Game 69 Preview: Bruins vs. Ottawa IT'S TIME TO BREAK SOME NON-SCORING STREAKS

Mar 12, 2009 7:00 PM ET

TV: NESN

Radio: WBZ 1030

vs. Ottawa Senators (27-29-10)

Notes:

• Bruins are still slumping.  Dammit.
• Everyone except THE GERMAN (remember him?) is healthy for tonight, even though Kessel and Krejci sat out of practice on wednesday.  Maybe they'll get benched?  Worked last year.
• SensHOBO: "They won’t make the playoffs, nor will they draft Tavares or Hedman."
• Jack Edwards has a pain in his gut:  "If you pulled that crap on the kids in my neighborhood, you wouldn’t even get picked the next game. Nobody would have wanted you on his team. You could sit and think about being such a dink." Get well soon, Jack!
• Tim Thomas is going to start having a backup cage around so he doesn't have to wear Manny's mask: "It's a mask, and I don't wear a mask," said Thomas. "They're hot, you can't hear, and you can't breathe . . . otherwise, they're OK."
• Puck Daddy notices how the Bruins are doing.
• Shawn Thornton talks about the GMs proposal on fighting in the NHL.
• P.J.'s P.J. drive nets 12,000 P.J.s for kids.  He's also a stud PKer.
• On a relatively unrelated note, apparently Lundqvist was puking in between periods of the Sunday game.
• Byron Bitz did an online chat.  He listens to "90% country, the only time I don't listen to country is before a game, then it's all rock... Nickelback, Metallica, Linkin Park to name a few"
• Milan Lucic is one of the Bruins named to the Pruins clear day roster.
• Krejci, Kessel in, Yelle still out.  
• Sens Army Blog is the creator of the No Habs No campaign.

Other previews:

• Stanley Cup of Chowder: "Will we see celebrity puck bunnies Carrie Underwood and Hillary Duff at the game? Apparently this is the most interesting story about the Sens this season. In other news, NHL.com has turned into Us Weekly."
• Cameron Frye: "I've been debating back and forth about what to say about the Bruins, but words cannot describe the utter and complete disappointment I feel while watching them. I don't get it."
• HubHockey: Takes time out of the March Meltdown Bruins Ice Girls contest to say "Please don't lose again. If this was my birthday and I was blowing out the candles on my cake I would wish for a Bruins win tonight."  I think we all can agree on that.
• The Bear Cave: "Manny Fernandez has gotten the nod in the other two tilts, going 2-0, while making 47 saves on 53 shots. Both of Fernandez's victories came at the expense of Martin Gerber, who was recently claimed off of waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs."
• Matt Kalman: "The Bruins have to find a way to light the lamp more consistently to prove that general manager Peter Chiarelli didn’t under-reach when he failed to add a big-time scorer at the trade deadline."
• NESN First Shift: "the Senators come into this game off a 3-2 overtime win over Tampa Bay last night and winners of four straight games, and playing their best hockey of the season."
  
• Papers thumbs: Globe | Herald
• bruins.nhl.com: Preview | Game Notes

Stats:

GO BRUINS!

Game 68 Recap: BRUINS 0 BLUEJACKETS 2 STEVE MASON WILL TAKE THE CALDER

Well, if you tuned in (like I did) looking for a goalie battle, you got one. 34 and 35 shots on goal, one goal scored against an actual goalie.

You also got the Columbus Blue Jackets beating up on the bruins. Both on the ice and scoreboard. When Kessel went down in the second, you and everyone else watching was quietly thinking to themselves, "shit."

Want a recap? Fine.

Blah blah blah Steve Mason

crap penalty

0-1

Blah blah blah Steve Mason

empty net

0-2.

Rick Nash is a stud, for sure.

The refs...not so much.

Steve Mason is very rootable-for except when he's playing your team. I'm glad he's out west and I hope he stays there. The Two-Line pass calls him a robot, and I'm starting to agree.

The Bruins looked very clogged tonight. Not a good thing.

Record: 43-16-9 (L 2)

Away: 21-10-4 (L 2)

L10: 3-6-1

March: 1-4-0

GO BRUINS!

