The Buffalo Sabres played Wednesday’s game as a team desperately needing wins to keep its playoff hopes alive should: intelligent but physical, controlled but aggressive.

The Boston Bruins played as a team with a chance at the Eastern Conference’s top spot should not: lazy, disorganized, brainless.

Who do you think won?

The Sabres scored twice in each period Wednesday, cruising to a 6-0 blowout victory over the Bruins in Buffalo.

Poor Defense Rattles Rask

It was clear just minutes into the game that Tuukka Rask hadn’t brought his A-game to First Niagara Center. When Christian Ehrhoff fired from the blue line following a d-to-d pass from Tyler Myers, Rask misjudged the puck once it glanced off Gregory Campbell, giving the Sabres a 1-0 lead on just their second shot of the game.

The Sabres went up 2-0 with just over five minutes left in the first when center Ville Leino made a nifty spin in the Bruins’ left circle, avoiding the defense and centering the puck to Jason Pominville. Pominville quickly chipped it in, with defenseman Mike Weber also assisting.

Clearly rattled by two goals that were as much his defense’s fault as his own, Rask lasted just 1:52 into the second period, when Andrej Sekera found Tyler Ennis in the neutral zone. Ennis changed direction twice in the Bruins’ zone, eluding multiple defenders before ricocheting a backhand off the goalpost and in for the 3-0 lead.

Rask exited the game following Ennis’ goal, having given up three goals in just 10 shots. It was his worst outing since lasting just one period and giving up three goals to the same Sabres on Jan. 1, 2010.

Thomas Can’t Hold Off Sabres Long

Tim Thomas replaced Rask, and for the first few minutes Thomas’ aggressive, energetic goaltending looked like it might hold the Sabres off long enough for a Bruins comeback. Following an interference call against a Zdeno Chara four minutes into the second, Thomas survived a Sabres power play in which they fired off seven rapid-fire shots before the Bruins finally cleared.

But such success would not last, especially with the unfocused, out-of-position hockey the defense continued to play. Strong puck possession by center Paul Gaustad in the Bruins’ circle led to a tight-angle shot for Patrick Kaleta. The puck deflected off Adam McQuaid‘s skates and between Thomas’ pads for a 4-0 lead late in the second.

The Bruins’ defense checked out for good in the third, leading to two more Sabres goals. Pominville scored his second when the Bruins left him completely alone in the crease for an easy rebound goal (Leino and original-shooter Sekera assisted) at 1:18. Then Joe Corvo turned the puck over behind his own goal, leading to a simple two-stage pass from Nathan Gerbe to Ennis to Drew Stafford in front for a 6-0 lead with a minute left.

Miller and Defense Dominate Bruins

The Bruins appeared to tie the game midway through the first when Milan Lucic put a slapshot past Sabre goalie Ryan Miller, but a goalie-interference call against Rich Peverley wiped out the goal. Replays showed only the barest contact between the two.

That was the closest the Bruins would get to an actual goal Wednesday, as both Miller and his defense played error-free hockey the rest of the game, including through the Bruins’ 17 third-period shots (out of 36 total). The defense completely neutralized the Bruins’ fore-checking, always finding open men to advance the puck back across the blue line. They quickly cleared most shots Miller couldn’t corral to the sides, and they stood the Bruins up on those rare occasions when a loose puck bounced in front of the net.

The Sabres controlled the puck better, giving nothing away on defense. They passed better, hitting teammates in stride and on the stick-blades. And they skated better, winning numerous sprints for the puck.

The Brutal Bruins

Buffalo handled all the physicality the Bruins brought to the game – three fighting majors, three 10 minute misconducts and six two-minute penalties – without backing down or losing focus. No pointless, juvenile display of idiotic brutality (sorry: no “hockey fight“) upset Buffalo enough for them to make a mistake, and Boston never came away from a fight so fired up they made a play themselves.

Not even the massive “brawl” in the final minutes of the game – in which the referees handed out nine penalties – disrupted the Sabres’ near-perfect performance. Which begs the question: if fights don’t really motivate, or at least not as much as actually playing well, what point do they serve?

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2012. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured, Top Story.

All 30 days of November are finally in the books and the Boston Bruins made history during all of them. With a record of 12-0-1, which included a 10-game winning streak, the Bruins (16-7-1, 33 points), completed the best month the league has seen since March 2008, when the San Jose Sharks went 13-0-2, and the best month for the franchise since January 1969. Boston went from last in the Eastern Conference all the way to second on the shoulders of goaltender Tim Thomas, who was named November’s 1st NHL Star for going 9-0-0, becoming only the fourth goalie to go undefeated in a calendar month (with a minimum of nine starts) after Martin Brodeur, Bernie Parent, and Jacques Plante. With their points streak now at 14 games, can the Bruins be stopped?

Last Week’s Recap

The Bruins closed out November on Wednesday night with a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, before starting December with a 4-1 victory over the same ol’ Leafs, who have lost to the B’s in each of their four meetings this season by a combined score of 23-6. Their latter victory also marked the 100th consecutive sellout for the Bruins at home, but those at home have been doing their part, too; NESN’s ratings for the Bruins games during November are up 33% to 5.3 from their previous monthly best set last March.

