Talk of the Trade

Who will set foot on this ice again for the '12-'13 season? (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

As we think about the 2012-2013 hockey season, we have to think of what the Boston Bruins team is going to look like, or better yet, what it should look like. This is the piece where I dissect the Bruins roster of current players, aside from the Grading System, and decipher who should stay and who should go. In order to do this, we have to take a look at who is restricted and unrestricted in the free agency this season.

Restricted Free Agents:

Forward, #67 Beniot Pouliot
Goaltender, #40 Tuukka Rask

Unrestricted Free Agents:

Forward, #12 Brian Rolston
Forward, #23 Chris Kelly
Forward, #11 Gregory Campbell
Forward, #20 Dan Paille
Defenseman, #14 Joe Corvo
Defenseman, #6 Greg Zanon
Defenseman, #27 Mike Mottau
Goaltender, #1 Marty Turco

With all of these players looking to be signed, there is approximately $5,272,024.00 available in cap space, not including Marc Savard. Given the past two seasons, we can assume that he will not be playing in the 2012-2013 season.  Putting him on the Long Term Injury Reserve list (LTIR), that frees up $4,004,143.oo, providing the Bruins with $9,281,167.00 of salary cap space to play around with.

Seasons Come and Seasons Go

Photo Credit:bigbadboston/Tumblr

So the end of the season has greeted us a little sooner than expected, yet after nearly 200 games played over the course of the last 19 months, it seemed ‘better late than never’ as the Bruins played practically two full seasons with only a month break in between. Thankfully we can expect to see a majority of the same team for the 2012-2013 season. However, there are a few guys that we are not so likely to see. From the Bruins team alone there are nine free agents.  Some are newcomers, such as Brian Rolston, Greg Zanon and Mike Mottau while others have been with the Organization for a while such as; Chris Kelly, Benoit Pouliot, Joe Corvo, Tuukka Rask, Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille.

B’s Capitalize Against Caps; Game 3 Recap

Zdeno Chara scored the game winner for game 3 (Credit:Dinur Blum/ Flickr)

The Capitals may have scored the first goal of the game but it was the Bruins who would get the last and the win. In a series that is turning into WHEN WILL SOMEONE SCORE as opposed to who will win, it was nice to see the B’s get the dub. Tim Thomas made his epic return to DC after the fiasco that was the Bruins white house visit and he was definitely reminded of it thanks to a few clever Caps fans and our presidents face. But like the amazingly talented goalie that he is, Thomas didn’t budge.

Washington didn’t make this game easy. In fact it was so back and fourth that I would literally throw my phone and then have to pick up to tweet my excitement two minutes later. Like I said before, the Caps got the first goal thanks to a power play opportunity towards the end of the first. It was Alexander Semin who got credit for the goal. The B’s wouldn’t score in the first but Rich Peverley would score 38 seconds into the second to tie the game. No sooner did us fans start cheering then Alex Ovechkin would get past Thomas to give the Caps the edge once again.

But that wouldn’t be the end of the scoring. With half the game remaining, Daniel Paille  evened up the game thanks to some smart puck handling and a great rebound off a Greg Zanon shot. To start off the third, Brian Rolston got a BEAUTIFUL rebound past Braden Holtby to give the B’s the lead for the first time in the game. With six minutes remaining, Brooks Laich decided hey I love playing in overtime, let me tie the game again. And so he did. Fortunately for us, we have Zdeno Chara or oh captain my captain on the team and sir steps up when necessary so with less than two minutes to go, he sealed the win with a goal.

The Bruins have off tomorrow and return for game four on Thursday.