Game 68 Preview: Bruins @ Columbus LAST ROAD TRIP TO THE WESTERN CONFERENCE

Mar 10, 2009 7:00 PM ET

TV: NESN
Radio: WBZ 1030 AM
@ Columbus Blue Jackets (33-27-6)

Notes:

• Columbus is in the hunt for the playoffs and they never have been before.
• Rick Nash scored the first unassisted Hat Trick since Maurice Richard in their 8-2 win against Detroit. He is a stud.
  
• Instead of a goal horn, the Blue Jackets have a cannon. (Hint: there's flash powder in the cannon, and a concussion charge at the top of the arena...I smell Sudden Death 2!)
• The team name comes from Ohio's proud Civil War heritage.
• Thomas and Steve Mason both play, so only this season's wins leader won't be a statistic led by a goalie in the game.
• In case you hadn't heard, Wheeler sat out on Saturday.
  
• This is the last Western Conference road trip game of the regular season.
  
• Yelle is still out.
• The Sky is Officially Falling over at Here Come the Bruins!.  Not without reason.

Other Previews:
Been a while since I've done this, it feels like. I've been busy.

• Stanley Cup Of Chowder: Great Picture!  "Over the last 5 games, the Bruins' PK has only killed off 61.1% of penalties.  Columbus is ranked last in the NHL on the power play (12.8%)"
• HubHockey: "But was the team to blame or just one player? Of course the coaches and team as a whole wont point the finger, but I will. MANNY FERNANDEZ!"  He's right, of course, but one game does not a season make.
• The Bear Cave: "Despite only playing each other seven times, shutouts have been rather common in this series, as three of Boston's four wins have come via a blanking. Two of those shutouts have come in Columbus, where the Bruins and Blue Jackets have split their four meetings. Meanwhile, both of Columbus' wins on home ice have come in overtime."
• Matt Kalman: "Against the East, Mason has been almost unbeatable - with a 9-1-0 record, 0.99 GAA and .964 save percentage."
• NESN First Shift: "Patrice Bergeron is riding a five-game points streak with a goal and five assists during that span. Bergeron now has 31 points. Chuck Kobasew scored against the Rangers on Sunday and now has a three-game points streak. Kobasew has 33 points."
• Thumbs: Globe | Herald
  
• bruins.nhl.com: Preview | Game Notes
  

Stats:

The Bruins' Magic Number is 12.
GO BRUINS!

In Defense of Manny Fernandez

I'll be the first to admit, Manny had a shitty game sunday. He directed in most of the goals against him one way or another, and managed to lose against the Rangers despite 3 very nice goals.

So all of boston wants his head, or for him to retire, or some other tired bullshit. Here's the deal with Manny:

He's a very good goalie. He's coming back from injury. He's only losing games by one goal.

Taking a look at the last 5 games Manny played, we've got:

• PHI@BOS: 3-4 overtime loss. The winning goal was a deflection off Andrew Ference's skate.
• BOS@NAS: 2-3 shootout loss. Wheeler was the only bruin to score in the 4-round shootout.
• BOS@TBL: 3-4 regulation loss. Kari Ramo made 40 saves, Manny made 14.
• PHI@BOS: 2-4 regulation loss. Terrible game for the Bruins as a whole. Manny
• BOS@NYR: 4-3 regulation loss. Terrible game for Manny.

And even with all of those, Manny is still a good goalie and needs to play his way back to early-season form:

• He's 11th in Points/game of goalies that have more than 5 games played right now.
• He's 9th in GAA with 2.39
• He's 15th in save percentage with .915
• He beats or ties "King" Henrik Lundqvist in all of these categories.

So lay off the man while he's getting his game back. The Bruins need to play him to give Thomas some rest, for sure. He'll catch a break, though not if he plays like shit again like he did on Sunday.

GO BRUINS!

Game 67 Recap: BRUINS 3 RAGS 4 MSG HAS A CRAPPY GOAL HORN

The most well-reasoned thing I've read about yesterday's game is by The Old Bruins Fan:

"I'm not about to write that Fernandez sucks or that Julien is an idiot. I'll leave that to the juvenile posters on the Bruins boards. All goaltenders have bad games, or I guess at least most of them. It's been so long since Timmy had one of these games I can't even remember when it was. But he's the exception. I once saw Patrick Roy shoot the puck into his own net and then play like he was completely disinterested afterward. Patrick Roy obviously did not suck, but he sure could have a bad game."

Well put, sir.

