Thanks a lot to avid Hockeybuzzer Jeff Spicoli for doing this post-game wrap-up when I couldn't do it due to other obligations. I think he did a great job with this. I'll be back tomorrow but, for now, enjoy this very well written piece.
-Gerz
BRUINS WIN MATINÉE, 2-1:
Well, the Bruins annual “Black Friday” matinée at the TD Banknorth Garden got off to it’s usual (and very predictable) start. Both teams came out in the first looking like they were still recovering from their tryptophan hangovers induced by the previous days’ Thanksgiving festivities. Did you know that the average person consumes over 5000 calories on Thanksgiving Day? It was certainly evident on the ice today to start the game. Both teams played an extremely lethargic and sloppy first period. Only seconds into the game, a key giveaway by Ward from behind his own net set up a Bill Guerin opportunity low in the slot. Luckily for the Bruins, Thomas showed up ready to play like he always does and thwarted the attempt. There would end up being a few more scoring chances for both clubs in between the errant passes and turnovers that highlighted the first period, but nothing of any real quality. The Bruins first and only power play of the period came two and a half minutes into the game, and they were unable to register a shot on goal. Perhaps the most significant event of the period was a solid, clean open ice left-shoulder hit on Milan Lucic by Bryan Berard. Lucic was taking a pass from Zdeno Chara when Berard leveled him and was visibly rattled as he stumbled over to the bench. He would miss a couple shifts, but then returned to put together one of the Bruin’s best shifts of the period, returning the favor to Berard and cycling the puck well down low with linemates Nokie and Reich resulting in a couple of decent chances for the Bruins. Lucic would leave the game after the period though, as it is suspected that the hit may have done more damage than originally thought. More to come on that………
The second period opened up very similarly to the first as both teams still looked to be trying to shake off the calorie intake from the day before. The first half of the period bored the crowd with more of the same sloppy and un-energetic play that graced most of the first. PJ Axelsson was the beneficiary of some sloppy play around DiPietro just seconds into the period but was unable to bury the puck. Brandon “What have you done for me lately?” Bochenski also had a chance on a puck that was harmlessly lobbed out of the Boston zone but ended up being fumbled by the Islanders D, creating a 1 on 1 situation for Boston. Bochenski got off a decent shot, but DiPietro was there to make the save. Jeremy Reich got his feet wet in the second, taking on Tim Jackman after a scrum in front of Thomas. Reich got the best of Jackman, landing several punches before taking him down to the ice. This seemed to be the turning point in momentum for the Bruins, as they really stepped up their game after the fight. Murray’s line in particular seemed to cycle the puck well and create scoring chances. Good cycling and offensive pressure from this line led to the Islanders taking a penalty, and this time the Bruins didn’t disappoint on the power play. Glen Murray, wide open in the slot, buried a nice pass from Marco Sturm down low to take a 1-0 lead with two and a half minutes remaining in the period. Marc Savard (big surprise) would tally the other assist on the goal. This would be the only scoring in the period.
And speaking of Marc Savard, there was a scary moment in the second when Savard was driven into the boards head first by Islanders defenceman Radek Martinek as he was playing the puck along the boards in the neutral zone. Savard was on the ice cringing for a few moments while a brief scrum broke out around him, but got to his feet and appeared to be ok. There was no penalty on the play, even though it was clear that Martinek’s arm placement was on Savard’s #91 on the back of his jersey when he shoved him into the boards. It was eerily similar to the Bergeron hit in that Savard was turning toward the boards at the time of the contact, but luckily Savard was not seriously harmed. I’m wondering exactly what it’s going to take to get the league to respond to hits like this one that have seemed to plague the NHL this season. These type of hits need to be taken out of the game, plain and simple. I’m not going to get into it here again because it’s a dead horse that’s already been beaten, but I hope that the league will smarten up and address this issue before someone is paralyzed or killed.