Keep Your Hopes Up B’s

Pouliot kept the B's in the game with a goal scored part way in the third (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Yesterday afternoon the Bruins took on the Washington Capitals for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Final. It was Tim Thomas against the newcomer Braden Holtby in between the pipes for the two teams.  In the first period the issue was decision making and puck possession.  On Ovechkin’s first shift there was a noticeably different approach from him, as he initiated contact with both Chara and Seidenberg, drawing a holding call in the opening minutes.  Thomas was littered with shots from the Caps, but stood tall as the penalty expired and the B’s number one penalty killer escaped the box.  The Bruins did a great job on the penalty kill, but their handling through the neutral zone and five on five situations through the first twenty minutes was horrid, the Capitals shot the puck more at the net in the first twenty minutes of the game (9) than they had through the first forty minutes of game 1.  The best chance of the period came from David Krejci with a side-to-sode attempt in the slot that Holtby was able to get a blocker save on.  The score remained at zero after one with the Bruins holding a 10-9 edge in shots. The key going into the second period:

“Get more bodies toward the net, especially off the neutral zone plays…Making plays we wouldn’t usually make and force plays.”-Tyler Seguin (Intermission Report with 98.5 the Sports Hub)

To begin the second period there wasn’t much change in the tempo as there was extremely slow puck possession from the B’s. Luckily Brad Marchand was being a good little brat and drew a penalty from Hamrlik for a cross-check after some chirping. You’ve got to love the little ball of hate some days for getting the ball rolling with his yapper. Bergeron presented the Bruins with a nice one-timer that trickled JUST wide of the net THROUGH Holtby’s pads. The Bruins were able to maintain possession for the next minute or so before Seguin let Alzner beat him to the loose puck in the offensive zone for a change in direction. As the period drew on, the tempers began to flare as Ovechkin threw his glove/stick in the German Hammer’s face. Shortly after Carlson elbowed Patrice Bergeron in the head and in retaliation, on the next shift Brad Marchand gave Carlson a stick to the face in displeasure, receiving a two-minute minor. With just over two minutes remaining in the period Troy Bouwer twould tuck the puck past Thomas and give the Capitals their first lead in the series with the assists going to Alzner and Ovechkin. The positive side, (if I have to find one) Tim Thomas created a new scoreless record of 161 minutes and 41 seconds.

“We’ve got to make plays and get it deep and not lose it at the blue line..They’re waiting for us to get fancy, we’ve got to put pressure on them, get it deep because they’re opportunistic and their [defense] don’t want to play deep.”-Joe Corvo (Intermission Report with 98.5 the Sports Hub)

As the third period began the Bruins came out looking stronger than ever, creating chance after chance against Holtby who is some sort of God-like beast in between those pipes, robbing Marchand for his 54th save in two games.  However with a little persistence and pressure, Bruins forward Benoit Pouliot would become the hero of the game as he chipped the puck past Holtby to tie the game at 12:13 off of a Brian Rolston shot. The goal would be Pouliot’s first ever playoff goal in 24 contests. Congratulations Pou-Bear! Just think, fourteen months ago Pouliot, Kelly and Rolston weren’t even Bruins and currently they are the only line that has scored. (Pouliot 1G, 1A : Kelly 1G, 1A : Rolston 2A) Though there would be much back and forth action in the third period, this game needed extra time as they headed into sudden death overtime.

“We need more pressure on Holtby.. We have to do what we’re supposed to do..Got to follow the game plan and we’ll be fine” –Brad Marchand (Intermission Report with 98.5 the Sports Hub)

Heading into Overtime this would be the first time the Bruins opened a series with consecutive overtimes since April 16-17, 1980 in the Quarter Finals against the New York Islanders.  In the opening minutes of the extra minutes the Bruins had a great pace and threw insane amounts of shots at Holtby, but there was no breaking him or Tim Thomas for the entire twenty minutes, forcing a double overtime. The issue for the Bruins being, they weren’t crashing the net for the rebounds. Sadly it wouldn’t be much into the double OT that Nicklas Backstrom would slap one past Thomas to give the Capitals the win and tie the series as the Series travels to the Nation’s Capitol.

The Bruins put forth a great effort against the Capitals today and it really comes down to scoring. The Bruins need to keep constant pressure on Holtby and crash the net for rebounds.  Their long shots and fancy plays aren’t going to cut it against this team. The next game is Monday night at 7:30pm EST on CBC,NBCSN,NESN or you can listen to the game on 98.5 the Sports Hub.