Top B’s-ness To Take Care Of

David Krejci:

The signing of center David Krejci on Wednesday for $15.75 million over 3 years is clearly the story of the week. Krejci (5-10-15 points in 21 games), who had 23 points in 21 playoff games last spring but has been sluggish this season, was the subject of trade rumors at the start of the week, when Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks was reportedly being shopped. The extension of the UFA’s-to-be contract ended all such talk, but has left a lot of fans wondering if the deal was the right move, especially considering the development of Tyler Seguin (a natural center playing wing and leading the team with 12 goals and 24 points) and the other UFA’s (Chris Kelly, Gregory Campbell, Daniel Paille, Shawn Thorton, Johnny Boychuk, and Joe Corvo) and RFA’s (Tuukka Rask and Benoit Pouliot) to-be. Clearly, the B’s front office is expecting Krejci to step up to his playoff numbers, which he has done since the signing, notching two goals and three assists in the two victories over the Maple Leafs.

Other Trade Rumors:

Between the Bruins’ sluggish start to the season and last week’s talk of trading Krejci, it was only during the Bruins 10-game winning streak that there was very little trade talk in the Hub. The Bruins have $3.1 million in cap space and could potentially double by placing Marc Savard on the Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), meaning there’s plenty of money to spend. With players like Bobby Ryan, Jarome Iginla, and Rick Nash (pretty sure he gets mixed up in every trade rumor, seriously) being whispered about, it’s easy to let imaginations run wild. But if it ain’t broke, why fix it? The Bruins are 13-0-1 in their last 14 and people want to mess with that? There’s a significant chance the Bruins will make a trade before the deadline, especially if Iginla is still available, but there’s no need to mess with the team’s winning combination right now.

2012 NHL All-Star Game:

The 2012 NHL All-Star Game ballot is still open! Be sure to vote for Bruins Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Nathan Horton, David Krejci, Milan Lucic, and Tim Thomas and to write Tyler Seguin in! Vote here!

Raffle Tickets for Championship Rings:

Be sure to buy your raffle tickets for a chance to win a Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup Championship ring! All proceeds go to the Boston Bruins Foundation and NHL Alumni Association.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition:

Bruins President Cam Neely and players Patrice Bergeron, Andrew Ference, Milan Lucic, Tyler Seguin, and Shawn Thornton appeared on last Friday night’s episode of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to rebuild the home of the Walkers from Springfield, MA. Eleven-year-old Carl Walker took his own life more than two years ago after being bullied at school, which led to the joint efforts of the Bruins and the “Stand Together” campaign.

Bruins’ Week Ahead

Monday, December 5 @ Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m.
Monday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins (16-7-4, 36 points) marks the beginning of a tough stretch played mostly on the road for the Bruins, who will have five games in eight days. The Penguins are first in the Eastern Conference and have dominated the league throughout the season, even though they just welcomed back Sidney Crosby, who already has 12 points (2-10-12) in just seven games. The first matchup of the season of these two teams could indicate who the best in the Eastern Conference really is and provide a preview of a playoff series to come. Expect Thomas to start for this one.

Tuesday, December 6 @ Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
The Bruins’ first trip to Winnipeg this season is also their first since New Year’s Eve, 1995, when they beat the Jets (11-11-4, 26 points) 5-3. Boston grounded Winnipeg 4-2 in Boston after the B’s 10-game winning streak was snapped, but the Jets are a surprising 7-4-0 at home. The Bruins, who will be led by Tuukka Rask, should be able to handle business, but their last win over the Jets wasn’t the easiest and the trip to Winnipeg is no fun.

Thursday, December 8 vs. Florida Panthers, 7 p.m.
The Florida Panthers (14-8-4, 32 points) have been one of the surprises of the season, as they are in control of the Southeast Division and in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers are decent across the board in power play and penalty kill, but have three players with more than 20 points (the Bruins only have one). They have a very balanced attack of Kris Versteeg, Tomas Fleischmann, and Stephen Weiss, while their defense is anchored by Brian Campbell. Former Bruin Marco Sturm has found a home in Florida, but has struggled with only two goals and one assist in 19 games. The Bruins, 2-2-0 against the Southeast, should be at 4-2-0 against that division before the week’s end.

Saturday, December 10 @ Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Everyone remembers the Columbus Blue Jackets, right? In the midst of the Bruins’ winning streak, Columbus (7-16-3, 17 points), then-and-still the worst team in the league, forced the Bruins to a shootout in what everyone wrote off as an easy win. The BJ’s are 4-3-1 since then, a record that includes an impressive 5-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres and an awkward 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. For some reason, Columbus matched up well against Boston in the teams’ meeting in Boston, but don’t expect Claude Julien & Co. to take this matchup lightly.
Prediction: loss to Penguins, wins over Jets, Panthers, Blue Jackets

Around the League’s Rink:

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller got run over again! This time the offender wasn’t Milan Lucic, but Jordin Tootoo of the Nashville Predators. Watch the video and note how every Sabre immediately jumped Tootoo, including Miller, who was making his first start suffering a concussion (supposedly because of Lucic’s hit). Expect Tootoo to get suspended… Former Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau wasn’t unemployed for long. He was hired by the struggling Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday after they fired Randy Carlyle, which gave him six days between coaching games for two different teams, the shortest span in NHL history… League realignment because of the Atlanta Thrashers’ move to Winnipeg this offseason will be the topic du jour of the NHL Board of Governors meetings, which begin today. Commissioner Gary Bettman is believed to be seeking a two-conference, four-division (East, South, Midwest, and Pacific) alignment. A lot features into the realignment, notably the Detroit Red Wings’ desire to move to the Eastern Conference in order to decrease travel and increase television viewership… The New York Times is in the middle of a haunting three-piece series on the life of former NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard, who was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment last May after mixing alcohol and oxycodone.

