Thursday, April 30, 2009

Is It Friday Yet?

Ok, so here's the deal: The last time the Bruins played the Hurricanes it was before the trade deadline. It was all the way back in February. That means that they didn't have Erik Cole. They weren't clicking like they are now. They were losing a lot more games back then. Here's what they look like after they lost to us the last time:That's a whole lot of green. (graphs from Hockey Numbers)

Make no mistake: This team is H-O-T hot. They will be flying on friday night. You would too considering how they just knocked out New Jersey. They like to play a fast game. A lot of the guys on the team now were big parts of their 2006 cup win. Guys like conn smythe winner Cam Ward, who has been great so far. Guys like Eric Staal, who you can see in this picture:
For extra fun, check out the crowd behind him that just went from "We're going to win!" to "Aw crap. At least playoff overtime is great" to "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ARE YOU LITERALLY KIDDING ME? MARTY YOU GOTTA STOP THAT. WHERE'S THE NEAREST BRIDGE?"

He's a dream killer.

Luckily we have some guys who can put a stop to that kind of thing. Some guys who not only kill dreams but the people that have them.

This series' two biggest matchups are Staal vs. Chara and Ward vs. Thomas.

Oh and don't forget about Ray Whitney. Or Chad "Who?" LaRose. They are the top line for Carolina. With 7 points a peice, they're a point per game team against New Jersey, who I thought might be one of the toughest teams in the playoffs. I was wrong.

The Bruins have been practicing for a week now. This is the longest layoff of the whole season. Could be trouble. Might not be. Teams with long layoffs don't have great records in the playoffs.

But then again, New York had never given up a 3-1 series lead before. Records have already been broken this year. The Bruins have shown themselves to be a mentally tough team before, and they'll have to do it again.

After all, this is the playoffs. There are 8 teams left. They all want it. Each just has to best their opponent.

GO BRUINS!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

BRUINS vs. HURRICANES; Hockey vs. Basketball

Friday, May 1 at Boston
Sunday, May 3 at Boston
Wednesday, May 6 at Carolina
Friday, May 8 at Carolina
*Sunday, May 10 at Boston
*Tuesday, May 12 at Carolina
*Thursday, May 14 at Boston
*if necessary

And here's what happens when you try to tell me Celtics OT was better than Carolina vs. New Jersey:

what happened in celtics?
11:16 PM [Redacted]: tied, five minutes overtime, score for Chicago, free throws, score for Boston, free throws, score for Boston last three seconds
me: see...
free throws
I mean, yeah
it's tense
[Redacted]: yeah, they hurt my soul
me: but it's basically the same as a shootout
[Redacted]: true
me: penalty shot, really
only they happen all the time
11:17 PM instead of being memorable events
they are part of the staccato flow of the game
much like, say, baseball
or football
or any other sport with less flow
11:19 PM me: so then you have sports with less scoring and more flow
like soccer
and hockey
and lacrosse, I think (but I don't know lacrosse very well)
[Redacted]: hmm
me: and one of the very best goalies OF ALL TIME
[Redacted]: aka who?
me: trying to hold down the fort on a one goal lead
martin brodeur
11:20 PM you my remember him from making a new record for most wins ever by a goalie earlier this year
so anyhow
he's in net
and the hurricanes are down 3/2
and there's 1:30 left in the game
11:21 PM I've just watched this very scenario play out 3 times in the last 2 days with lesser goalies
and none of them have resulted in one goal
much less two
usually when they score like that they force OT
but no
not this time
11:22 PM the kids from carolina want to get to the next round ASAP
[Redacted]: hmm
me: so not only do they tie it with 1:20 to go
11:23 PM on just a pretty pass play through the zone
not to mention the heroic efforts to keep it from going offsides
literally diving then diving again from his knees to keep it
in
[Redacted]: intense
me: the canes pass it through all of the defenders and put it behind Marty "I've won 3 cups" brodeur
11:24 PM you bet it's intense
so with 1:20 to go
everyone expects overtime
people might even be getting up to get beer/bathroom/etc
I think some of the devils had done that
11:25 PM but Ray Whitney and Eric Staal, easily the two best forwards in the series, have other ideas
they just put it in
sometimes a team needs that
11:26 PM and all of a sudden, the 2009 hurricanes are thinking they're much more like the 2006 cup-winners
the whole arena goes silent
"like a funeral"
is the quote
11:27 PM ridiculous
so tell me about the celtics again?


