Bruins Lose Kaberle To Carolina Then Sign Joe Corvo

The Carolina Hurricanes have agreed to a three-year, $12.75 million deal with Tomas Kaberle, but the Bruins quickly turned around and signed Joe Corvo to a 1 year deal worth $2.25 million. I really like what the Bruins did here. There is no way Kaberle is worth $4.25 million a year. He was a bust here, and even though the Bruins won the Cup with him, I feel they won in spite of him rather then because of him.

Corvo is a very solid pickup, and I like the short money deal. The Bruins do not need to get locked down in a long term contract for a "puck moving defenseman". Corvo will fit in nicely as he can take Kaberle's spot right away, and can be a nice addition to the power play. He is coming off a career year in which scored 11 goals and had 29 assists for a career-high 40 points. He just can't wear #77 anymore.

Who Will the Bruins Meet in the Playoffs?

It's not about seeding, it's about matchups. This weekend, we'll find out who will matchup against the Bruins in the opening round of the playoffs. It could be one of four teams: Montreal, Buffalo, the Rangers, or Carolina.

Right now, it'd be Montreal. They're nearly a lock to be the 6th seed. And despite losing the season series to the Habs, this might be the best matchup for the Bruins. The Canadiens have been a terribly streaky team. They're 6-6-1 since the Pacioretty/Chara incident. They're very fast, but they wilt against physical teams.

But the Bruins might not finish 3rd. They have a very good chance at earning the #2 seed. The Flyers are currently 2nd. They're 4-4-5 in their last 13, and have lost 4 straight. So the Bruins might face the 7th seed.

Which is currently Buffalo. The Sabres and Bruins have had mixed results against each other this year. And while you might feel confident about meeting Buffalo in the postseason again, remember one key fact: Thomas Vanek was injured in Game 2 of that series. And Vanek owns the Bruins. In 6 games against the Bruins, he's scored 4 goals, and added 3 assists this year. Not to mention Drew Stafford, who scored 7 times against the Bruins this year. And 6' 8" defenseman Tyler Myers will not be pushed around by any Bruin forward.

While the Bruins would be the favorites against Buffalo, it'd be a very tough series.

Then there's the Rangers, who are perhaps the worst matchup for the Bruins. The Rangers have an excellent goalie who has frequently frustrated the Bruins. They play disciplined defense. And now they have some guys who can score. I haven't felt good about a Rangers/Bruins game for 3 years now, and I don't want to see the Rangers somehow sneak into 7th and face the Bruins.

The longshot opponent would be Carolina. The Hurricanes are currently 9th, but have won 7 of 9 to get close. The B's won their season series with the Hurricanes 3-1. All three of those wins came within a 16 day span. Cam Ward isn't as good as he was in 2009, so I think the Bruins would win this series. But the odds of Carolina making it up to the 7th seed are so astronomically slim that it's hardly worth thinking about.

So, I'd prefer the Bruins met the Canadiens. Then the Sabres. Then the Rangers. If the Hurricanes make it, then they'd be better to play than Buffalo or New York.

-The Commodore

Bruins @ Hurricanes Preview

The Bruins get back to work tonight after the All-Star break. Boston hopes the break hasn't cooled them off at all, as they were 7-3 in their last 10 heading into the break, while Carolina is happy to have the first half over with, because right now they wouldn't even make the playoffs (1 point behind Atlanta for the last spot).

Actually there are a bunch of Bruins that hope the break doesn't mess up their mojo. Obviously Tim Thomas is having a year for the ages, but guys like Lucic and Bergeron have also been playing very well. The Bruins are going to need Bergeron (8 goals, 7 assists and a +13 rating in his last 11 games) to keep is going, because we have no idea when Savard could be back.

Boston is just a better team then Carolina, plus they are actually a better road team then a home team. I expect the Bruins to win easily tonight.

Bruins win 4-2
Player of the Game: Patrice Bergeron
Game starts at 7pm on NESN

Bruins 3, Hurricanes 2

Typically, I'm more impressed with 3-2 wins than 7-0 blowouts. Let me amend that. I'm not impressed with 3-2 wins against the Islanders, but against playoff caliber teams like Carolina, they're more consequential and important than the 7-0 variety.