© Erikk for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured.

The Buffalo Sabres start fights. The Boston Bruins finish them.

And they win games.

Zdeno Chara‘s power play goal in the third period of Wednesday’s game in Buffalo completed a two-goal comeback, and Benoit Pouliot scored in the fifth round of the shootout to beat the Sabres, 4-3.

The Bruins have now won 10 games in a row and lead the Northeast division. They need just two points to catch the conference-leading Pittsburgh Penguins.

Third Period Remains Bruins’ Ally

The Bruins entered Wednesday’s game as the highest-scoring third-period team in the NHL. And down 3-2 entering the third, they played like it, pounding the puck repeatedly at Sabre goalie Jhonas Enroth.

The Bruins’ offensive onslaught earned them a power play at 2:11, when center Derek Roy hooked Rich Peverley. Despite two shorthanded Buffalo shots to start the power play, Boston eventually worked the puck back towards Enroth.

Chara fired off a wristshot from 58 feet which Enroth deflected, but the puck came to David Krejci in the slot. Krejci opted not to shoot, instead passing to Milan Lucic just to the right of the goal post.

Lucic then sent the puck back to Chara at the blue line, and Chara fired off a powerful slapshot that sailed past Enroth to tie the game 3-3 at 3:35.

Following Chara’s goal, both sides played fantastic hockey, mixing in strong but legal hits with high-speed skating and solid passing. Both sides had opportunities to score, but Enroth and Tim Thomas combined for 20 third-period saves, robbing opponents in just about every possible way.

Pouliot Hands Enroth First Shootout Loss

The Sabres’ couldn’t capitalize on Krejci’s hooking penalty in the final minute of regulation, nor could they do so with a minute of 4-on-3 hockey to start overtime.

The game went to a shootout, and both Enroth and Thomas turned aside the first four shooters they faced.

Thomas faced right winger Drew Stafford to start the fifth round, making a glove-side save to set up Pouliot for a possible game-winner. Pouliot then took the puck between the circles, firing off a quick-release wristshot above Enroth’s glove to win the game.

Enroth had never lost a shootout before Wednesday.

Bruins Start Comeback in Second

The Bruins started the second period down 2-0 following power play goals from Christian Ehrhoff and Thomas Vanek in a first period in which the Sabres out-skated, out-passed, and out-hit the Bruins. That momentum lasted just three minutes into the second, when Corey Tropp hooked Daniel Paille.

Less than 30 seconds later, the Bruins got on the board when Peverley passed from the goal line to Patrice Bergeron at the blue line. Bergeron then cross-passed the ice to Tyler Seguin, who ripped a powerful slapshot from just beyond the left circle into the goal to put the Bruins on the board at 3:37.

The goal gave Seguin 22 points in 19 games this season. He finished his rookie season with 21 points in 74 games.

Though Sabre T.J. Brennan scored the first goal of his career 11 minutes into the period, Brad Marchand answered with four minutes left, lifting the rebound from a Bergeron shot under the crossbar to keep it a one-goal game.

First Period Marred by Pointless Fighting

Fighting should be a tool hockey players use to motivate their teammates and inspire tougher play. But it shouldn’t ever replace actual hockey.

When Paul Gaustad charged Lucic early in the first, the resulting fight was anything but motivating. It was a moronic, petty attempt by Gaustad to exact “ice justice” on Lucic for Lucic’s unpunished hit on Sabre goalie Ryan Miller.

Before that fight, the Sabres had kept the puck entirely near Thomas and the Bruin goal. After the fight – which Lucic clearly won – the Bruins took control of the game, at least until a multi-player brawl with indiscernible origins somehow earned the Sabres a power play.

In effect, Gaustad traded actual, solid hockey for a bestial, mating-dance-like fight.

As stupid as that fight was – as little as it actually solved – it at least looked entertaining. When six or seven players went at it 11 minutes in, the result was a boring scrum that looked far more like an orgy than a battle. Watching people’s backs for several minutes isn’t fun, no matter what might be happening underneath the pile.

Minutes-long stoppages for ridiculous fights like Wednesday’s take away from the viewing experience and the quality of play. Instead of improving game-play, they just inhibit what makes hockey actually great.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured, Top Story.

Eight games and 21 days into the November, the Boston Bruins (11-7-0) are still yet to lose this month. On their current eight-game winning streak, which has seen them rocket from last place in the Eastern Conference to just two points out of the Northeast Division lead with two games in hand, the Bruins have outscored their opponents 41-14. While they have topped some of the league’s best teams this month, the Bruins, the league’s hottest team, will be tested by their upcoming schedule, which features three road games out of the five remaining games this month. It will be a difficult test.

Last Week’s Recap

Last week’s three games feature the first games that the Bruins came close to losing this month. A back-and-forth game against the New Jersey Devils required the heroics of Brad Marchand and Benoit Pouliot to secure a 4-3 win on Tuesday night and two nights later, the Bruins were taken to a shootout by the Columbus Blue Jackets, the NHL’s worst team. They escaped with a 2-1 victory and quickly reasserted their strength on Saturday night as they beat the New York Islanders 6-0, the fifth time this month that the B’s had rung up six goals (and the second time against the Islanders).