GO BRUINS!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Tonight


Tonight.

Tonight we find out who it is.

Who has fought hard enough to make it to the second round.
Who battled through the Capitals, Devils, or Flyers for the chance to get on a plane to Boston and try to shut us all up.

Whoever it is, we'll be ready.

Is Lundqvist still mortal? Does he break more under taunts of "henrik" or "lundqvist"?
Is Cam Ward gunning for his second Conn Smythe?
Are we going to be blessed with the Crosby and Malkin show? And how do you get 17,000 folks to chant "Marc-Andre"? Whatever.

There are so many questions. At least one will be answered by the time the last set of first-round playoff handshakes tonight.

So get yourself in front of some Versus and get ready for some game seven playoff hockey.

The field is already set out west.
Red Wings vs. Ducks
Canucks vs. Blackhawks

Should be some good matchups.

STAY HUNGRY UPDATE: Got an update from Joe Haggerty of WEEI on the Stay Hungry stuff: Apparently the idea was all Marco Sturm and Julien didn't come up with any of it.
GO BRUINS!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Hmmmm

Yeah, so the sharks could get eliminated tonight. So could the flames.

If the sharks lose tonight (or wednesday, or don't make the finals, or whatever) then the Bruins will have the best record left in the playoffs.

But I hate the ducks (there's that wild fandom again, bubbling up) so Go Sharks I guess.

Hey, it's a post. Keeping the streak alive!

Julien said they wouldn't be playing on Thursday, so then I have no clue when it would be. Likely not Wednesday, as I believe San Jose (if not Calgary) will be able to pull out one win here.

And now that I've seen Lundqvist is mortal....Let's see the rangers, eh?

GO BRUINS!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

There's still hockey

Hockey is still on. By now you've watched the caps dominate the rangers in game 6.

Canes/Devils is on Versus tonight. If Brodeur doesn't suck then we know 3 of the teams making the third round.

I've got nothing. Ference is practicing but not at full speed, otherwise not a whole lot of news out of the Bruins.

Also, please let it rain. Please? It is sweltering where I am.

GO BRUINS!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Time to get real

The habs are done, etc etc. That's great. They were pretty banged up (Lang and Markov were big parts of that team - Thanks Grabovski!) You don't win it all in the first round. Here's the last bit of Habs stuff and then it's on to the next round.


The Bruins are already on preparing for the next round so I would have written this earlier but I had that piece on Ironhead and Stay Hungry yesterday that I am actually pretty proud of since it's the first post I've written that even flirts with journalism.

Time to get down to business.
The next team the Bruins face will be battle tested. The next team we face will have beaten an nhl team in a best-of-seven series. They won't have swept. They won't have faced a team with some of the best players missing. (Though we are missing sturm and it hurts). They will be a little more beaten up. Here are the possibilities:
  • 7th-seed New York Rangers: up 3-2, playing Sunday. When they score they beat Washington. Lundqvist is a great goalie, Tortorella is losing his mind, and Avery is a joke. Their top scorer is a three-way tie between Naslund, Gomez, and Dubinsky, who all have 1g 2a across the stat line. Their fantasy stud is either Henrik Lundqvist, 3 wins, or Sean Avery, 24 PIMs. No one has scored more than one goal. They play the Caps at home in MSG next, and I could see them taking the series then.
  • 6th-seed Carolina Hurricanes: down 2-3, playing Sunday. Cam Ward won a conn smythe in 2006 when they won the cup and they've got some of the same roster. Then again, we've got some of those guys, too. Top scorers: Joni Pitkanen (3a) and Chad LaRose (2g 1a). Ryan Bayda and Eric Staal also have 2 goals. Their fantasy stud is Cam Ward or Chad Larose. I haven't heard of Larose either. They play the Devils in Carolina next, and Brodeur might be too much for them to overcome. This has been a great series, though, I suggest you watch it.
  • 4th-seed Pittsburgh Penguins: beat Flyers 4-2, waiting for the next round. Dominated today with 5 unanaswered goals, otherwise it was a very even series with the flyers. Marc-Andre Fleury is playing very well, as is Malkin and Crosby. way better since Gonchar's been back.
Whoever the Bruins draw for the second round, it'll be a little while until they start again. The team will be tougher than the last so let's hope they can get over the scrapes and bruises they endured at the hands of laraque and co. I don't expect anything easy from here on out, but I also didn't see Thomas re-signing here so what do I know?
I know this:
GO BRUINS!

