Bruins 3, Hurricanes 2

Two days after he got the Win in the All-Star Game, Tim Thomas won another game in Raleigh. While 2 goals allowed and 24 saves doesn't sound like a stellar night, Thomas once again was the biggest reason the Bruins won.

A few droughts ended, as Daniel Paille tipped in a Zdeno Chara slapshot, scoring his first goal since April 10th of 2010. He's found a suitable role on the 4th line. That line is more about possession, energy, and being a nuisance. With Marchand moving to the Bergeron line, Paille slots right in with Thornton and Campbell. Similar to those guys, he brings something to the table, namely speed, although he lacks the puck skills to do much with it. He's also an adept shorthanded player. He's this generation's PJ Axelsson.

Horton finally ended his goal drought with a nice backhander that beat Cam Ward up high. Hopefully, the confidence returns, and he starts playing less like Michael Ryder.

The Bruins were clearly the better team, but the last 6 minutes of the game did concern me. Once again, when opposing teams get desperate, the Bruins get sloppy. They're incapable of playing both fast and careful at the same time.

Against teams better than Carolina, that will be a problem. And in playoff games, those desperate minutes will come early in the 3rd period. I'm not sure if the B's are capable of withstanding that much pressure for that amount of time.

The Bruins host Dallas Thursday night.

-The Commodore

Hurricanes 5, Bruins 1

The Bruins don't play again until Friday. And I for one am glad. My liver could use a break.

The Bruins have lost 5 in a row, 8 of their last 9, and have collected a mere 7 points in the month of January, with only 2 more games left to play. They've slipped to 9th place in the East, and could plummet as far as 13th by the time they take the ice against Buffalo on Friday.

This weekend, the Bruins lost a close one to Ottawa, and were then obliterated by the Hurricanes in Raleigh, 5-1.

Injuries can be blamed only so much. No Savard means no power play. No Begin or Bitz means much less muscle along the boards. But as I've said before, a lack of Savard cannot pardon a Blake Wheeler turnover, or a missed assignment by Dennis Wideman.

Does Michael Ryder know that he can work out in a weight room to get stronger? Maybe then he'll be able to win more than 5% of his battles and perhaps maintain possession of the puck in traffic. I'm so glad I don't have a #73 trampstamp on my lower back (long story).

Thank God for guys like Daniel Paille. Where would the team be without him?

The real question is: what to do?

Some have suggested picking up a "stud scorer." And that'd be nice, but at what cost? Trade your future to rent Ilya Kovalchuk for 1/3 of a season?

Kovalchuk would be nice, and certainly less frustrating then watching David Krejci flail at the puck like an alcoholic, or Michael Ryder aim his shots at the goalie's chest.

But the price would probably be too much for what would amount to help in only one category.

The Bruins scored 274 goals last year (3.34 per game, 2nd in the NHL). They've scored 126 this year (2.52 per game, 30th). The problem is too large to be solved by just one player. And if you got Kovalchuk, that's likely all you'd get at the deadline.

The Bruins need extended possessions, not just one-shot rushes. They need physical players that know how to win battles for the puck. Right now, too many possessions are ending with a Bruin being outmuscled at the halfwall or in the corners. The Bruins can't dumpandchase because there's a 70% likelihood (or so it seems) that they'd dump the puck in, then chase the opposing forwards back up the ice.

And maybe it's time for the Bruins to get a little dirty. The one thing the Bruins have working for them is their Penalty Kill, at 87.7%, it's 2nd in the NHL. Why not take advantage of that fact? Slash a few ankles, make roughing penalties really rough.

Perhaps the Bruins should acquire some antagonists, some punks. They really don't have any. Lucic is the closest thing to one, but he's too clean of a player for the goon's role. I'm talking a guy like Sean Avery here. A real prick that even Bruins fans don't like.

Get other teams flustered, get them as emotional and desperate as we are. Then make them pay.

Bruins @ Sabres Friday night.