The Islanders got their first power play opportunity with 13 seconds left in the 2nd period, then got a 5 on 3 when Ward took a hooking call 7 seconds into the 3rd period. The Bruins managed to kill it off but the Islanders continued with their physical play as Andy Sutton caught Phil Kessel with his head down and leveled him with a clean open ice hit. Phil shook it off and was fine the rest of the game. The Islanders had a great scoring chance after a Joseph Vasicek slapper that Thomas saved rebounded right on to the stick of former Bruin Andy Hilbert. Hilbert had a wide open net and rang it off the iron. The Bruins were able to recover and fire it out of the zone. Shortly after, Peter Schaeffer fresh off the bench found Glen Metropolit streaking up the left side. Metropolit skated into the Isles’ zone and fired a slap shot from the top of the circle that beat DiPietro at the 12:41 mark of the period. The shot may have deflected off defenceman Bruno Gervais’ leg. Then with 5:39 left in the period, the Islanders Mike Sillinger finally put his team on the board with a nifty re-direct on what looked to be a standard, harmless waist-high centering attempt from Bruno Gervais. Tim Thomas, seemingly allergic to coming away with a shutout, had no chance on the goal. Sillinger tipped the puck out of the air to beat Thomas and bring his team within 1 goal. This seriously sparked the Islanders offense, as they spent the next couple shifts peppering Thomas from all angles, but Thomas stood his ground and kept the Bruins in the lead. A very questionable tripping penalty taken by Chara on Bryan Berard put the Islanders on the power play with under 2 minutes to go in regulation. Berard looked like he was already going down when Z made contact with him, but the B’s would have to kill the penalty. The Islanders pulled DiPietro for an extra attacker with 49 seconds left, but were unable to penetrate Thomas.
Glen Metropolit's goal proved to be the game winner, and the Bruins win the “Black Friday” matinée in regulation by a score of 2-1."
Game Observations:
- Dennis Wideman continued his solid play today, making several nice passes and key plays in the defensive zone. The Boyes trade still hurts, but it’s getting a lot easier to absorb when Wideman has games like this.
- Andrew “Hands of Stone” Alberts almost cost us a goal in the second when he fumbled a pass from Wideman that Miroslav Satan, like taking candy from a baby, quickly took possession of forcing Thomas to make one of his harder saves of the game.
- The Bruins greatly improved their recent penalty troubles this game, taking only 3 minor penalties all game. It still seemed to hamper them though, as 2 of the minors overlapped causing a 5 on 3 and the other came within the last 2 minutes of the game, creating yet another 5 on 3 opportunity with Rick DiPietro on the bench.
- Rick DiPietro showed his puck handling skills on several occasions, often making long passes to his teammates and acting like a third defenceman in his zone. DiPietro showed why he is considered one of the best puck handling goaltenders in the league. He finished with 23 saves.
- Jeremy Reich, after already pounding Tim Jackman earlier, took exception to the hit on Phil Kessel by Andy Sutton. Reich engaged Sutton, who wanted no part of it. Reich used good judgment here and didn’t take an instigator penalty to exact revenge and give up a power play with his team up by a goal.
- The hit on Savard in the second period was unacceptable, and it was disappointing to see a lack of response by his teammates on the ice. Instances like this are a great argument for removing the instigator penalty from the game and Eric Lindros has recently proposed. If the referees aren’t going to do their jobs and police these instances, the players should be allowed to do it.
- Tim Thomas again looked spectacular in net, and it looked like his game off in Toronto the other night did him well. Thomas again was the only Bruin who put in a full 60-minute effort.
Notes:
- There was a moment of silence observed for former Bruins coach Tom Johnson
before the game, and an obituary read during the first TV timeout.
- Shawn Thornton and his wife hosted a Thanksgiving dinner yesterday for the
single Bruin players and recent call-ups from Providence. Thornton said that he
had to spend Thanksgiving in a hotel room once and vowed not to let it happen to
anyone else.
- The Bruins have recalled Vladimir Sobotka from Providence to replace Milan
Lucic in tomorrow’s game in Long Island. Lucic stated that he “got his bell rung” and doesn’t remember the hit.
It is unsure whether or not he sustained a concussion on the hit, but will stay behind to be evaluated. This is Sobotka's first NHL recall.
- A couple of milestones this game: Marco Sturm played in his 700 NHL game
And Glen Metropolit played in his 200th NHL game.
I’d like to thank Gerzy for giving me the opportunity to write the blog for a day, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. The Bruins take on the Islanders again tomorrow night in Long Island. Game time is 7pm. Let’s hope they can carry the momentum over for a home and home sweep.
-JS
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