Friday, April 24, 2009

STAY HUNGRY: Marco Sturm is Awesome, so are the guys at Ironhead

Some of you may have seen earlier the screencaps I put up of some Bruins wearing hats that said "Stay Hungry" on the side and a cartoon, flintstones-esque steak on the front.

I was immediately intrigued. Hoping I could get one for myself, I immediately tracked down the company that made them: Ironhead, Inc.

I got to talk to the CEO of Ironhead about the hats and the Bruins. He graciously took some time out of his trip to Germany for the world championships to talk with me about the Bruins and Ironhead.The story starts with Marco Sturm, who has been hanging around behind the scenes with the team, itching to get on the ice. "It tears his heart out," said Mike. "It's killing him to not be in the lineups" So Marco has been contributing in other ways to the team effort, traveling with the team through the playoffs and helping keep everyone motivated. Mike met Sturm "years ago in Germany when he was a kid," and the two are friends.

So back in January, when Sturm needed a boxing robe made for Shawn Thornton, he knew just who to call. Marco had on made up with just his nickname, "Sugar." The rest of the guys in the locker room loved it, and the team then had some made up for everyone, from the players to the trainers and coaches and all the way on up to Cam Neely and Johnny Bucyk. The Bruins went 8-3-2 in January.So when the Playoffs rolled around, Claude Julien talked to Marco and said that they had to do something special for the postseason, and suggested he work something out with Ironhead. "It was Marco's idea for Stay Hungry and our idea for the steak," Mike told me. "They don't want to take anything for granted. They had a fine season, but they want it one game at a time."

The hats are somewhat popular in the locker room, and Mike says "I know a lot of guys wear the shorts during warmups."

They even prompted an HFBoards thread that is calling for someone to throw a steak on the ice at the garden, a la Detroit's octopus or Florida's rat. While I don't want to get kicked out for that, if someone else does...go for it! I know you're all wondering, "When can I get one of those hats?" Believe me, I asked.

"That’s entirely up to the B's" Mike said, "the "Stay Hungry" theme is exclusively a Boston team concept. It is solely up to the discretion of the Bruins as to its future. For now it is dressing room only apparel. We just feel honored they would come to us for input and sport our gear. "
"Marco is a great guy, you're not going to find a better guy in hockey. He has always been kind to our company and shown us tremendous support. You have no idea how hard it is for him to be out of the line up. He is contributing in every way possible and hoping his injury heals soon. For now he and the Bruins are taking it one game at a time. Lets keep our fingers crossed, who knows what the future holds....?"

That would be pretty sweet. Thanks again to Danny and Mike Regan and all the folks at Ironhead who've made this story possible.

We miss you, Marco. Get well soon!
GO BRUINS!

All My Ruff Ryderz

If there's only one link you click today, this should be it.
Made by Chemmy of Pension Plan Puppets.
this is not the only post today, check back later.
GO BRUINS!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Round 1 Game 4 Recap: BRUINS 4 HABS 1 HOW SWEEP IT IS TO BEAT HABS LIKE YOU / TOO MANY MEN NOT ENOUGH PLAYERS


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ok, so like this game was like, SOOOOOOO AWESOME! OMG! Like, did you see when the Habs fans jeered Carey Price? Like, Omigod!

Seriously, though. Wow.

That's domination.
4-2
5-1
4-2
4-1
What a series.

I don't even care about the goals. They're all here.

But here's the deal:
Michael Ryder: 2g 1a
David Krejci: 1g 1a (should be 2, but some dirty hab hit it between krejci and ryder on the first bruins goal)

For the whiners: Kessel was totally offsides and it was awesome.

Tim Thomas played shutout hockey for the last 59:21 seconds of the game.