Thanksgiving

In light of the wonderful holiday the United States is set to celebrate on Thursday, here are a few things I’m thankful for this year:

Two-Way Hockey:

The Bruins are clearly playing their best hockey of the season and potentially even better than during the Stanley Cup Finals in June. Not only is their trademark defense, led by the epic goaltending tandem of Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask, allowing the fourth-fewest goals on average in the league (2.17), but they are also second in the league in goals per game (3.44). That gives them the highest average goal differential (1.27) and they also have the highest actual goal differential (+25). Right now, the Bruins are playing complete and balanced hockey; can any other team match them?

Teamwork:

Tyler Seguin, the team’s leading scorer with 11 goals and 21 points, was held to just one point last week, an assist against the Islanders. While Boston’s offensive productive was comparatively lower last week than the rest of the month, 10 goals in three games is still an impressive clip. How did the Bruins do it without their leading scorer? They spread the scoring around. Andrew Ference, Adam McQuaid, and Shawn Thornton all scored their first goals of the season, while Zdeno Chara and Benoit Pouliot each added their second. Chris Kelley recorded a two-goal, three-point effort against the Islanders, in addition to Patrice Bergeron, Nathan Horton, and Brad Marchand all scoring as well. It’s great to have a sophomore superstar in Seguin to lead the team, but it’s more important to have the supporting cast to contribute to the cause as well.

The NBA Lockout

Before this gets taken the wrong way, I’m not thankful for the NBA Lockout per se. While I prefer ice to parquet at the TD Garden, I love the Boston Celtics and all that they bring to the city, from Ray Allen’s sportsmanship to Aztec Gino’s manthighs. However, the NBA lockout represents a great opportunity for the Bruins to recapture their stake of the city. Yes, last season’s Stanley Cup Championship did that, but absence of basketball and the lack of Patriots during the work week give the Bruins a chance to ensure their victory is not forgotten instead of just being a fleeting moment of glory. For those NBA fans that are new to hockey, feel free to check out ProHockeyTalk’s NHL Primer, which will fill you in on all you need to know about the sport.

Bruins Notes

Brad Marchand Doesn’t Like Marshmont

Although Marchand may be a huge fan of nicknames – which you have to be when you play on a team with “Soupy” – but, in a shot at 98.5 The Sport’s Hub’s Felger & Mazz, he informed the media that he doesn’t like nicknames that butcher his last name, like Marshmont, which he considers disrespectful. So, be mindful when cheering on Marshmont Marshy/Squirrel/Rat/Tomahawk/Honey Badger. Honestly, who can blame his distaste for Marshmont with such great nicknames?

Raffle Tickets for Championship Rings:

Be sure to buy your raffle tickets for a chance to win a Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup Championship ring! All proceeds go to the Boston Bruins Foundation and NHL Alumni Association.

The NHL All-Star Game:

The ballot for the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game just came out and failed to include Seguin, who who leads the Bruins with goals and points. Give Seguin what he deserves and send him to the NHL All-Star Game: write him in!

Week Ahead Preview

Monday, November 21 @ Montréal Canadiens, 7:30 p.m.
The Bruins open this week’s play with a visit to the Bell Centre, the site of their last loss nearly one month ago. (Just in case you forgot about it.) The Canadiens (9-8-3, 21 points) are the worst team in the division, but are only out of first place by three points (how’s that for parity, NBA?). Montréal has alternated wins and losses their last five games, which includes two 4-0 shutouts, the most recent of which ended the New York Rangers’ eight-game winning streak. The most impressive aspect of the Canadiens this season has been their penalty kill, which is fourth-best in the NHL (89.3%), and has allowed just one power play goal this month on 34 kills. In what should be a defensive struggle, the Bruins will need to keep consistent offensive pressure to avoid leaning on Thomas too much and, potentially more importantly, not take stupid penalties. Fortunately, Chara won’t have to worry about being arrested on this trip across the border after Québec authorities decided not to press charges against the league’s tallest player for his hit on Max Pacioretty last season.

Wednesday, November 23 @ Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m.
Instead of trying to explain with my words what may happen when the Bruins visit the Sabres (12-8-0, 24 points) in Buffalo, here’s a video of what happened last time these two teams collided (NHL newbs, that was funny, so make sure you’re laughing) and a few friendly words from Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. Expect fireworks with a possibility of hockey. Chance of Jack Edwards going crazy: 100%.

Friday, November 25 vs. Detroit Red Wings, 1 p.m.
The Bruins host the Detroit Red Wings (10-7-1, 21 points) in a nationally televised Original-Six matinee matchup the day after Halloween. The Red Wings have been the NHL’s streakiest team this season, opening with five wins before dropping six straight, after which they won four straight, lost two games back-to-back, and won two more. While they are not the dominant team of the past few years, the Red Wings are still one of the league’s best and bring a tough challenge from the Western Conference, against which the Bruins are 2-2-0. It just depends on what streak the Red Wings are skating on.

Saturday, November 26 vs. Winnipeg Jets, 7 p.m.
The Jets’ (8-9-3, 19 points) visit to Boston will be their first since November 21, 1995 and the teams’ first match-up since December 31 of the same year. The Bruins won both games and should win this one as well. The Jets, who relocated from Atlanta (Thrashers) at the end of last season, have the difficulty of playing in the Southeastern Conference despite being located in Manitoba, which might explain why they seem to lose games they should win (like a 2-1 loss to Columbus) and win games they should lose (like a 9-8 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, who seem unable to win against the Jets).
Prediction: win over the Canadiens, loss to the Sabres, wins over the Red Wings & Jets

Around the League’s Rink

Sidney Crosby, who has missed 61 games stretching back to last season’s halfway point with post-concussion syndrome, will return to the Pittsburgh Penguins line-up Monday night against the New York Islanders… The Washington Capitals are 3-7-1 since starting the season 7-0-0, leading to speculation about potentially significant organizational changes on the horizon… The St. Louis Blues are 4-0-2 since Ken Hitchcock replaced David Payne as head coach on November 6… The sale of the Dallas Stars to Vancouver billionaire Tom Gaglardi by the bankrupt Hicks Sports Group was approved by a Delaware bankruptcy court and the NHL Board of Governors.