Now let's get ourselves some highlights and recapimation.  If you don't like the new method of recaps that lets the page load a lot faster then let me know how you'd do it in the comments or via email.  It's still a work in progress.

The first period marked the return of Avery to MSG.  woo-freakin-hoo.  Some guys behind you are shouting "What time did the game start?  TWELVE THIRTY!" If there are any ranger fans who know why they shout that, please let me know.  I was confused all game about that.  When you met Nemmy after the game he suggested maybe it was people coming in late.

Oh well.  No goals in the first, though not for lack of trying.  The Bruins look about as tired as you do after traveling in, having a night, and getting a call from your freinds at one in the morning to telecommute a birthday shot.

During the first intermission there is a pedal cart race.  I guess new york is too good for mite hockey?

In the second period, Nik Antropov started the scoring off for the rangers in what my friend Chris calls "a desparate attempt to stave off the booing by the MSG crowd."  In a demonstration of this exact thing, Redden gets the second assist and they boo his name on the announcement.

0-1.

If you haven't been to a game at MSG where the rangers scored (Tom Renney LOL) their goal song is kinda lame.  Here are the lyrics:  "Goal Goal Goal Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey"  Not bad at pumping up the crowd, though I prefer Zombie Nation due to blind homerism.

Chuck Kobasew comes right back about 2 minutes later.  Chara gives him the breakaway pass and Kobasew is gone between the defensemen.  It's just him and Lundqvist.  He makes it look like it's just him.

GOAL!

1-1.  The Bruins tie it up, and the 100 fans in the arena are all cheering.  You can almost hear them.

Shawn Thornton and Colton Orr fight.  Thornton asks the ref to stop the fight when Orr's fight strap comes undone, by some accounts.  Classy move by two pros.

The fight works because Manny lets in a couple of soft goals, including a powerplay goal to what has been a laughably bad power play team.  Of course, it was a laughably bad call (and not the first or last, for that matter) and Gomez stuffs one in past the post.

1-2.

Callahan.

1-3. Avery assist has the MSG crowd chanting Aiv-Ree *stomp* *stomp*.  It's like the Henrik chant, but at least if Henrik was on a non-rangers team I'd like him a lot.

Dan Girardi tries to break Ryder's face again at the end of the second, and you're happy for a 4-minute powerplay to start the third.  Especially since the Bruins are also starting the third 2 goals in the hole.

Chuck Kobasew knows how good the Rangers are at the penalty kill, so he takes a hooking call and evens it up.

The Bruins wheel a cannon onto the ice very sneakily during the 4-on-4.  They disguise it as Zdeno Chara.  From the point, he winds up and lights the cannon.  BOOM.  Mere mortals (even Lundqvist) are powerless to stop him.

GOAL!

2-3.  Almost time for the second high-sticking powerplay to come back into existence.

The Michael Ryder decides he really likes his face, and wants to send a message to people who try to break it.

GOAL!

3-3.  We're tied up on the strength of Chara's cannon and Ryder's "unreal shot."  What's Tortorella have to say about all this?

"We kind of wet our pants a little bit," Tortorella said. "We kind of had that look."

Ah, classic.

Of course, under the new coach they don't pull the old rangers move of messing it all up and letting the Bruins score.  Instead, Zherdev.

3-4. I'm not sure what the Bruins record is at MSG, but it isn't pretty.  They're 0-1-1 there when I'm going, at least.

Overall I had a great trip and it was good to see the folks I did!

vs. NYR: 1-1-1

Record: 43-15-9 (L 1)

Away:  21-9-4 ()

L10: 4-5-1

March: 1-2-1

GO BRUINS!

Game 67 Preview: Bruins @ Rangers SEAN AVERY SEAN AVERY SEAN AVERY

Mar 8, 2009 12:30 PM ET

TV: NBC

Radio: WBZ 1030

@ New York Rangers (33-24-8)

Notes:

• Rangers had to fire their coach.
• Sean Avery is a douche.

Stats:

I'm going to this game. Woohoo!
GO BRUINS!

Game 66 Recap: BRUINS 5 CHICAGO 3 DON'T BREAK YOUR HIP THERE, MARK

Well, that was pretty awesome. First of all, we've got this fellow, goes by the name of "Mark Recchi." Scored 34 points in 24 games in his rookie season. He's also 2 times as old as Milan Lucic. Whatta guy.

