefully he can blossom into a great offensive defenseman, and hopefully Boyes can go on to have a great career for St. Louis. He's a great kid, and deserves the best.

The title of my post comes from the question that I have in my head right now, which is did Chiarelli make these moves just for the sake of making a trade? In most cases, teams are either buyers or sellers at the deadline. The Bruins made a wash of a trade and a questionable one, neither one greatly benefiting the team or giving an indication of giving up. I hope Chiarelli did his research, and these don't end up being mistakes.

This was a HUGE trade deadline around the NHL, with a ton of big name players changing hands. Some that stuck out, just because of the Bruins connection, were made by Pittsburgh. What's the connection? Ray Shero, the Penguins GM, turned down the Bruins job, and in the opinions of some message boards posters, did a great job of ripping off teams to make great deals for the Penguins. They acquired an enforcer to protect Sid the Kid in tough guy Georges Laraque from Phoenix, and added power forward Gary Robers in a trade with Florida. Pittsburgh was on a tear before the deadline, and they seem to be ready to make a playoff push.

Here are some other trades that stand out:

• Keith Tkachuk to the Atlanta Thrashers-- Glen Metropolit, 2007 1st and 3rd round picks and 2008 2nd round pick to the St. Louis Blues: The Thrashers are making a desperate playoff push at this point, seriously mortgaging their future for here and now. Tkachuk gives them another big scoring threat, giving them more firepower to add to Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa. Also, St. Louis got a pretty good return for the aging forward, and seems to be arming itself for the future.
• Bill Guerin to the San Jose Sharks-- Ville Nieminen, Jay Barriball and 2007 1st round pick to the St. Louis Blues: "Dollar Bill" Guerin reunites with Jumbo Joe in San Jose, again bolstering an already potent offense. The main interest I have in this trade is again on the St. Louis end, as they got 2 young players and a first round pick in exchange for another aging veteran. Again, arming themselves for the future.
• Todd Bertuzzi to the Detroit Red Wings-- Shawn Matthias, 2007 conditional draft pick, 2008 conditional 2nd round draft pick to the Florida Panthers: Detroit picks up a guy who has the potential to add a lot to their team. The key word in that last sentence, however, is POTENTIAL, and I haven't read into it, but I'm guessing the conditions of the draft picks depend on how many games Bertuzzi actually plays as a Red Wing. The Red Wings already currently have the 3rd most points in the NHL, and a healthy Bertuzzi would make them that much more formidable down the stretch.
• Ryan Smyth to the New York Islanders-- Robert Nilson, Ryan O'Marra, 2007 1st round pick to the Edmonton Oilers: This is a really big trade. Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe actually said "It was probably the most difficult phone call I've ever had to make" when talking about informing Smyth that he had been traded. Smyth was an assistant captain, and one of the most (if not the most) popular player on the team. Apparently, Lowe felt he couldn't resign Smyth, and had to move him. This is also bad news for the Bruins, as the Islanders are ahead of them in the standings and acquired a great player to help them down the stretch.

Needless to say, it was an exciting day for the NHL. The Bruins have a big couple of games ahead of them, and they are all becoming must wins. I'll keep the faith until they are mathematically eliminated, and I'm still holding out hope for the playoffs.