© Erikk for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured.

Winter might be approaching, but the ice at the TD Garden is staying warm, as the red-hot Boston Bruins (8-7-0) are undefeated in November. They have strung together five consecutive victories, outscoring their opponents 30-10. They have scored at least five goals in five straight games for the first time since January 22-29, 1986 and are only the third team in the past 17 seasons to score at least six goals in four consecutive games. That’s not bad for a team that was 3-7-0 and in last place in the Eastern Conference two weeks ago. For the first time this season, the Bruins are above .500 and looking to take advantage of divisional foes, especially the Ottawa Senators, currently trending downward.

Last Week’s Recap

The Bruins started last week with a sound 6-2 victory over the visiting New York Islanders, which gave Tuukka Rask his first victory of the season. He picked up his second one in the Bruins’ best non-division win of the season, a 6-3 thumping of the surprising Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night, before Tim Thomas took over his starting spot again in Saturday night’s 6-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

Since the Bruins are en fuego right now, I thought it might be more appropriate to shift to a Hot vs. Not section instead of the usual “Top B’s Storylines.” Hopefully no one is left out in the cold with the change.

Hot

Tyler Seguin:

With 11 goals on the season, the Ontario-native has now matched his rookie total in just 15 games this season and has a goal in four consecutive games and points in six. During the Bruins winning streak, he has seven goals (nearly half of which come from his first career hat trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs) and three assists, closing out the week with two goals and an assist against Buffalo. On a hot-or-not scale between 1 and 10, Seguin is Stacy’s Mom.

Jordan Caron:

Mentioned as one of last week’s top storylines, Caron (1-1-2) earned his first points of the season this week, first with an assist on Benoit Pouliot’s first goal of the season against the Islanders and then with a goal against the Oilers. He seems to have earned a permanent spot in the Bruins roster, usually on the third line, which has seen quite a few different faces, including Rich Peverley (hot), Chris Kelly (hot), Zach Hamill (heating up), and Benoit Pouliot (lukewarm).

Goal-scoring & Assist-giving:

It’s not just Seguin who’s hot right now. While he can account for seven of the 30 goals the Bruins have scored in November, it’s clear the entire team is contributing to the offense. Milan Lucic has five goals this month, while Nathan Horton and Brad Marchand have each added three. The B’s are also helping each other score, with Zdeno Chara finally knocking Seguin off the leaderboard in assists with eight in November (11 on the season). Seguin and Patrice Bergeron both have nine assists, while Marchand and Joe Corvo have seven each. While not complaining, it would still be great to see Corvo (0-7-7) notch a power-play goal. Of particular note is how crisp the passing has been and how the majority of the goals haven’t been off of rebounds or “trash” goals, but skilled snipes, especially against Buffalo. It looks the B’s finally got back to basics and it’s paying off.

Soldier Surprise Puck Drop

The ceremonial puck drop before Saturday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres was possibly the most emotional Boston sports scene in a long, long time. Words will do it no justice, so please watch it here and tell every veteran and serviceman/woman thank you for their service.

Raffle Tickets for Championship Rings:

Be sure to buy your raffle tickets for a chance to win a Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup Championship ring! All proceeds go to the Boston Bruins Foundation and NHL Alumni Association.

Marc Savard:

He’s on Twitter!

Not

Injuries:

Daniel Paille (broken nose) and Andrew Ference (lower body injury) remain day-to-day.

Ryan Miller:

His comments regarding Lucic’s hit made after Saturday’s game were entirely unprofessional. I touched on this at length yesterday.

The NHL All-Star Game:

The ballot for the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game just came out and failed to include Seguin, who not only leads the Bruins with goals and points, but is also one goal behind league-leader Phil Kessel, in fifth-place in the league for overall scoring (four points behind Kessel), and has the league’s best plus-minus rating. Want to know who is on the ballot? Sidney Crosby and Marc Staal who have combined to play in zero (yes, 0) games this season. Also on the list: Jordan Eberle (3-8-11, +1 in 16 games), Michael Grabner (5-1-6, -3 in 16 games), and Taylor Hall (3-7-10, +1 in 15 games), all whom are sophomores like Seguin (11-9-20, +14 in 15 games), but can’t touch him. Not to keep picking on the Staals, but how do Eric (4-3-7, -17 in 17 games) and Jordan (8-4-12, +5 in 15 games played) make it and not Seguin? Don’t even get me started on R.J. Umberger (1-4-5, -4 in 16 games)! And somehow people think P.K. Subban is a respectable hockey player. Anyway, let’s give Seguin what he deserves and send him to the NHL All-Star Game: write him in!

Week Ahead Preview

Tuesday, November 15 vs. New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.
The New Jersey Devils (8-6-1, 17 points, 4th in the Atlantic Division) have been streaky all season. Their standing in their division is misleading as they play in arguably the league’s toughest one this season, but have lost winnable games because of future Hall-of-Fame goalie Martin Brodeur’s slow start, who has seen backup Johan Hedberg play nearly double the amount of games. Either goaltender could start on Tuesday after Hedberg game the Devils a 3-2 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals. This isn’t the same Devils team of the past, and Ilya Kovalchuk (2-7-9) is still yet to meet expectations, but they’re always a tough team to play.