This was a grinding game. The Hurricanes played physically, and the Bruins answered. Especially Tim Thomas. If Crosby weren't having such an obscenely good season, Thomas would be my pick for the Hart Trophy (MVP). He made a season high 43 saves in this game. 37 of those came in the 1st and 2nd periods.

The two goals Thomas did allow came after Wheeler failed to clear the puck on a penalty kill, and after some "physical play" (interference) allowed Carolina to retrieve an airborne puck after a strange bounce.

The Recchi-Bergeron-Marchand line has become a dynamic offensive weapon. Not only has Bergeron been red hot, but Marchand scored his 10th, and I think he'll surpass 20 this season. He's a true player. He plays physical, he puts himself in the right place, and he's fundamentally sound. With he and Bergeron finishing well, Recchi's playmaking ability has been allowed to shine. Recchi won the faceoff (after Bergeron was chased) that led to Marchand's goal. And Recchi made a deceptive drive with the puck that set up Lucic's goal.

By the way, that was Lucic's 17th goal of the season, tying his previous career high. He scored it as he's scored most of his goals this year, by putting himself in the right place at the right time. He's a much smarter player than he was as a rookie, and he's applying that newly developed awareness, which is resulting in goals.

It's amazing that the Bruins are playing so well while Horton, Savard, and Krejci are in the middle of cold streaks. It's a testament to the play of Tim Thomas, the defense, and guys like Bergeron and Marchand. By the way, is anyone aching for Andrew Ference to return from his upper body injury? I'm not. The 6 defensemen the Bruins played last night suit me just fine.

The Sabres come to town Thursday night, and it's a good chance to continue this hot streak.

-The Commodore

Bruins @ Hurricanes Preview

The Bruins crushed the Hurricanes yesterday 7-0. I doubt very much that it'll be that easy again. Carolina's sloppy effort was somewhat surprising, considering the Hurricanes arrived in Boston having scored 23 goals in their last 5 games and hadn't been shut out since Oct. 30.

The Bruins are doing a good job of controlling games lately, scoring at least 6 goals in 3 of its 4 four games. Hopefully this is a sign that their offense has turned the corner. If they have the Bruins will quickly become one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL with the goaltending and defense they already have.

Although I don't see the Bruins dominating like they did yesterday, I do expect them to win tonight. Bergeron has been on fire lately scoring 7 goals with 4 assists in his last 6 games.

Bruins win 4-3
Player of the Game: Ryder
Game starts at 7pm on NESN.

Bruins 7, Hurricanes 0

It was Hangover Day in Boston. We were all recuperating from the Patriots' loss. Thankfully, the Bruins did their part to put a smile on our faces. They even scored more in the 1st period than the Patriots scored in the 1st half.

Zdeno Chara was the star of the show, scoring three times for his first career hat-trick. He joins Glen Wesley, Raymond Bourque, and Bobby Orr among Bruins defensemen to accomplish that fete. He has 6 goals in the last 10 games, and 10 overall on the season.

What's especially remarkable is that each goal came from a different spot on the ice, which is weird for a defenseman. The first was on a breakaway, as he was essentially a forward after serving a penalty. The second came from the faceoff dot. The third came from the high slot, after he drifted in from the point. Two were power play goals, one was just after a penalty kill.

You had to love the emotion Chara showed after the 3rd goal. He's had a tremendous 13 year career, but probably never expected to record a Hat Trick.



Tim Thomas had his 7th shutout. Despite the 7-0 score, it wasn't a "cheap" shutout (if such a thing exists). Thomas made some tough saves among his 31 stops. And they were timely. Before the Bruins' goals came, Thomas kept Carolina off the board, and that made the game an early laugher.

The Bruins won 3 of their 4 game homestand, and are 8-2-3 in their last 13. They have a nice, soft stretch of games ahead of them, without any elite opponents until February 9. They can amass some points here if they continue to play this well.

Bruins at Hurricanes tonight in the tail end of the home-and-home.

