Boston Bruins: 2011-2012

[chippa13 1844]

The Florida game could turn into a wake up call for some of the holes showing up in their game. There are way too many giveaways happening in their own zone that luckily the goalies have bailed them out on. Sooner or later those mistakes are going to turn into goals and they'll get a trouncing that reminds them to be better with the puck in their own zone.

[Jason Harris 31]

I'm not as worried about that. I think they've tightened up the defense the past two games, and they have the knowledge that the Panthers beat them just two weeks ago.

[chippa13 1844]

I'm not so sure about that. If Montreal brought a little more finish to their game that could easily have been a 4-3 loss. The defense was ok but the constant giveaways keeping the B's in their own zone concern me.

[greech 4]

I'm not so sure about that. If Montreal brought a little more finish to their game that could easily have been a 4-3 loss. The defense was ok but the constant giveaways keeping the B's in their own zone concern me.

Montreal did a very good job disrupting the breakout, but yes, the Bruins snuck away with that one. Think this team is in store for a losing streak soon, they just seem to squeak out wins with far too much regularity and nonchalance at times this year.

[Jason Harris 31]

That's interesting the two of you say that, because I wouldn't say they were dominant but I would say I thought they were in control the whole game (other than the flub on Montreal's second goal). And it wasn't as though they needed Timmy to bail them out, as he and Tuukka did in their wins last week.

[Chadd 916]

Montreal did a very good job disrupting the breakout, but yes, the Bruins snuck away with that one. Think this team is in store for a losing streak soon, they just seem to squeak out wins with far too much regularity and nonchalance at times this year.

Teams on a winning streak often win games they should lose and teams on a losing streak manage to piss away games they should win. It happens all the time.

[jbss71 1]

So much for thinking fla had a chance

[L.F.O.D. 0]

So much for thinking fla had a chance

Good to see March get his first hat trick.

[crazyhick 19]

even if the cats were tired, that was just a sheer beating. I agree that Marchand's hatty was good to see, but how bout that goal by Pouliot? Goddamn that was nasty

[Law Goalie 147]

Pouliot is an incredibly good player when he's on his game; when he's not, he makes some extra money by disguising himself as board advertising.

[Steve_v3 289]

Pouliot is an incredibly good player when he's on his game; when he's not, he makes some extra money by disguising himself as board advertising.

It is amazing that going into November most fans (like me) thought he was a complete waste. I thought they should send him to Providence.

Now he looks like the perfect fit for that third line. He chips in with some goals & works just as hard as anyone on the team right now.

[Jason Harris 31]

There is turning out to be incredible depth on this team. They lead the league in goals, but their top scorer is only 28th in the league. Makes it difficult for opponents because, given the dearth of goals the B's give up, shutting down one line is often not enough.

[L.F.O.D. 0]

I think they now have 9 guys with over twenty points. As long as they don't get the injury bug it will be a banner year.

[chippa13 1844]

It was a perfect storm for last night's trouncing. The Panthers played and traveled the night before and the B's had been waiting since Monday to shoot a puck in anger. Toss in the injury woes of the Panthers and they were doomed from the start. Glad to see the B's not ease up on this game.

[chippa13 1844]

Well, they snuck out of Phoenix with a win. Puck management in their own zone still needs to be better but I'll take another two points however they come. Good to see Rask carrying more of the load now that the team is winning games in front of him. These nights off for Thomas should pay dividends down the road.

[Jason Harris 31]

I don't think they snuck out with a win as much as it was a good team that didn't play its best after a layoff, yet still played better than a lesser team. I also think they played better as the game progressed -- they outshot Phoenix 12-4 from the third period on.

I agree about Rask. The team didn't seem to play as confidently in front of him during the first month, but they're doing so now. That bodes well for Julien to be able to dole out rest to both goalies.

[Jason Harris 31]

Tonight's game reminded me of so many games from recent years, when the B's would have one good period but not a full sixty minutes. Still, first loss in seven games is livable.

It's also obvious teams are ratcheting up their intensity to play not only the defending SC champs, but a defending champ who also has been lights out for two months. I actually think the busy schedule coming up will help, as long as they don't become overly tired, because it seems the longer layoffs foster a touch of laziness.

[L.F.O.D. 0]

I was just saying this with my dad last night. Too many nights off and games to far apart. Last year showed they play They're best under stress and on a tight schedule.

[jbss71 1]

That was a odd game, to say the least.

[Steve_v3 289]

I think the B's played the Flames AHL affiliate tonight. I know the Bruins are on a roll but the Flames looked lifeless.

[chippa13 1844]

It looked like a beer league game.

[Steve_v3 289]

In a post game interview Bieska when asked about the scrum early on said "Maxim is a character guy."

Is he talking about Maxim Lapierre??

[Chadd 916]

In a post game interview Bieska when asked about the scrum early on said "Maxim is a character guy."

Is he talking about Maxim Lapierre??

It's different when he's on your team.

[Jason Harris 31]

That was a dumb penalty by Marchand, and we can debate whether Lucic was in the act of a line change versus jumping the bench to enter a fight, but the one thing that bugged me about the calls was the B's being down 3-on-5 after six players pig piled Thornton. I just feel it's the referee's responsibility to not give one team such a large advantage when it was the type of circumstance that every player on the ice could have had penalties.

[chippa13 1844]

Agreed, I'm not sure how the B's pulling 5 Canucks off of their guy wind up with the 2 extra Roughing penalties. To be honest, Lucic came on the ice for Paille, left wing for left wing. If anything, Horton would have been the guy who technically should not have been on the ice since Thornton never completed his change.

As for my comments on the rest of the game, I think I have even less respect for the Canucks that I did previously, if that is even possible. Of course Bieksa would think Lapierre is a character guy, Bieksa plays a punk game himself, never accepts an even up challenge and only initiates with guys he knows he can handle.