-The Commodore

Stanley Cup Roundup: Day 23

We were close to having all four series tied at 2-2, which would have been the first time that's happened since 1975. But Carolina had to explode late and go up 3-1. Bastards.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 5, WASHINGTON CAPITALS 3
(Series tied 2-2)
This series has thus far lived up to the hype. A goal scoring extravaganza in Game 4 saw Sidney Crosby with a goal and an assist. Ruslan Fedotenko and Bill Guerin matched that feet for Pittsburgh. The Penguins have shown some character at home, but they're going to have to win a game in DC to take the series. Washington, on the other hand, will have to show more character in the face of adversity. The Caps are only 2-3 on the road this postseason.



CAROLINA HURRICANES 4, BOSTON BRUINS 1
(Hurricanes lead series 3-1)
The Bruins have shown glimpses of quality, but have yet to put together a well-played 60 minute game. This was a 1-1 game going into the 3rd, a questionable hooking call sent Zdeno Chara to the box, the Canes scored, and the Bruins imploded. The B's have yet to show they have the character to be Champions. But now they have an opportunity to do so, needing 3 straight wins.



Saturday's games:
7:00 PM - Penguins @ Capitals (Series tied 2-2) - Vs
10:30 PM - Blackhawks @ Canucks (Series tied 2-2) - Vs?

-The Commodore

Stanley Cup Roundup: Day 19

The last two unbeaten teams in the playoffs fell yesterday, one just barely went down, the other was harshly beaten.

ANAHEIM DUCKS 4, DETROIT RED WINGS 3 (3OT)
(Series tied 1-1)
101 minutes and 15 seconds of hockey in this one. And you thought the triple OT between the Celtics and Bulls was long. Jonas Hiller, the Swiss Wunderkind, made 59 saves for the Ducks, who didn't look like the best team in overtime, but got the goal. And Detroit only led for 2:16 of those 101 minutes, so the Chris Osgood loving excuse makers can go screw themselves. The Ducks beat the Wings, deal with it. Ducks fly together.



CAROLINA HURRICANES 3, BOSTON BRUINS 0
(Series tied 1-1)
Cam Ward shutout the Bruins, giving them their first goose egg since March 10th. The B's didn't dominate the crease like they did in Game 1. They yielded the neutral zone far too easily, seemingly out of fear of Carolina's counterattack. The Bruins, who are an extremely adaptive and versatile team, adapted too easily to Carolina. Instead of fighting for control of the crease, the B's simply gave it to Carolina when the Canes clogged the middle. Perimeter hockey is not going to beat Cam Ward.





Monday night's games:
7:00 PM - Penguins @ Capitals (Capitals lead series 1-0) - Vs.

-The Commodore

Bruins 5, Hurricanes 1

Coming off their first 4 game losing streak of the season, the Bruins seemed listless and despondent. They weren't scoring, not on the power play or even strengthed. They were turning the puck over in the neutral zone and even their defensive zone. They needed a spark.

They got it.

Tim Thomas, David Krejci, and Zdeno Chara all had fantastic games. Thomas allowed 1 shot by him, stopping the other 31 he saw. Krejci, a.k.a. The Matrix for the way he seems to bend time and space to his bidding, had a goal and assist. Chara had an assist, 3 takeaways, and 2 blocked shots.

Kessel's goal-less streak was extended, but he had three golden chances to end it. He just couldn't slip it past Cameron Ward. The goals will come. He's not forcing the issue, and he's doing everything else he needs to do. I see a bunch of Kessel goals coming very soon.



Patrice Bergeron was able to end his goal-less streak. He scored the empty-netter that made it 5-1. He hadn't scored since November 21st.

Hopefully the Hurricanes get the 8th seed and the Bruins face them in the playoffs. In four meetings, the Bruins have come out on top 4-2, 4-2, 5-1, and 5-1. That's 18-6 combined. This is also the first year that either the Bruins or the Hurricanes/Whalers have swept the other in their season series.

Bruins stay down South and play the Panthers Saturday night.

-The Commodore