-The Commodore

Hurricanes @ Bruins Preview

Carolina has been red hot of late going 7-1-2 over their last 10 games, and a lot of that can be attributed Eric Staal's point streak (9 games). The center has six goals and six assists in 10 games, but he is often shadowed by Zdeno Chara, though, Staal has just one assist in his last three meetings with the Bruins.

The Bruins get Lucic back, and he is their leading scorer. They need to get him going again, because they are always lacking offense and has has been held scoreless in the last 11 games. Tim Thomas is said to be in net today, and I always feel better about the game when he is back there. Even with Carolina playing so well I think the Bruins will get it done today at home.

Then again, everytime I pick against the Bruins they win, so their will probably lose this game.

Bruins win 4-1
Player of the Game: Chara/Thomas
Game starts at 1pm on NESN.

Bruins Win Their Way Into Playoffs

The Bruins took care of their own business this weekend, clinching a playoff berth with a 4-2 win over Carolina. To add an exclamation point to that, they went down to Washington and beat the Caps 4-3 in overtime.

The big story from Saturday's win was how the Bruins scored 3 goals. Not only were all 3 scored in a 64 second stretch, they all came shorthanded. It was an NHL record for the most goals scored in one power play by the penalty killing team. It doubled the B's shorthanded total of the season.

But the two goals allowed served as poignant reminders of their inconsistent ways. The first was a wrap-around that Johnny Boychuk could have stopped before it started. The second came from a series of turnovers in the defensive zone, as the Bruins failed to properly formulate their breakout attempts.

At the same time, the referees had an awful game. It was NBA quality officiating, the most notable example being an early whistle when a poorly positioned ref lost sight of the puck in Cam Ward's pads (he was in the corner behind the net, so half of Ward's body was obstructed, yet he was faster on the draw than Clint Eastwood in the Dollars Trilogy). Bergeron slapped in the loose puck, but the ref had blown his whistle and the call.

Bergeron also had the play of the night. On a delayed penalty, Rask skated off for the extra attacker, and an unfortunate carom off the boards sent the puck on a path toward the empty net...



The Sunday afternoon win in Washington was nice, but I wouldn't think too much of it. Both teams had their #2 goalies in net. Both teams leaned on their younger players. Recchi, Bergeron, Chara, and Sobotka all got the day off. But the good news was that Michael Ryder woke up and scored twice. He actually looked confident and firm with the puck. In the previous 22 games, Ryder had scored 1 goal, and only had 5 assists in that stretch.

The Bruins finished the season with 91 points, their 3rd consecutive year with 90+. They haven't had three straight years with 90+ points since 1984. It's hardly a parade-worthy achievement, but when you're a Bruins fan, you learn to enjoy the small triumphs.

It'll be the Bruins and Sabres. In depth preview forthcoming. But as a Bruins fan, you can't ask for a better match-up than that.

-The Commodore

Bruins 5 Hurricanes 2

The Bruins did what they had to last night, and with the win over the Hurricanes they are now 3 points up on the Rangers for 8th place. Boston played well. Tuukka once again showed why he is the Bruins starting goalie stopping 30 of 32 shots.

All lines played well as the Bruins had 5 different players score, but I still found some alarming trends in this game. In the first period the Bruins had a 3-5 opportunity, and really got nothing out of it. These are the types of situations you have to take advantage of it you are a team that has trouble scoring. I don't want to be a downer, but they really let Carolina stay in this game for far too long.

It was a 1 goal game going into the 3rd, but then the Bruins put it in another gear scoring 3 goals to cap off the win. Boston had a scary moment when Bergeron left the ice late in the game with an injury after taking a puck off his leg, but Coach Julien said the injury was not deemed serious, saying it is just a bruise.

Like I said before this win keeps the Bruins in 8th place (the last playoff spot)m and you hope that this can give them some confidence going forward.

Bruins @ Hurricanes Preview

Last night the Bruins let the game get away from them before the 1st period was even over. A lot of that is on Tim Thomas, and I can almost guarantee he won't be in net tonight.