Game.

WIN!

4-0

HOW SWEEP IT IS TO BEAT HABS LIKE YOU
LIKE YOU
LIKE YOU
LIKE YOU

Is it even warm enough to be golfing near Montreal right now?

Ok, Bruins earned a little time off. No practice on thursday. Gotta remember:STAY HUNGRY!

More on this on Friday. It's going to be good. Different Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel.

GO BRUINS!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Round 1 Game 4 Preview: Bruins @ Habs THIS IS THE TOUGH ONE

April 22, 2009 7:00 PM ET
TV: NESN (Sox on NESNplus)

Radio: WBZ 1030 AM

Bruins Lead 3-0

@ Habs

  • Lucic is back. Here he is wearing #27 for the Vancouver Giants (maroon):

He is a beast. The blond hair might be a bit much.
  • Markov, Lang out.
  • Ference too busy hugging trees on earth day to play. Hunwick getting released from the hospital today.
  • This will either be where the Bruins prove they are mentally tough enough or the Habs will win.
  • Vancouver swept St. Louis last night.
  • Tempting fate with an early preview. Usually they go up at 4. If it fails, I'm never deviating again.
GO BRUINS!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Round 1 Game 3 Recap: BRUINS 4 HABS 2 THORNTON > THORNTON

First of all, check this out:Joe Thornton has worse stats in 40-something minutes of ice time than Shawn Thornton does through 31. Awesome.

Almost as awesome as this game. Let's get to it, I've got things to do besides update this blog.

There sounds like there's some booing during the national anthem. Stay classy, Montreal.

Once the game begins, the Habs come out flying. Flying so high that their wings get burned, in the form of a penalty. Bruins powerplay looks great, doesn't finish. Habs are still energetic. They come off the powerplay and the Habs are still flying around like crazy. After about 11 minutes of that,

Chris Higgins.
0-1. OH SHI-

It's a pretty big goal and it looks like it might hold for the rest of the period until Komisarek decides to pass it to Wideman on the blueline. Wideman shoots it in, and Kessel tips it past CAAAAAAAARRREEEEEEEEEY.

1-1. Oh that feels so much better than the last playoff game in Montreal.

Second Period.

At three minutes into the second period, Byron Bitz is forechecking like crazy. Shawn Thornton skates into the slot, and wrists the puck right past CAAAAAAAARRREEEEEEEEY.
2-1. Shawn Thornton has more goals than Joe Thornton. Byron Bitz gets his first NHL playoff point in his first playoff game. Yelle with the second assist. What a line.

About 2 minutes later, off a faceoff.
Weber
2-2. Aw crap they tied it up.

3 minutes later about 8 guys get roughing penalties and there is some scrumming happening.

Whatever. The Bruins are here to win a hockey game.

Marc Savard makes a beautiful shot short side that bounces off the inside of the post, hits Carey Price in the back, hits the same post AGAIN, and bounces out. Price got lucky.

Luckily, Michael Ryder has an unreal shot. He shoots one in, in bounces back to Stuart at the point who puts it on net, then up to Wideman who does the same. Ryder gets it and has more than a 1x3 inch hole to put it in.
3-2. Please don't let the Habs score again, a Ryder game winner on Montreal ice is just too delicious for words.

Your tears sustain me.

Besides an immediate crap penalty on Recchi and immediate penalty kill, we're off to the

Third Period.
I don't know what kind of awesome sauce is going on here, but it's delicious. The Bruins are playing well, the Habs are not really doing that. Boston only got 7 shots on goal in the third, but Montreal, at the brink of defeat, only had 5.

Price is pulled.

H/T to Puck Daddy for getting this clip on Youtube before anyone else:

We love you, Jack.

Game.
Sox won 12-1, Ray Allen beat the buzzer and the bulls with a 3, and the bruins, well, they...

WIN!

3-0

GO BRUINS!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Round 1 Game 3 Preview: Bruins @ Habs INTO THE BREACH

April 20, 2009 7 PM ET
TV: NESN
Radio: WBZ 1030AM
@ Habs
Bruins lead, 2-0
  • Lucic suspended 1 game.
  • Markov, Boullion, Ference, Hunwick injured.
  • Wheeler-Krejci-Ryder is back, baby!
  • Bitz in on the 4th line.
  • Habs goalie is game-time decision.
  • Sox crushed the Orioles today.