So let's run through the Recap because then I've gotta call in mailing in the preview before heading off to the game in New York. (I'm pumped about that, gotta say).

The first period, the Bruins looked more like they did at the end of the phoenix game than they did at the beginning - playing their game, moving the puck around, etc. Something was in the air last night. I think it's because the NHL picked NESN for it's highlights. The Bruins outshot chicago by a lot in the first, but only one mattered.

Recchi shot, it rebounded off. Then he and Kobasew cross-check the hell out of the corner, and the puck shoots off behind the net to Patrice Bergeron. Patrice to Chuck to Mark to Huet's five-hole.
GOAL.
1-0. Mark Recchi's first goal as a Bruin. I sorta wish Montador didn't have the flu so he could be having those, too.

The rest of the first gives us Huet being able to stop the Bruins. The Bruins are sitting on a one-goal lead through about 25 minutes of game-time, when the Chicago power play gets thomas out of position and puts one behind him. Toews.
1-1. While they're announcing the go-
GOAL.
2-1. Krejci does not appreciate your goal annou-
GOAL.
3-1. Recchi remembers that he didn't actually score on that perfect scoring chance against Phoenix, and makes up for it. He's now a goal per game scorer with the Bruins.

After all that excitement, we move into the Third period. Will the Bruins keep this up? Will they choke hard? Only time will tell.

Time and Phil Kessel. Chicago's number 51 trips over the blue line coming out of his own zone and leaves the puck sitting there. It's practically gift-wrapped, and Lucic, Savard, and Kessel open it up.
GOAL.
4-1. That's more like it.

Versteeg sings some Fergie.
4-2.
Kane uses an amazing screen to put one in as well.
4-3.

Then P.J. Axelsson is put out there. Earlier in the game, he forechecked a guy over and took the puck for a short-handed chance. Now, he's switched into the game for someone else. This of course, right after Here Comes the Bruins talks crap about him. Either he reads Bruins Blogs or he's just that good. Anyhow, he makes a poke check as some blackhawk is flying through the zone and - whoops - there goes the puck. P.J. picks it up and gets over the red line (barely) and shoots at the empty net.
GOAL.
5-3. Axelsson is pretty awesome.

Game.

WIN!

Pretty sweet.

vs. CHI: 2-0-0 (season sweep)
Record: 43-14-9 (W 1)
Home: 22-6-5 (W 1)
L10: 4-4-2
March: 1-2-0
GO BRUINS!

Game 66 Preview: Bruins vs. Chicago AFTERNOON DELIGHT

Mar 7, 2009 1:00 PM ET
TV: NESN
Radio: WBZ 1030
vs. Chicago Blackhawks (36-17-9)

Notes:

• Mailing it in.
  
• Blackhawks are scary good.
• Wake up it's almost gametime

Stats:

No really, Alan, we hate you.
GO BRUINS!

Game 65 Recap: BRUINS 1 COYOTES 2 WHOA THERE THE CROWD STRUNG TOGETHER 5 MINUTES OF ACTIVITY

Uggggh..... I have a theory that the Bruins really do feed off the crowd, and when the crowd is pretty dead (like it has been for a good portion of the games) it brings the Bruins down too. So get into it, attendees! You're not sitting on the couch/in a bar anymore! The players are RIGHT THERE and if you yell loud enough with your section or have expensive tickets near the ice, you can give or take momentum. Let's do a quick spin through the game here.

7 minutes in, oh look - the Bruins are buzzing around the net like bumblebees. Shot goes in, rebounds out. Everyone moves around a bit, and Axelsson screens Bryzgalov while
Kobasew taps it in.
1-0.

Then Scottie Upshall scores one to tie it up.
1-1. This isn't tuesday's post.

Then Reinprecht gets one in the second.
1-2.

The Bruins look pretty flat until the garden starts hopping with 10 minutes to go. After most of the game, people are starting to cheer. The Jumbotron applause sign goes crazy. And the Bruins pick up their game. The last 5 minutes or so is some of the best Bruins hockey I've seen in a while.
Too bad they don't score.

Game.
Loss.

Here's Coach Julien on the whole thing:


And of course, after the game you went to see Watchmen. I liked it a lot, not everyone I went with did. Whatever.

vs. PHX: 0-1-0
Record: 41-13-9 (L 3)
Home: 21-6-5 (L 3)
L10: 3-5-2
March: 0-2-0
GO BRUINS!