The Bruins really should be able to beat Carolina. They are one of the worst teams in the league (14th out of 15 in the Eastern Conference), yet you still have to be worried. The Bruins at best have shown uneven effort. One period they look like they did last year, the next they look like they are already planning their golfing trips for the summer.

If Rask is in net they should get solid goaltending, but that isn't enough. The defense needs to show some heart, and actually attack the corners. The forwards need to put some pressure on the other team. We have been waiting all year for Ryder, Krejci, and the rest of the "stars" to show up, and although they have played better they are not what we expected in the beginning of the year. Carolina has let up 15 goals in their last 5 games, so hopefully the Bruins can get the offense going.

Game starts at 7pm on NESN.

Ray Whitney To Bruins Rumor

"The Boston Bruins are reportedly looking at the players the Edmonton Oiler and Carolina Hurricanes have to offer. Those two teams are likely going to do most of the moving come the trade deadline, and there are a handful of player they could offer.

This rumor comes via the Twitter of James Murphy of NESN.com. He says he knows they have interest in the Canes Ray Whitney, who has been a hot name on the trade market as of late. He also speculates that they may be in on Shelden Souray of the Oilers (ESPN)."

There is no doubt in my mind that the Bruins will make a trade before the deadline. They need offense badly, and they have a lot of picks. The Bruins need to get healthy first, so they can figure out what they already have, but in the end I think you will see them pick up a veteran like Whitney (or maybe even Keith Tkachuk) to solidify their offense.

Stanley Cup Roundup: Day 41

Sorry for not writing these over the weekend, but I was working the lacrosse games at Gillette Stadium. For the record, lacrosse sucks, Syracuse sucks, and I ejected 19 people.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 4, CAROLINA HURRICANES 1
***Pittsburgh wins series 4-0***
Carolina's objective in this game was to shut down Evgeni Malkin. And they did a good job of that. Unfortunately for Carolina, Ruslan Fedotenko, Bill Guerin, Maxime Talbot, and Sidney Crosby also play for Pittsburgh. The Hurricanes had no answer for Pittsburgh's depth and health. More and more, I'm starting to believe that a healthy Bruins squad demolishes this Carolina team, who was fortunate to get this far.

It's looking like a rematch of Pittsburgh and Detroit, this time with Marian Hossa in red.



Wednesday night's game:
7:30 PM - Blackhawks @ Red Wings (Red Wings lead series 3-1) - Vs.

-The Commodore

Stanley Cup Roundup: Day 36

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 7, CAROLINA HURRICANES 4
(Pittsburgh leads series 2-0)
Evgeni Malkin doesn't get enough praise. The 22 year old Russian had 35 goals and 78 assists this year. Sidney Crosby isn't Sidney Crosby without Malkin. Oh, and he had 47 goals last year. How good will the Russians be in the Olympics? Malkin, Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Semin, Nabokov.

Anyway, Malkin had 3 goals and an assist. His 3rd goal was simply insane:



Unbelievable.

Celebrating Russianness, here's Anna Kournikova crabwalking:



Friday night's game:
8:00 PM - Red Wings @ Blackhawks (Red Wings lead series 2-0) - Vs

-The Commodore

Stanley Cup Roundup: Day 33

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 3, CAROLINA HURRICANES 2
(Pittsburgh leads series 1-0)
Neither team looked too tired coming off their Game 7 victories. The Penguins survived a late Carolina surge to take Game 1. Philippe Boucher's power play goal turned out to be the game winner. Evgeni Malkin had an assist on that score, and the roles were reversed in the 1st as Boucher assisted a Malkin goal. Evgeni Malkin really is the unsung hero of the Penguins. Maybe not unsung, but certainly overshadowed by Crosby.

Scott Walker, unfortunately, survived.



Tuesday night's game:
7:30 PM - Blackhawks @ Red Wings (Red Wings lead series 1-0) - Vs.

-The Commodore

Stanley Cup: Conference Finals Preview

We're down to four teams. The #1 seed from each Conference has been eliminated, as has one of the #2 seeds, and both #3 seeds. We're left with the #2 Detroit Red Wings, the #4 Pittsburgh Penguins, the #4 Chicago Blackhawks, and the #6 Carolina Hurricanes.