This day is called the Feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a-tiptoe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall see this day and live t'old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Saint Crispian":
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars
And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. (IV, iii)
Other Previews over at the CLtS miniblog.
GO BRUINS!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Round 1 Game 2 Recap: BRUINS 5 HABS 1 WHERES YOUR GOALIE CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCLAP

Where to begin?

This game ruled. There are not enough positive descriptors to accurately convey that. I'll have to make do. Let's take a look at why, though.

I took some pictures with my cell phone, they're up over at the Cycle Like the Sedins BruinsVHabs miniblog.

First of all, if it's the playoffs, you get to the arena early. You get ready for some chanting. We got there wicked early, and took a stroll around the arena. Made some signs that said CAAAAAAAA and REEEEEEEY! on them. We thought they were clever. We headed down to the glass on the Montreal zone and waited for warmups to begin. Taunting happened, it was awesome. 2 highlights: Carey Price is going over to our corner (as goalies do during warmups) and we start chanting at him and have the signs up. He looks over and skates to the other side. Awesome. Also some Hab (didn't see who) whips a puck directly at us. Seriously, bounced right off the glass in front of my face, left some water droplets. Awesome.

I now think I've told that story to everyone, so I'll let it rest.

The game starts and it's awesome.

About 9 minutes in we get our first penalty. And that means bruins powerplay time. They have to do a little forecheck, but somehow Savard ends up between the circles with the puck on his stick. Snapshot. 1-0. Savard is a beast. (and I've got him in the fantasy pool! Awesome!)

about 5 minutes later, the puck is in the Montreal zone again. They push it around a bunch and Kobasew works the front of the net. Works the puck right into the back of the net.
GOAL!
2-0. Kobasew is awesome. Carey gives this little shrug after the goal and looks at the ref. Here:Then thanks to Higgins, it's bruins powerplay time again but they don't get it.
Then Kostopolous and Kessel get matching minors for roughing. I believe this is when Thomas uses his goalie powers to push Kostopolous away. Solid move by the tank.

Then Schneider takes a roughing penalty and the first diving penalty of the series is called....On Patrice Bergeron. But he's not done tonight in the penalty box. No sir.

Second Period begins. Kovalev.
2-1.
Crap. This is going to be another close one, you can feel it. Kovalev is pretty good in 4-on-4.

Luckily, Carey Price is still in the other net. Shane Hnidy knows this. He gets a drop pass from Axelsson and snipes it.
3-1. SHANE HNIDY SCORED ON YOU ARE YOU KIDDING ME CAREY? HAHAHAHAHAHA

Glen Metropolit, in service to his old team, gets two minutes for having too much porn stache going on. Bruins. Powerplay. Savard across to Ryder. Ryder fakes, sends it back to Savard. Snipe, Snipe.
4-1. Savard hat trick watch: Activated.

Tanguay gets my fantasy team half a point with 2 PIMs. Goes nowhere. A bunch of good play, back and forth. Kovalev hooks.

As the period is ending, the Bruins are still on the PP. Thomas passes it up to Savard. Savard to Ryder. Ryder gets a nice little snap shot upstairs on Carey.
GOAL!
5-1. Delicious.

Price sits on the bench for the rest of the game. Halak stops all 5 shots. Bergeron beats up Josh Gorges. CONCUSS THAT! Youtube here. Dafoomie is a youtube superstar.

Some other crap happens at the end of the game, Lucic is probably going to be suspended a game for it.

Game.

WIN!