Blog Notice: Fuck it.

I decided to slow down on watching my mouth on the blog.  Doesn't mean I'll frivolously toss out swears like candy, but I also won't hold back just for the sake of not swearing.  There's no reason to do so.

GO BRUINS!

Game 65 Preview: Bruins vs. Phoenix UPSHALL IS BACK, WAYNE SHOULD BE A PLAYER/COACH

Mar 5, 2009 7:00 PM ET

TV: NESN

Radio: WBZ 1030 AM

vs. Phoenix Coyotes (27-31-5)

Notes:

• Boston traded Nokelainen, Karsums, and Lashoff for Steve Montador, Mark Recchi, and Tampa Bay's second round draft pick in 2010
• Phoenix traded Olli Jokinen, Derek Morris, Daniel Carcillo, Michael Tellqvist, and some picks away for Scottie Upshall, Matthew Lombardi, Brandon Prust, Dmitri Kalinin, Peter Prucha, Nigel Dawes, and draft picks.
• Scottie Upshall scored a goal against the Bruins on Tuesday during the Bruins-Flyers game.
• Thomas and Minnesota's Niklas Backstrom used to play on the same team.
• Lucic is back.
• Globe story on Deadline Pickups.
• It's Blake Wheeler's first game against the team that drafted him.
• Shane Doan beat Marc Savard in the all-star breakaway competition, despite Tim Thomas's best efforts.
• Montador is wearing 23 in the tradition of Paul Mara.  Recchi is wearing 28, last held by Wade Brookbank.
• The Coyotes are in spoiler mode.
  
• The Bruins are the Annyong of the Arrested Development NHL.

Other Previews:

• Caveman Hockey: "Time to snap the fuck out of it. Put on the foil, stop bitching to the refs, just go out and play some Boston Bruins-style hockey."
• Cameron Frye: "I called Janet Jones and we talked about the spread and I put some money on the game. I'm saying the B's pull this one off and it's 4-1. Look for the NKOTBs to leave their mark"
• HubHockey: "Marc Savard hasn't scored in 10-games. P.J. Axelsson hasn't found the net in 18-games. Milan Lucic hasn't scored in the last 8-games. While David Krejci and Blake Wheeler are goalless in the last 6-games."
• Stanley Cup of Chowder: "the Coyotes were very busy on deadline day. Phoenix made a total of four trades involving 10 players and 4 draft picks."
• The Bear Cave: "the Boston Bruins are beginning to see action in their rear-view mirrors. The New Jersey Devils are currently just six points back, while the Washington Capitals sit eight points behind the Bruins. With that being said, Boston enters Thursday's contest with a record of 42-13-9, which includes a 21-5-5 mark on home ice."
  
• Matt Kalman: "Phoenix player to watch: Who’s left?"
• NESN First Shift: "Recchi now becomes the fourth leading scorer on the Bruins with 45 points.  Newly acquired defenseman Steve Montador has 20 points and is now the third leading scorer on the Bruins blue line."
• Newspapers: Globe | Herald
  
• bruins.nhl.com: Preview | Game Notes (pdf)

Stats:

The Bruins' magic number is 14.
GO BRUINS!

HOCKEY CHRISTMAS UPDATE: Recchi for Karsums and Lashoff

Recchi was brought in by the Bruins, in a trade for Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums. Bruins get Tampa Bay second round pick, as well, which will probably be quite high in the draft order.

"I'm excited" - Recchi

0.97 points/game over his Long Career. Won a cup with Aaron Ward in Carolina. Could be his last season.

HOCKEY CHRISTMAS UPDATE: Nokelainen for Steve Montador

Petteri Nokelainen is a Bruin no more.  He's been traded for Steve Montador.


Montador has been .3 points/game this season and last, Nokelainen has been about .15.

HOCKEY CHRISTMAS UPDATE: Cam Neely says nothing

Cam Neely just popped up on the bruins video site:

ok, I admit this is just to move the philly game down the page.
GO BRUINS!

Game 64 Recap: BRUINS 2 FLYERS 4 AW CRAP

Well, crap. That was pretty annoying. I'm going to run through it, because why do you want your cheerios peed in on Hockey Christmas?