Thursday, November 17 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
What’s there to say about the sad excuse for a hockey team the BJ’s (3-12-1) are? They opened the season with eight straight losses (0-7-1) and have managed only three in the seven games since then. They are the worst team in the league and the only one not to have broken double-digits for points in the standings. Their three wins have come against the Detroit Red Wings, who were at the end of a slide, the Anaheim Ducks, who are still sliding, and the Winnipeg Jets, who are sliding only slightly less than Columbus. As long as the Bruins don’t cruise, Columbus shouldn’t be a problem.

Saturday, November 19 @ New York Islanders, 7 p.m.
The Bruins travel to Nassau Coliseum for the first time this season after last week’s 6-2 victory against the New York Islanders (4-7-3, 11 points) last week. Since then, the Islanders have dropped games to the Colorado Avalanche (4-3 in a shootout) and the Vancouver Canucks (4-1) and into last place in the Eastern Conference. They are scheduled to play the New York Rangers (9-3-3, 21 points) and Montreal Canadiens (7-7-2, 16 points) before hosting the Bruins. The Bruins should be able to finish the week off on a high note and potentially extend their win streak assuming there are no early-week hiccups.
Prediction: win over Devils, Blue Jackets, and Islanders

Around the League’s Rink

The Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place on Monday night in Toronto, Ontario. This year’s inductees are Ed Belfour, Doug Gilmour, Mark Howe, and Joe Nieuwendyk.

© Erikk for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured.

There is no doubt that Milan Lucic’s hit (yes, it was a hit, not a collision) on Buffalo Sabres and Team USA goaltender was stupid, dangerous, avoidable and a suspendable penalty (and not just because Miller is a goalie).

However, despite Miller’s resulting concussion, Lucic was not suspended Monday after speaking with league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan, who cited a lack of intent on the hit.

Following Saturday night’s game, Miller lingered in the locker room to “speak” with the media about the hit (“Fifty pounds on me and he runs me like that? It’s unbelievable… It was gutless…”), an act that was entirely unprofessional.

If he should be calling anyone out, he should be calling out his teammates who barely went after Lucic immediately following the hit and failed to engage him once he was out of the penalty box.

While it would be bush league, there’s a chance Buffalo could go after Tim Thomas or Tuukka Rask, whoever starts in net the next time the two play each other on November 23, if no one steps up to confront Lucic.

Watch video of the hit:

© Erikk for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured, Video.

So obviously, the focus since Tuesday night’s loss in Montreal has rightfully been on the Zdeno Chara hit on rookie Max Pacioretty that sent the Habs’ winger into the turnbuckle of the glass between the benches, instantly knocking Pacioretty unconscious. Since then, Pacioretty has been diagnosed with a severe concussion and a broken vertebrae in his neck, injuries that will likely cost him the rest of the season and that have sparked a criminal investigation.

Obviously, the Chara-Pacioretty saga will continue to develop in the days and weeks to come. The two teams face off for the final time in the regular season on March 24th in Boston, which will definitely be “appointment television” for hockey fans everywhere. But until then, the B’s have a full slate of games to focus on, beginning tonight against the hungry Sabres, who are fighting for one of the East’s final playoff spots. So enough jibber-jabber, let’s get right to tonight’s pre-game notes…

The Lead-up

Tonight marks the sixth and final meeting between these two bitter division rivals. Boston won the first two back in the fall, but Buffalo has taken the last three, including a 4-2 win in their most recent contest, back on January 20th.

Both teams are coming off losses from Tuesday night, with the lifeless Bruins dropping a pivotal Northeast Division battle to the Canadiens, 4-1, while Buffalo fell to the Penguins in Pittsburgh, 3-1. The Sabres make the sixth stop on their season-long seven-game road trip tonight here in Boston, having gone 3-1-1 so far on the trip.

Both teams have struggled on the power play lately, with the B’s mired in an 0-for-16 slump across their last seven games. Buffalo hasn’t scored on the man-advantage in their last four contests, going 0-for-14 in that time.

Playoff Races

The Sabres currently sit in a tie with Carolina for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Buffalo does have a game in hand over the ‘Canes.

All three Eastern Conference divisional races are in full blown nail-biting mode. The Northeast Division lead is down to just three points for Boston over second place Montreal, while Philadelphia and Washington enjoy slim two-point advantages atop their divisions, over Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, respectively.

Boston’s Dealings

The Bruins tinkered with their forward lines at yesterday’s practice, making a small swap between their second and third lines. Mark Recchi was dropped to the third line to pair with Chris Kelly and Michael Ryder, while newly acquired Rich Peverley will begin tonight’s game skating with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on the team’s second line. The Bergeron-Marchand-Recchi line had gone unchanged for over two months up until yesterday’s change.

The Boston blue line has turned into the “black and blue” line lately, as Bruin defensemen continue to get banged up. Andrew Ference returned to the ice for his second day of practice this morning, with hopes of making it back into the lineup some time next week. Steven Kampfer, out with a mild concussion, could skate today, after doing some time on the stationery bike during yesterday’s practice. Shane Hnidy, who rejoined the B’s recently, is still about a week away from being ready for game action. And Johnny Boychuk practiced yesterday with a fresh new shiner on his left eye after losing a fight in the first period of Tuesday’s game. The eye was very red and nearly swollen shut, but Boychuk does expect to play in tonight’s game. Oh, and Chara wasn’t suspended and will play tonight, if you hadn’t heard already… unless the Canadian mounties hop on their moose en route to Boston and arrest Big Z before game time.