 

Grading the Bruins: A Cup A Bruin Style

(Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Earlier this week CSNNE reporter Joe Haggerty wrote up an article grading each and every player on the Boston Bruins based on their performance in the regular season. He also posted a similar article last season, after the Bruins won the Cup.  The purpose of this post is much of the same, a comparison of notes if you will.  We are going to take an in-depth look at each and every player on the team and grade them based on season performance, as well as predict how they will be effective in the playoffs.

Beast of the Beasts: Benoit Pouliot

Benoit Pouliot is proving himself to be a valuable piece to the Bruins puzzle (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

This week we asked you, our readers, who you felt was worthy enough of carrying the title of Beast of the Beasts. You provided us with not one, but three possible players to choose from, Benoit Pouliot, Brian Rolston and Marty Turco.  Looking at the stat cards for the past week, we had to make the choice and go with forward Benoit Pouliot, although Brian Rolston came in a close second. As for Marty Turco, we can give him an honorable mention, based on his short time with the Bruins and the two wins that he did provide. It was a great run Marty and we thank you for your time and efforts. It’s been real.

New York State of Mind: Bruins @ Islanders

Will today be another big game for #46? (Credit: Slidingsideways/ Flickr)

With the Buffalo Sabres losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, the Boston Bruins clinched the playoffs as the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. This is the fifth straight year the B’s will make the playoffs and with the recent luck the team has been having I’m as optimistic as ever. Having said that the team still has five games left in the regular season to play.

The first is a matinee game against the New York Islanders. The Bruins took the first two games against the Islanders back in November scoring 6 goals in each game. However in the last meeting between the teams on March 3rd, it was NY that picked up a 3-2 win. With the playoff clinch the B’s have a little less to worry about, but I don’t think they’re trying to tie the series with the Isles for the season.

For Brian Rolston and Mike Mottau, this game brings them back to the Nassau Coliseum where they played last season and this season until the trade deadline as Islanders. But 39 year old Rolston isn’t too concerned with revenge.

“When you’re younger and you play a former team it might be a little nerve-wracking, but in this situation not so much,” said Rolston. “I’ve been around a long time. It’s about trying to well yourself as an individual and play well as a team.”(Via CSNNE)

Injury wise Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid will not make the New York roadtrip after being cut over his left eye in Thursday’s game against the Washington Capitals. Dennis Seidenberg, who didn’t play in Thursday’s game because of a cut on his leg, will be making the trip and could play. Islander wise, goalie Evgeni Nabokov is out with a lower body injury.

As for who’s hot right now, Zdeno Chara has 5 points in his last 6 games and David Krejci has 5 points in his last 4. Those two are definitely the players that I will be watching out for in today’s game.

So Bruins fans enjoy that our boys are in the playoff’s once again, and enjoy the last 5 games of the season!

Puck drops at 1 and you can watch the game on NESN.

Beast of the Beasts: Brian Rolston

Brian Rolston (Photo Credit: Emma Harger/adventuresinpucking)

This week’s Beast of the Beasts, after much deliberation is forward Brian Rolston. Currently the 6′ 2″, 215lb right wing has points in his last six straight games.  He has registered 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points.

Since coming to Boston Rolston has posted three goals and ten assists in just 16 games played. Adding that to his statistics from the Islanders, he has 7 goals and 15 assists totaling 22 points in 65 games.

There is no doubt that the addition of Rolston has helped boost the morale of the third line, with line mates Chris Kelly and Benoit Pouliot having their fair share in the spot light as well. To say they have made or break the Bruins games as of late would be quite accurate.

“My line has put up some points the last couple games, and that’s a great thing. I think we have good chemistry as a line as well…Well Kells, he’s a player that plays in every dimension of the game,” Rolston said. “He’s great defensively, he can make things happen offensively – he’s a pleasure to play with. Benny I know a little bit about him and what he brings, he’s a tremendously talented kid and I just think we’re supporting each other well and we’re building a little bit of chemistry. But it’s a lot of fun to play with these two guys.”-Brian Rolston (via Bruins Official Site)

Bring on the Bolts

Seguin and the Bruins are ready to take on the Lightning in the fourth and final match up tonight (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

After being on the road for the past three games out West, the Bruins are ready to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight at home. This is the fourth and final game between these two teams for the regular season, and are concluding the 23rd of 29 series. In the past five games the Bruins are 4-1-0, the most points gained in a five-game span since they went 4-1-0 from January 4 – January 12, 2012.