Late in the first, the Bruins end up on the powerplay, and the Bruins move it around. They're a little sloppy though, it's looking worrisome. Luckily, we still have some really good players on these bruins. Players like...Patrice Bergeron.

1-0. Patrice scores on Philly blah blah blah you're booing randy jones when he has the puck blah blah blah whatever.

Philly decides to start playing.
Upshall
1-1
Gagne
1-2
Knuble
1-3
Gagne
1-4
Stephane Yelle decides he doesn't want to get passed by Bergeron on the scoresheet, so when Claude Julien puts out the 4th line and 3rd defensive pairing at the end of the third on the powerplay, he makes something of it.
Video.
2-4.
Whatever.

Lame.

Loss.

New Jersey is within 6 points.

Record vs. PHI: (Vomit)
Record: 41-13-9 (L 2)
Home: 21-5-5 (L 2)
L10: 3-5-2 (!!!!!)
March: 0-1-0
Time to watch TSN ALL DAY. See you in the Stanley cup of chowder open thread.
GO BRUINS!

Game 64 Preview: Bruins vs. Philadelphia AGAIN ALREADY?

Mar 3, 2009 7:00 PM ET
TV: NESN
Radio: WBZ 1030 AM
vs. Philadelphia Flyers (33-18-10)
Notes:

• The last time Philly came to town, it was similar to the caps game on saturday - devastating OT loss.
• Tonight's Refs are Dave Jackson and Chris Rooney.  Combined, their home-team win/loss ratio is 67-34-10.  Jackson is #5 on the top homer referees list on Covers.com.
• Philly is fourth in the east right now, but only 6 points ahead of 8th.
• The Bruins magic number is 14. This is important because that's when I stop shaving.
  
• Hunwick played well as a winger.  He's on the top line in the morning skate.  Fluto says he's in as a winger again, and Lucic is still out with a busted hand (officially, "upper body injury").  Expect stupid trade rumors.
• That picture up there is one I took of the flyers kicking a soccer ball around outside the away locker room before the last flyers@Bruins game.
• The Gahden ranked 10th in Illegal Curves' Arena Rankings: "Situated in the heart of Beantown, the fans are finally back!"
• As expected, looks like Fernandez in net.
• Trade deadline tomorrow. As I mentioned, I'll throw anything up here that happens that's bruins-related.
• Naoko Funyama does a mailbag on trades.  Interesting stuff.
• The Bruins lay out their Deadline Day plans.  IT'S HOCKEY CHRISTMAS!
• Avery is officially a New York Ranger again.  And the Minnesota Wild signed Niklas Backstrom!  Huzzah!  Everyone else is on waivers.
• Hockeybuzzhogwash is awesome.

Previous games:

• Game 54: Bruins lose 3-4 in OT off a deflection off of Ference's leg. Ouch.
  
• Game 52: Bruins win 3-1, on the strength of shots from the point.
  

Other Previews:

• Cameron Frye: "For those of you who are in the media and want to kill a few hours for waiting for nothing to happen - but want to be somewhere where's snacks....you're in luck!"
• Kynch's Korner: "The Broad Street Bullies are back in the city of brotherly glove dropping. Philly is second in the league in fighting majors with 59. They're also the most penalized team in the league. Riley Cote (18) and Arron Asham (15) lead the parade to the sin bin. Cote is one entertaining fighter. Defense? Who needs defense when you can just keep swinging until your arms fall off?"
• Hub Hockey: "Both teams though are entering tonight suffering a tough loss in their last games and could use a Conference win to boost team morale."
• Stanley Cup of Chowder: "Danny Briere is back in the lineup for the Flyers after missing significant time with a groin injury."
• The Bear Cave: "One interesting note about the season series is that ten different players have been responsible for scoring the eleven goals. The only player with multiple tallies is Philadelphia's Scott Hartnell, who leads the way with two goals and an assist. Joffrey Lupul and Jeff Carter each have two assists for the Flyers, while Shane Hnidy and Mark Stuart have each dished out a pair of helpers. David Krejci and Dennis Wideman are the two other players with multiple points, with one goal and one assist. 13 members of the Bruins have found the scoresheet in the two games, while ten of the Flyers have picked up at least one point."
• Matt Kalman: "But in the grand scheme of things, the Bruins didn’t get to the top of the Eastern Conference through any sort of magic or act of congress. They roll four lines, have a solid performer on defense one through seven and sport one of the best goaltending tandems in the land. They allow the fewest goals per game and score with the best offenses the league has to offer."
• NESN First Shift: "the Flyers are the only team in the NHL to not allow a shorthanded goal this season. They have never gone the entire season without allowing a shorthanded goal. The fewest for an entire season was two in 1967-68 and 1978-79."
• Papers: Globe | Herald
• bruins.nhl.com: Preview | Game Notes (pdf)
  

Stats:

It's true. (thanks, SA)

GO BRUINS!