Boston’s one goal Tuesday was the team’s 200th this season, making them the seventh team in the league to reach that mark. The B’s have only given up 156 on the year, lowest in the NHL.

Buffalo’s Arsenal

Flipping our focus over to Buffalo now, we’ll catch our first glimpse of former Bruin Brad Boyes in a Buffalo uniform tonight. Boyes was traded to the Sabres on deadline day from the St. Louis Blues, who are way out of playoff contention out west and were in full salary-dump mode pre-deadline. Boyes has two goals and two assists in his first five games as a Sabre, and ranks second overall on the team in points (combining his stats from St. Louis), with 14 goals and 31 assists.

The team’s leading scorer, Thomas Vanek (23G, 32A), missed his first game of the year in Tuesday’s loss to Pittsburgh, after battling severe flu-like symptoms. The winger did return to practice yesterday though, and is expected to be back in the lineup for tonight’s tilt at TD Garden.

Tuesday, the B’s found themselves facing last week’s Third Star of the Week from last week, in Montreal’s Carey Price. Tonight, they’ll go up against the league’s reigning Second Star of the Week, Buffalo defenseman Andrej Sekera. Sekera has two goals and eight assists in his last six games.

Buffalo’s goaltending is of course led by Ryan Miller (28-19-7, 2.67GAA). Miller is backed up by youngster Jhonas Enroth (4-2-1, 2.59GAA).

Other News

Lastly, for you hockey/politics crossover fans out there, Massachusetts senator John Kerry and others will appear on “NHL Hour with Commissioner Gary Bettman” tonight at 6pm on NHL.com and Sirius XM Radio. Kerry will be joining several other politicians later tonight at the Verizon Center in our nation’s capital to play in The Congressional Hockey Challenge charity hockey game, which benefits the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club and Ice Arena. Lawmakers from the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives will take on a group of federal lobbyists in the third annual event. Watch those turnbuckles, Mr. Senator!

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins.

The Bruins fell to a hungrier, more desperate Buffalo Sabres team Thursday night, failing to protect two separate one-goal leads and eventually losing to their division rival, 4-2 at the Garden.

Boston’s energy and effort was flat for much of the contest, especially down the stretch. They opened up the scoring midway through the first period, when Dennis Seidenberg ripped a shot through traffic, and with the help of a great screen from Nathan Horton in front, the puck beat Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller to give the B’s an early 1-0 advantage.

Buffalo’s Cody McCormick evened the score early in the second period, knocking home his own rebound past Tuukka Rask to knot the game at one a piece. The B’s got the lead back later in the period on a goal from Gregory Campbell, one of the hottest skaters in Black and Gold. Campbell has four goals and four assists in his last seven games.

From there though, it was all Sabres, all the time. Buffalo tied the game again before the end of the second period on a Nathan Gerbe goal. The former BC standout beat Rask over his left shoulder for the Sabres’ second goal of the night. Buffalo got their game-winner off the stick of their leading goal scorer, winger Thomas Vanek. Vanek beat Rask on an unassisted goal to give the Sabres a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Jason Pominville added a tip-in goal in the final minutes of the game to round out the scoring on the evening, putting the finishing touches on Buffalo’s 4-2 road win.

From here, the B’s go from one snowy locale to another, as they head west to face the Colorado Avalanche in a Saturday matinee at the Pepsi Center. They’ll continue west to Los Angeles for a Monday night battle with the Kings before returning home to wrap up their pre-All Star break schedule Wednesday night when they host the Florida Panthers.

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured, Top Story.

These two teams have split the season series so far this year, with each team prevailing twice over the other through four meetings. The teams got 2011 off to a rousing start back on New Year’s Day up in Buffalo, with the Sabres edging the B’s in overtime, 7-6. Both teams are coming off wins in their last game, with the B’s completing a home-and-home sweep of the Hurricanes Tuesday night with a 3-2 win in Carolina, after beating up on the ‘Canes in a 7-0 pounding Monday afternoon at the Garden. Buffalo also was victorious Tuesday night, beating the Canadiens 2-1 in overtime. Despite the win, the Sabres still find themselves far out of the playoff picture in the East, currently sitting in 11th place, eight points back of eighth place Atlanta.

As with any divisional rivalry games, there’s plenty to get to before we drop the puck. Let’s not waste any more time…

- Tuesday’s win over Carolina, coupled with the Montreal loss in OT, gives Boston a three-point advantage now over the Habs in the Northeast Division. Montreal sits in seventh place in the East, while the B’s are in a tie with Tampa for the #2 spot. Boston does have a game in hand over Tampa.

- Tim Thomas set a season high mark Tuesday, making 43 saves on his way to the 3-2 victory. It looks like the Vezina Trophy favorite will get a night off tonight though, with Tuukka Rask the first goalie off the ice during the team’s morning skate today.

- Milan Lucic scored the game-winner for the good guys Tuesday, lighting the lamp for the first time in over a month, a 13-game stretch. The goal, which was Lucic’s 17th of the season, matches his career high, set two seasons ago.

- With the pair of wins of Carolina, Boston’s January record improved to 6-2-2. After tonight’s showdown on home ice, they’ll head out for a brief two-game western road trip, stopping in Colorado for a Saturday matinee with the Avalanche (3pm ET), followed by a trip to La-La Land to face off with the Kings Monday night (10:30pm ET). They’ll then make the cross-country trek back to Boston to host the Florida Panthers next Wednesday night. Think of the frequent flyer miles they’re racking up!