For the Lighting, players Vincent Lecavalier (hand), Nate Thompson (upper body) and Adam Hall (upper body) are listed day-to-day. While  Mattias Ohlund (knees), Dana Tyrell (knee), Marc-Andre Bergeron (back), Mathieu Garon (lower body) and Ryan Shannon (upper body) are out. For Boston Tuukka Rask(abdomen injury),Nathan Horton(concussion) and Marc Savard(concussion) are the only scratches.

The lines are expected to be the same tonight as fans saw in Sunday night’s game against the Ducks, with Tim Thomas expected in net instead of Turco.

“I think our approach seems to be a lot better…we’re skating, we’re competing and we’re battling…Still have work to do.”-Calude Julien (post practice via @NHLBruins)

Tonight the Bruins are going to have to come out strong againt the Lightning to avoid being outscored. The Lightning are a strong team and the Bruins are going to need fresh legs if they stand a chance. Although the Lightning are most likely going to be witnessing the playoffs from their television screens, they aren’t going out without a fight, winning five straight, coming off of a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Tonight’s players to watch are Brian Rolston who has a six-game point streak in progress with 3goals and 8assists for 11 points. Chris Kelly who has seven points in his last five games, Benoit Pouliot who  has 4 goals and 7assists in seven of his last nine games played, including 3goals and 5assists in five of his last six. You can also be on the lookout for captain Zdeno Chara who has 3 goals in his last four games.

Tonight’s game is on NESN at 7:30pm EST.

Duck Hunting in Anaheim

Turco picked up his first win as a Bruin (Credit: Kasey Spatz/ Flickr)

Tonight marked the return Rich Peverley and the end of the Boston Bruins west coast roadie. I love when the Bruins play the Anaheim Ducks because The Mighty Ducks is my favorite movie and as everyone knows the Ducks were named off of the movie. So it’s always like my two favorite things are colliding. Anyway, Marty Turco got his second start of the season for the B’s and Tim Thomas got a well needed nap. In the Ducks end Jonas Hiller was the starting goaltender. This matchup was the 24^th time the two teams have meet with the B’s having an 11-10-2-0 record. With Peverley in, that meant another forward was out and that was Daniel Paille. Joe Corvo was also scratched for the 5^th straight game.

First period was uneventful. I say this meaning no goal, no fights, and no blood. The good was that Turco made it longer than 4 minutes in net without giving up a goal. But like I said it came and went.

15:23 in the second  period (yes we had to wait that long for a goal), oh captain my captain Zdeno Chara notches his 12^th goal of the season. One minute and 22 seconds later, Benoit Pouliot scores his 50^th career goal and just like that the B’s are up by two. Back to back goals are something the team capitalized on in the beginning of the season so I’m taking this as a good sign. Four minutes later at 10:49 Teemu Selanne takes advantage of a Adam McQuaid  holding penalty and scores on Turco.

12:38 to go in the third Matt Beleskey got a shot past Turco but because there was a man in the crease the B’s dodged a bullet and held onto the lead. Initially, I thought it was a goal and clearly so did the Ducks coach because he was pouty to no end after this goal was called off. Rule 69.3 aka the contact inside the goal crease is what essentially got the goal ruled off.

With less than seven minutes to go Brian Rolston off a beautiful play by Pouliot. The Chris Kelly, Rolston, Pouliot line is on fire right now with Rolston is now on 6 game point streak. 2:26 remaining Lubomir Visnovsky cut the Bruins lead to just one goal and with that Hiller is pulled and the Ducks have an open net.

The B’s pick up the 3-2 win and Turco picks up his first win as a Bruin and his first win in 408 days. Bruins beat the Ducks for the first time in Anaheim since 2003 and take two out of three games in the west coast trip. The team is off tomorrow and will return home to the TD Garden on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.