Mike "King of Trades" Milbury on the Bruins at the trade deadline

From the fine folks over at NESN. I would've put this in the GameDay post, but the code wouldn't stay in blogger between saving it and publishing, so it gets it's own post.

Anyhow, here's Mike Milbury on the Bruins trade situation.

• 24-Jun-00: New York Islanders traded Olli Jokien and Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha.
• 23-Jun-01: Ottawa Senators traded Alexei Yashin to the New York Islanders for Zdeno Chara, Bill Muckalt and 1st round selection (Jason Spezza) in 2001.

The trade deadline is a legitimate reason to miss work.

GO BRUINS!

Monday Snow Storm Lazy Links, etc

The trade deadline is coming on Wednesday.  I'll try to throw something up here on anything bruins-related that happens.  Glen Metropolit to the Habs already happened.

• Stanley Cup of Chowder tells us about P.J. Stock.  I still think Eddie Shore is the consumate Bruins Badass.
  
• The radio broadcaster for Notre Dame hockey apparently passed away in his sleep at the age of 44.
• Conn College Men's Ice Hockey lost their NESCAC playoff game to Trinity 3-1.  Due to family attending currently, I am now jumping on the Williams Men's bandwagon in the NESCAC tourney, despite them not showing games on TV.
• Conn College Women's Hockey tore it up.
• R.I.P. atdhe.net's free gamecenter video feeds.   I signed up for the NHL GameCenter package, and for a hockey junkie like myself, it's pretty neat.  I was watching the Caps/Panthers game and got to listen to Randy Moller call a game.  May he never run out of catchphrases.
• Cycle Like the Sedins (and others) look at the eHarmony hockey ad.
• On the Forechecker is about to learn a hard lesson in complaining about three stars selections:  Once made, they do not change.
• Rogers Sportsnet (different than Comcast Sportsnet) is apparently streaming their deadline day coverage.  Time to set up the computer with the TV again.
• I'm looking to change up the layout a little bit around here, so please excuse the mess.  If anyone knows exactly what to put to get nhl.tv videos as popout videos (the main cause of the slllllloooooooooooowness of this site is the flash) please drop me a line or put something in the comments.

Get over the Washington game, folks.

Shit happens.

GO BRUINS!

Game 63 Recap: BRUINS 3 CAPS 4 ARE YOU KIDDING ME

I try not to swear on the blog, but this game makes me reconsider.

I was in a terrible mood for hours afterwards, even while skating.

I don't really want to relive it. Bruins never led, but always came back. Kessel had a good one in there, the second one.

Here's Thomas:

Ouch. The Bruins played really well. Hunwick is a good forward, he scored a goal too.

At least we got a point and Florida beat up on them in their house the next day.
The caps are a tough team, and they won.
Go Bruins.

Game 63 Preview: Bruins vs. Washington

Feb 28, 2009 1:00 PM ET
TV: NESN
Radio: WBZ 1030 AM
vs. Washington Capitals (30-27-5)

Notes:

• Mailing it in, early game.
• Washington is 9 points behind Boston in the Conference.
• Here Comes the Bruins! thinks this game could clinch the conference.
  
• The home team has won the game in each game so far. Here's hoping for that continuing.
• Half of the Bruins Bloggers will be at this game somewhere or another.
• No word as of writing about Savard or Lucic. Please let them be ok.
• Ovechkin, Chara, and Ference are all donating money to right to play depending on their playing time. Awesome. Off-ice, Ference might just be my favorite Bruin. He doesn't hunt bears, though.
• Oh, and on an unrelated note, GO CAMELS!
  

Other Previews:
Click those fun links to the left for probably some better content than I'm throwing out.
Stats:

"Crapitals" - Mike Milbury
GO BRUINS!