2-0

GO BRUINS!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Round 1 Game 2 Preview: Bruins vs. Habs DO IT FOR HUNWICK

April 18, 2009 8:00 PM ET
TV: NESN (Sox on NESNplus)
Radio: WBZ 1030AM

vs. Habs

Bruins lead series at 1-0

Notes:
  • Hunwick got rushed to the hospital this morning with a spleen problem. He's fine now, but won't be playing tonight.
  • Markov out. Ference, Hunwick out. Please come back, Andy Ference.
  • Hnidy in probably means that he'll pull some dumb crap with laraque. Whatever.
  • The Celtics played at 12:30, so expect sub-par ice. Should affect both teams. Thomas: "There are different types of good ice and different types of bad ice...We just play."
  • This is awesome: Andre the Giant meets Bobby Orr. Seriously, great pic.
  • NBC is pulling some desperate crap in Pittsburgh.
  • You know the rest.
Other Previews:
  • Four Habs Fans: "The Bruins didn't really do anything wrong. I just fucking hate losing to them so much. So please, Fucking Habs, take this one tonight so I can know it's a series. Crush those fucking bitCHes."
  • Stanley Cup of Chowder: "How long will Bob Gainey stick with the Laraque - Koivu - Kovalev line? Greg Wyshynski from Yahoo! Sports has started calling this line the "GAS Line" (Georges, Alex, Saku). If they really want to give Laraque that much ice time, I say go right ahead."
  • HubHockey: ""
  • The Bear Cave: "The Providence Bruins and Portland Pirates will now travel up to Maine for game three of their series on Sunday. Those two squads are currently knotted at one game a piece."
  • NESN First Shift: "Is Georges Laraque playing a role in this series?"
  • Matt Kalman: "Will there be eye gouging tonight? Probably not, but there will be plenty of more face-washes, pushes and shoves."
  • Bruins.nhl.com: Preview | Notes (pdf)
Cam Neely Speaks:

Tonight, I want to see this:Turn into this:GO BRUINS!

STAY HUNGRY hat update

Ok, because I'm such a huge fan of those ridiculawesome "Stay Hungry" hats that the Bruins were wearing I've looked into it some more. The company that makes them is called Ironhead, and they're a Canadian company headquartered in Toronto and with a shop in Vancouver.

They have a website at, obviously, ironhead.com. They also have a blog that shows off when famous folks wear their hats. Marc Savard was featured back in august 08 and Ryder's on there from last month.

Their online shop doesn't have anything in it right now, but they say something's coming in Spring '09. I'm looking for some more info, so keep your radio dial locked and I'll let y'all know if there's more coming.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Round 1 Game 1 Recap: BRUINS 4 HABS 2 PHIL KESSEL IS AN AMERICAN HERO

Stop the presses. Check out this hat:Same hat. Amazing. More from the Big Bad Blog on WEEI:

Following the game several Bruins players were wearing gear that featured a big Flintstones-style steak as the logo with the words ”Stay Hungry” prominently featured across the front of the cap and the leg of the shorts. Savard was wearing both the hat and the shorts during his post-game press briefing, and said that injured forward Marco Sturm came up with the design/logo idea while rehabbing from knee surgery.

“The energetic German came up with this,” said Savard, and then he pointed toward the shorts that he was wearing. “He made these too.”

Amazing.
Oh, was there a game last night too? What was the score?
Well, thank goodness for that.

Let's see how we got to that score.

The Bruins are on the powerplay with 7 minutes to go. They're set up in the offensive zone. The habs officially get the kill and the bruins shoot at the net. Caaaaaaaaaaaarreeeeeeeeeeeey is too slow and someone pokes it out from under his slowly lowering glove to Kessel, who taps it in.
1-0. American Hero Phil Kessel starts the scoring and the Gahden explodes. Everyone's waving yellow towels. EVERYONE. There must have been, in non-hyperbole terms, less than 100 habs fans in the place. It was a sea of black and gold. It was awesome. I guess they couldn't all come down again like they did last thursday. Or maybe the invasion is saturday. Jerks.

About a minute and a half later, the Bruins dump it in. Lucic gets to it, and takes the hit to tap it to RYDERMANIA. RYDERMANIA can't score, so he does the intelligent thing and puts it on Krejci's stick. Krejci shows the world why Jack Edwards like to call him The Matrix.
2-0. Kessel and Krejci are both RFAs this offseason. Don't worry about it now. Check this guy out, from the nhl video:
A minute and a half later, Chris Higgins.
2-1. What a jerk.

We get out of the first 2-1 with 2 total penalties called, and none of them on Boston. Excellent.

Second Period.
Kovalev
2-2.

Oh crap.

During the intermission between periods, someone swipes your yellow towel while you're carrying beers back to your seat. Terrible manners.

Third Period.

Josh Gorges (who you may remember as the guy that threw bergeron into the net after the first goal a week ago) takes a penalty about 10 minutes in. There have been some good chances, and especially some good saves. But why do you give up a powerplay in the third of a tie game?

a: Because you are secretly a boston fan. Duh.

Well, the Bruins took some time, but not a whole lot, to put in the first powerplay goal of the game. Kessel to Savard, back up to Chara who one-times the slapper. The puck lights on fire and actually goes through Caaaaaaaaaaaaarrreeeeeeeeeeeeey. Right through him. Into the back of the net.
3-2. OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN! You're high-fiving everyone in your section. It's pretty glorious.

The habs would probably prefer to win this so they pull their goalie. Caaaaaaaarreeeeeeeeeeyyy goes to the bench, and the Bruins play the same D as before. Lucic picks it up in the neutral zone, and he and Kessel streak in on Patrice Brisebois. Brisebois plays the shot, so Lucic's got the pass. Lucic to Kessel. Empty net from 5 feet away.
GOAL!
4-2. American Hero Phil Kessel bookends the game. A bunch of stupid crap starts now, and in the last 15 seconds of game time, Lucic, Lapierre, Montador, and Latendresse all get 2 minutes roughing and misconducts.

Game.

WIN!

Also, some guy reached through the photographer hole and tried to steal Kovalev's stick, which (of course) broke. Way to go, dude.
Theft from a boston fan who's got 2 beers and can't defend themselves: Bad manners.
Theft from Alex Kovalev while he's still on the ice: Hilarious.
We at the hockey blog adventure believe in the double standard.
H/T to SCoC on this one.
Series stands at 1-0, good guys.
GO BRUINS!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Round 1 Game 1 Preview: (1) Bruins vs. (8) Habs LET THE PUCK DROP ALREADY

16 April 2009 7 PM ET
TV: NESN
Radio: WBZ 1030 AM

vs. Habs

Notes:
  • What has not been written yet?
  • I wish I didn't have to root against Metropolit.
  • In non-Bruins news, KG is hanging out with Sturm this playoffs. They're busted-knee buddies.
  • Markov Out, Ference out.
  • Expect Thomas/Price in nets.
  • Gainey wants Laraque to fight some dudes tonight. One of Brickley's keys to the game is Control Emotions. This is why Brickley is the best NESN guy covering the Bruins.
  • Kevin Pollock (40-23-4-5) and Dennis LaRue (40-24-5-3) will be refs tonight. The numbers are home team records, click each name for more info.
  • Fan Fest today.
Previous Games:
Here's how the regular season series between Bruins and Habs began:and ended:
None of it matters now.
Other Previews:
  • Most people are doing series previews instead. It's all good.
  • Stanley Cup of Chowder: "The strategy last game against the Bruins seemed to be to agitate and turtle to bait the B's in to taking dumb retaliatory penalties. Judging by his lineup that will not be the case tonight. Gainey has inserted hired goon Georges Laraque back into the lineup. Ryan the Cowardly Purse Snatchin' Turtle will watch the game from the 9th floor, while Patrice Brisebois takes his place on the Habs blue line."
  • The 2 Man Advantage: "The main reason that I’m nervous for the Bruins is that so many people picked them to either win outright or get to the Finals. Things were so easy when I was the only guy in my circle of friends who cheered for or really believed in this team."
  • Cameron Frye: "The Bruins have a great mixture of youth with experience and experienced veterans, while the Habs are filled with purse snatchers, divers and wannabe Russian gangsters."
  • HacksWithHaggs: "I watched a lot of Laraque questions getting tossed around the B's locker room this morning. The players weren't biting."
  • Matt Kalman: "Expect the Bruins to be as business-like as they can be despite the best efforts to the Habs to knock them off focus and the sure-to-be electric atmosphere that will engulf the Garden. The Bruins have come too far to let this moment go away unclaimed."
  • CBC: Habs are ready.
  • Bruins Blog scouting report.
  • NESN First Shift: "The Bruins enter Thursday’s game 1 of the first round in the 2008-09 Stanley Cup playoffs looking for their first playoff series win since 1999 and first over their rival Canadiens since 1991-92"
  • bruins.nhl.com: Preview

Stats:
The regular season is over. None of this regular season stat stuff really matters in a rivalry like this.
DROP THE PUCK!
GO BRUINS!

Playoffs: (1) Bruins vs. (8) Habs: Lazy Links, Playoff Preview Edition

Pretty much everything that can be written about this series is being written. So I have two options: Regurgitate what everyone else is saying, or analyze the analysts. I've always liked to think I'm ripping off thepensblog anyways. Anyhow, carrying on, here is your playoff preview edition of Lazy Links:

  • Four Habs Fans: Goalies and D | Forwards ("You want to beat these guys? You skate, you skate like fucking Kristi Yamaguchi and you move the puck forward and quickly.the.fuck.out.of.your.zone.") | CLtS Preview
  • TwoLinePass: Bigtime Playoff Preview. Funny guy, read his stuff. "The No. 8 Montreal Canadiens: WHY WE’RE GOIN’ ALL THE WAY: Carey Price seems to be playing better lately, and they might just be able to cajole Alex Kovalev into caring. WHY THIS TEAM SUCKS: But probably not."
  • Melt Your Face Off: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOO U BEN HIDIN IN DA WEEDZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ADV: Bs ADV: Bs ADV: Bs ADV: Bs ADV: Bs ADV: Bs ADV: Bs ADV: Bs ADV: Bs"
  • The Old NHL: Asked me to contribute. Go read what I wrote there!
  • Puck Daddy: Doesn't like my blog. Boo. (but writes well)
  • Kynch's Korner: C'mon, Habs are not the Ninja Turtles. They would need to be way awesomer.
  • Double A Hockey: "Let a bull loose in the arena"
  • Barry Melrose Rocks: "Guys on Ice" chatroom-style preview
  • The 2 Man Advantage: Islanders are out, but that doesn't mean they have to not write about meeting the flyers at some bar.
  • On the Forecheck: The one good thing about the Preds not making the playoffs (shoulda been you, ducks) is that we get the Forechecker writing about other hockey stuff full time.
  • Goon's World: Wise words from Komisarek. I might like him if he wasn't a Hab.
  • Puck Prospectus:
I still think most of my playoff preview posts are less impressive than my season series in pictures.

Puck drops at 7pm tonight. Do I do a gameday preview? Signs point to yes, depends on how much work I've got.
GO BRUINS!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Oh you have got to be kidding me

Times are tough. Times are hard. The economy is in the shitter and everyone's trying to drum up some business. But this is the playoffs, and we are playing the habs. So imagine my disappointment when I see this:

You have got to be fucking with me.

I guess we know where to bar the doors tomorrow afternoon.
Better yet, sneak into the valet lot with a stack of Bruins bumper stickers.
Actually...*

GO BRUINS!
*Note to police: I am not planning on doing this.

PLAYOFFS START TODAY


If that doesn't get a rise out of you, check your pulse.
I'll be posting later, too.
GO BRUINS!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Playoffs are coming: BRUINS (1) vs. HABS (8) A LITTLE LOOK BACK FOR OLD TIME'S SAKE

Just about any hour of the day where there isn't a red sox game or a charlie moore outdoors episode, NESN will probably be replaying Game 6 of last year. I was there. It was amazing. Watch it. I guess living in the past is nice once in a while.


But it's 2009 now.
Playoffs start anew in 2 days.
It's time to stop watching ancient game footage (or I'd be putting this Neely goal from 1990 or the 1991 Game 7 in - check out the snipe by Neely at 1:50 if you want).
Neely, Bourque, Roy, Lafleur, Orr, Esposito had their turns.
They are what has gone before.
It is Lucic, Chara, Savard, Thomas, Krejci, Kessel's turn.
Here's this year against the Habs, prepared for the game last Thursday:

GO BRUINS!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Playoffs are coming: (1) Bruins vs. (8) Habs: NOT THESE JERKS AGAIN

I figured I'd do a little review in pictures of the year that was. Because it is easier than actually doing a writeup for every game like everyone else is doing. FourHabsFans did this. So put on your favorite anthem, and get to scrolling.









GO BRUINS!