Chicago is the only big market team left, and the NHL has to be kind of disappointed with that. Before last night, there had been potential to have a team from Southern California, and one from the Northeast. But now, it's Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Raleigh.

WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP:
#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #4 Chicago Blackhawks
A rematch of the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. These teams are both Original 6 rivals, and play in the Central Division. That's about as far as the similarities go. The Wings are the reigning champions, the Blackhawks haven't won it all since 1961. Chicago last made the Conference Finals in 1995, and were knocked out by Detroit.



Chicago has been the sleeper team in the playoffs. They've gotten little respect, and little notice. But they're a good example of a successful playoff team. They fight hard every shift, make everything difficult for the opponent, and don't make many mistakes.

Detroit is the most exciting team ever. Their locker room is loaded with trophy winners, All-Stars, Olympic gold medalists, loads of experience, and tons of talent. Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Jiri Hudler, Daniel Cleary, Marian Hossa, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, Chris Osgood, et cetera, et cetera.



These teams played 6 times, with Detroit winning 4. However, two of those wins came in shootouts. And Chicago's only two wins in the season series were games #81 and #82, when Detroit had locked up their playoff seeding, and Chicago was fighting for home ice in the 1st round.

I'm not amazed by either team's goalies. Osgood is solid, but fortunate to be on such a talented team. Khabibulin is very good, but also worn down.



Chicago has their own scorers, although not as impressive as Detroit's list. The Blackhawks were 4th in scoring this year. More impressively, they allowed the 5th fewest goals in the NHL. And that is the advantage I think they'll use to catapult them to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Blackhawks in 7.



EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP:
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes
Who cares? Why is it that some team from the South has to ruin the Stanley Cup playoffs every year? And how long before hockey fans start suffering from a Sidney Crosby overdose?



Both of these teams are here because more talented teams choked in the Conference Semis. But Pittsburgh shouldn't be taken too lightly. Crosby is good. Evgeni Malkin is great. The Penguins have a bit of a liability between the pipes in Marc-Andre Fleury.

Carolina, on the other hand, has an advantage in Cam Ward. Ward has never lost a playoff series as a starting goalie, thanks in no small part to the Canes not making the playoffs in 2007 or 2008. But he is good, and can steal a game or two, unlike Fleury, who can give one away.



The thought of either team winning, and going to the Finals is sickening. I loathe Pittsburgh and the Penguins. And the thought of Scott Walker's name engraved on the Stanley Cup makes me want to puke in my mouth.

But I think Carolina's streak of opponents choking has come to an end. Pittsburgh is not a choking team. They're experienced, physical, smart, and explosive. They played in the toughest division in the League, and still managed to get 99 points. If they can beat Washington, they can handle Carolina.

Penguins in 6.



CONN SMYTHE WATCH:

Some really good candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP of the playoffs) were eliminated last week. Alex Ovechkin with his 21 points and 54 hits (although he gets credit for about 3 hits every time he's on the ice, even if he doesn't touch anyone or anything); Milan Lucic with his playoff leading +/- of +12, his 9 points, and 37 legitimate hits; Ryan Getzlaf and his 18 points, 25 hits, and 15 blocked shots; and Timmy Thomas and his playoff leading GAA of 1.85 (which will probably remain the best GAA in the playoffs), and 2nd best SV% of .935. All these worthy candidates will NOT be winning the Conn Smythe.

But here are some people who might:

Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh)
12 goals, 9 assists, #1 in playoffs with 21 points, #1 in goals, #2 in assists, +6, 12 hits, 12 blocked shots

Johan Franzen (Detroit)
8 goals, 7 assists, 15 points in 11 games

Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh)
6 goals, 13 assists

Eric Staal (Carolina)
9 goals, 7 assists

Jussi Jokinen (Carolina)
6 goals, 4 assists, 3 game winning goals

Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit)
6 goals, 8 assists, +8

Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit)
3 goals, 8 assists, +6

Cam Ward (Carolina)
2.22 GAA, .927 SV%, 2 shutouts

-The Commodore

Stanley Cup Roundup: Day 29

Some thrilling Game 7 action last night, and only one of the top 4 teams from the regular season is in the final 4.

DETROIT RED WINGS 4, ANAHEIM DUCKS 3
***Detroit wins series 4-3***
What the Ducks did in this series and their triumph over San Jose is simply stunning. The game was tied until 3 minutes remained in the 3rd. But what Detroit has been able to accomplish the past 15 years is astounding. This is the 8th time in that stretch that they've made it to the Conference Finals. And with the Bruins out, there's not much to challenge them but their own weaknesses (allowing too many goals).



CAROLINA HURRICANES 3, BOSTON BRUINS 2 (OT)
***Carolina wins series 4-3***
The Boston Bruins have never comeback from a 3-1 series deficit and won. History is a bitch. But an even bigger bitch is Scott Walker, who scored the winning goal in the final moments of the OT period. Byron Bitz and Milan Lucic scored crease goals for the B's. But Boston was 0 for 4 on the power play, and were 2 for 27 (7.4%) in the series. But the Bruins aren't old, and they aren't running into big free agency trouble, so they will be back.



The Conference Semis start Sunday. Detroit faces Chicago in a divisional and Original 6 rivalry. And Carolina faces Pittsburgh in a small market "who the fuck cares?" rivalry.

-The Commodore

Bruins vs. Hurricanes Game 7 Preview

Well it is finally here. The Bruins will either win or go home. Boston has never comeback from down 3-1 in a series and won it. That could change tonight. Since being down 3-1 the Bruins have come back with two straight wins, and have really made life miserable. It has been so rough for Carolina that they have resorted to cheap shots. Yet nothing seems to be working for them. The Bruins are the better team, but as we know that doesn't mean anything. Anything can happen in a game 7, but you have to like the way the Bruins have been playing.

Boston has been much more physical over the past couple of games. You can see Carolina looking over their shoulders when they head into the corners. They are losing the battles in front of their own net. It doesn't matter how good your goalie is, if guys are getting rebounds they are going to score. Boston has to keep that up tonight by continuing to crash the net. They also need to keep up their physical play that they have showed over the past 2 games.

Another thing to keep an eye on is how the Bruins enter the zone. Over the past two games they have kept it really simple, with just a dump and chase and a normal forecheck. When they do that the Bruins are as good as anyone, but sometimes they decide to get cute, and that's when turnovers happen. Carolina has been very good at capitalizing on mistakes, so keeping it simple is really important tonight.

Game starts at 8pm on NESN..........GO BRUINS!!!!!!

Stanley Cup Roundup: Day 27

Three of the four Conference Semifinal series will be going the full 7, as the B's and Ducks both stayed alive.

BOSTON BRUINS 4, CAROLINA HURRICANES 2
(Series tied 3-3)
The Bruins came out to a quick start in this one, with Mark Recchi scoring his 50th career playoff goal 2:01 into the game. Steve Montador added another 3 minutes later, and Tim Thomas made some huge Hasekian saves to keep it a 2-0 game. Carolina showed life in the 2nd, but the B's forechecked and crashed the net, going into the 3rd period with a 4-2 lead. Tim Thomas and the B's survived an onslaught in the 3rd, and the series will go back to Boston.

Game 7 is Thursday night at 8.



ANAHEIM DUCKS 2, DETROIT RED WINGS 1
(Series tied 3-3)
Whatever the outcome of Game 7 in this series, the 8th seeded Ducks should be credited for putting on quite a show. The Red Wings poured it on in the 3rd period with 18 shots on goal. Johan Franzen had a tip-in power play goal, but the Ducks wouldn't quit. Then after the whistle, about four or five fights broke out. Rob Niedermayer flat-out elbowed Pavel Datsyuk in the jaw, but I doubt the NHL will do anything about it.



Wednesday night's game:
7:00 PM - Penguins @ Capitals (Series tied 3-3) - Vs

-The Commodore

Bruins 4, Hurricanes 2

How nice was it to have a game end without a defenseman having his orbital bone examined? And how infuriating was it to see Scott Walker get an assist on Carolina's first goal? Just one more thought on Walker before getting to the Bruins' Game 6 victory:

With 5 minutes or less remaining, an instigator penalty carries an automatic suspension. This can be reviewed by the League office, and revoked. But the appeals process in hockey, all sports, and all judicial systems, is in place to fix MISTAKES. So the NHL basically said that their on ice officials made a MISTAKE in giving Walker an instigator penalty. But then what was the $2500 fine for?

Speaking of Walker, how about the game Aaron Ward put in? 2 hits, 2 blocked shots, a takeaway, a +1, and 20 minutes WITHOUT A VISOR. Unbelievable what some of this big Canadians can do, even when their bones are mush.

There was no revenge on Scott Walker, and rightfully so. The Bruins' objective in Game 6 was to win, not to hurt Walker. That being said, I'm sure Shawn Thornton and Milan Lucic would have relished a chance to knock Walker's block off, had one presented itself.

Tim Thomas is the best goalie in the NHL. He's allowed 2 goals in the last 6 periods of hockey. Carolina had 33 shots, some of which were extremely good, and Thomas stopped 31 of them. His counterpart Cam Ward stopped 15 of 19 shots. Which is more impressive?



Milan Lucic was genetically engineered for postseason hockey. His combination of strength and skill truly is Neelyesque, and some day he might surpass Cam. Milan's set-up of Savard's goal in the 2nd was brilliant, physically and mentally.

After Carolina iced the puck, Lucic knowingly took advantage of a tired set of Hurricanes. NBA style, he drove with the puck, across the high slot, up a seem, drew the defense, and found Savard near the goal mouth. It was such a smart play, knowing how exhausted Carolina was at the time, and it was perfectly executed, a tape-to-tape pass between 3 or 4 bodies and sticks. Brilliant.

How nice of an acquisition was Mark Recchi? Not only does he bring experience, but he can score. 3rd goal of the postseason for Recchi.

It was also nice seeing Montador get a goal, and he had a pretty solid game. He's looked awful in this series at times, but he was a strength in Game 6.

Byron Bitz, wow. He was Providence Bruin a few weeks ago. Then a 4th liner. Now he's out there with Krejci and Ryder, and he's causing a ruckus. He was born in Saskatoon, but his current residence is the crease.

All 4 Bruins goals either came from players near the net, or were dramatically aided by players near the net. Recchi crashed the net on the 1st goal, Bitz screened for Montador on goal #2, Savard was near the net for the 3rd score, and Kobasew crashed the net for the 4th one.



Carolina put up a good fight in the 3rd, and they were helped by some lazy and dispirited Bruins' defensive work. The Canes outshot the B's 14 to 4 in the 3rd, and that's inexcusable. We can ask Martin Brodeur and the Devils how dangerous it is to ease up on Carolina.

David Krejci put together his best game of the series since the opener. It was nice to see the 2nd line get back on the scoresheet, and Bitz deserves some credit for that. But Krejci and Ryder played their parts.

Bergeron, Kobasew, and Recchi had a very good night. Recchi was caught offside 3 times on rushes, which is a pet peeve of mine (See: Blake Wheeler), but scoring the opening goal in Games 5 and 6 more than makes up for that.



Game 7 is Thursday night at 8 PM, and it's on NESN.



-The Commodore

Bruins @ Hurricanes Game 6 Preview

Bruins need to come out and fuck this team up. Carolina played with no passion last game, and then at cap it off decided to take cheap shots at the Bruins top defensemen (Chara/Ward). Well it didn't work, both will play tonight, and there will be hell to pay.

Boston CAN dominate this team if they play their physical crash the net hockey that they were playing for much of their season. The Bruins are by far the more talented team, but you don't win championships with talent alone, and tonight Boston needs to prove they have the heart to win it all. Carolina is at home, and they are very tough at home, so Boston is going to need to come out with guns-a-blazing type of attitude.

Also, I expect Walker to get what he deserves. Game starts at 7pm on NESN.