- Tonight marks the 256th meeting all-time between these storied rivals, with Boston posting a 116-104-29-6 record against the Sabres. However, thanks to the New Year’s Day one-goal win by Buffalo, the Sabres own the scoring advantage all-time, by a single goal… 828-827.

- Defenseman Andrew Ference should make his return to the Boston lineup tonight after missing the team’s previous three games with an undisclosed injury. Adam McQuaid is likely the odd man out amongst the blue line brigade, as he has been playing through some nagging injuries of his own lately.

- Buffalo will be without hot hand Drew Stafford this evening, as he nurses a mild groin strain. Stafford, who has five goals in his last eight games, has been unbelievably effective against the B’s this season, to the tune of not one, but two hat tricks in his last two meetings with the B’s, Dec. 15th and Jan. 1st. In all, seven of Stafford’s 15 goals this season have come against Boston. I couldn’t be happier to hear about Stafford’s injured groin… I mean, we all love good injured groin talk, right?

- The Sabres’ scoring is led by winger Thomas Vanek (17G, 20A), who has a goal and five assists in his last three games. Derek Roy is next on the Buffalo score sheet (10G, 25A), but he’s out with a season-ending injury. Following Roy is defenseman Jordan Leopold (10G, 16A).

- Goaltending for the Sabres is led by Olympic hero Ryan Miller (18-14-4, 2.67GAA). Miller is expected to get the start this evening, with veteran Patrick Lalime (0-4-0, 3.03GAA) acting as his backup.

- Buffalo’s only representative for the upcoming All Star Weekend will be rookie forward Tyler Ennis. Ennis, who has a goal and an assist in each of his last two games, will join Boston’s Tyler Seguin and 10 other NHL rookies in the Honda SuperSkills competition, being held Saturday the 29th. No Sabres will take part in the All Star Game itself, played the following day.

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins.

Boston finished up a reasonably successful month of December with an 8-3-3 record, wrapping up the year Thursday with a 3-2 shootout loss to Atlanta. Nevertheless, the B’s find themselves heading into 2011 atop the Northeast Division, a spot they surely hope they can hold on to heading into the playoffs.

For Buffalo, 2010 was largely a disappointing year. First was their early exit from last season’s playoffs (at the hands of the Bruins), then their inconsistent start to this current season. The Sabres went 6-5-1 in December, and sit on the outside looking in of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They rank 12th in the East right now, 10 points behind 8th-ranked Montreal.

As always with divisional games, there are plenty of storylines to cover, so let’s get right to it with the pre-game notes…

- Tonight marks the fourth meeting between these two teams this season. The Bruins took the first two, winning 5-2 and 3-2 games, before Buffalo snuck away with the last game, 3-2, back on December 15th.

- December 15th happens to be the last time we saw Tuukka Rask get a start in goal. Coincidentally, Rask will get the nod again tonight, snapping Tim Thomas’s seven-game start streak. Rask is 2-7-1 so far this year.

- Rask will likely go up against Buffalo’s Ryan Miller (13-12-3, 2.62GAA). On Tuesday, Miller notched his 200th career victory, topping the Oilers in Edmonton, 4-2. Miller ranks second, only behind Dominic Hasek, in franchise history with those 200 wins. Miller’s backups this season have been the veteran Patrick Lalime (0-4-0, 3.03GAA) and the youngster Jhonas Enroth (2-2-1, 2.90GAA).

- The Sabres suffered a tough loss right before Christmas. That’s when they lost their team’s leading scorer, center Derek Roy, for the remainder of the season with a torn quad tendon. Patrick Kaleta also remains out, nursing an upper-body injury. Tim Connolly, who recently had reconstructive surgery on his nose, is expected to return to the Sabres’ lineup this evening.

- Gregory Campbell missed his first game in a Bruins uniform Thursday with an undisclosed illness. If he can’t go tonight (he’s a game-time decision), look for Daniel Paille to again fill in for him on the fourth line, while Brad Marchand skates with the Bergeron-Recchi line.

- After Roy (10G, 25A) on the score sheet, the Sabres are led by winger Thomas Vanek (13G, 12A) and defenseman Jordan Leopold (9G, 12A). Those are the only Sabres over 20 points. In comparison, the Bruins boast six skaters with 20 or more points this season.

- The Sabres are able to play at home this evening due to it being the only off day for the World Junior Hockey Championship tournament, being played at HSBC Arena. The preliminary round wrapped up Friday, with the U.S. team earning the top spot in Group A. That gives them a bye to the semifinal round, where they will take on the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between Canada and Switzerland. That semifinal round game will be on Monday night at 7:30pm, and can be seen on NHL Network. The tournament wraps up on Wednesday with the pair of medal round games, also being shown on NHL Network.

- Lastly, just a programming note about the league’s annual Winter Classic. Due to a rain storm in Pittsburgh, today’s outdoor game being played at Heinz Field has been pushed back from its original 1pm start to instead begin at 8pm tonight. The game can still be found on NBC, featuring Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals taking on Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins.

- The Sabres are in the middle of a very strange stretch of their schedule. Earlier in the week, they were out west for a pair of back-to-back games in Calgary Monday and Edmonton on Tuesday. They head all the way back east to play tonight’s one home game, then next week, they find themselves back out west, with stops in Colorado, San Jose, and Phoenix.

-

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2011. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins.