Luck On Bruins Side Against Capitals

Before heading on a four-game road trip, the Boston Bruins would have one last game at home. They would face off against the Washington Capitals hoping for retribution for an OT loss last Tuesday. And they certainly got that revenge and so much more in today’s matinee game. Being St.Patrick’s day weekend, the Bruins practiced in their green jerseys and it would seem that luck was on their side during the game.

In net for the Bruins would be Anton Khubdobin, opposite the Capitals Michal Neuvirth. This would be Khudobins 7th start of the season and he certainly did not disappoint. He would make 32 of 33 saves in the game.

Congrats Horton on your Gordie Howe hatty! (Credit: Flickr/Slidingsideways)

This game to me was what the Bruins have been working to accomplish the past few games. It was a 60-minute effort. I know in the past few games they boys have lost steam in the third but not today.

It all started in the first with the first line. Nathan Horton would get a slapshot in off an assist from Milan Lucic  and Zdeno Chara .Not more than three minutes later David Krecji would score thanks to Looch once again. The first line has been pretty MIA in recent games so seeing their presence right away in the first period made me think this would be a good game.

Second period would start with the Bruins on a penalty kill and they would kill it once again because being first in PK’s means it’s hard to score on them. But right after said PK, Washington would strike with an unassisted goal from Marcus Johansson. At 8:02, Andrew Ference would score a LONG overdue first goal of the season. The assists would go to Horty and Krejci. It was good to see Ference get that first goal. At the end of the second the score would be 3-1 Boston.

Now let me take a brief intermission from scoring to talk about ALL the fighting. Brad Marchand would square off against Mike Ribeiro and just 8 seconds later Horton and Matt Hendricks would fight. And yes that would mean Horton got a Gordie Howe hattrick today, basically proving Horty was having a great game! Hendricks would fight again against Adam McQuaid in the third thanks to a little instigation from Shawn Thornton. 

Onto the third period! Bruins would get on the power play early on thanks to a slashing call. And all it took was 8 seconds of said power play for the B’s to strike with a PP goal from Rich Peverley. Looch and Krecji would get the assist on that. Like I said later on in that period there was another bout. It was pretty apparent at this point (at least to me) that the Bruins had the clear momentum at this point in the game.

The Bruins would go on to win bringing their record to 19-4-3, while the Caps would fall to 11-15-1.

B’s are back in action tomorrow for another matinee game this time in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.

 

Bruins Ready For Playoff Redemption

Much as I don’t like to bring it, there once was a season (last season) when the Boston Bruins were eliminated in the playoffs.  The team that was responsible was the Washington Capitals. Tonight will be the first time the teams will face off since that game 7 once upon a time. After losing 4-3 on Sunday night to the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins are looking to get back on track and there seems to be no better of a chance to do so then to beat a team that ended their season last year.

Will Bergeron continue his point streak? (Credit: Flickr/Slidingsideways)

Bruins Face Off:
In case you were wondering, the Bruins face-off win percentage is the best in the league at 58%. It helps that leading that is this weeks NHL second star of the week Patrice Bergeron. Bergy has a team best +15 right now and is currently on a four-game point streak. His line along with Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand has been red hot for the Bruins. Though the team lost on Sunday, this line was on the ice for all three of the Bruins goals scored.

Capitals Comeback:
The Caps are coming off of a shutout win against the Winnipeg Jets and have won the last 4 of 6. Though their record isn’t exactly spectacular, there is still time for playoff contention. After getting off to a rough start, the Caps have surrendered just 18 goals in their last nine games to go 6-3. Braden Holtby will be getting his 10th consecutive start tonight and Bruins fans will remember he was in net for last years playoffs. Three of those games have been shutouts, so Boston should be prepared for some tough goaltending.

Tonights game will be on NESN so thankfully you can have some Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley commentary! Pucks dropping at 7pm and be sure to check back here post game for a recap!

Providence Profiles: Graham Mink

Mink (21) when he played for the Hershey Bears (Credit: Flickr/ MR_53)

As AHL hockey season started so did the Providence Profiles here at A Cup A Bruin. Now that NHL hockey is back in our lives, many AHL players have been “sent up” to their respective pro teams, meaning they’re are spots in the club teams. If you’ve been keeping up with these profiles, you would know we were almost at the end alphabetically.

Or are we? This week’s profile is a new member of the Providence team Graham Mink. My fellow co-writer Steph made sure that I posted about Mink because he was once a Portland Pirate, a team she has a special spot for. He was almost a member of the Vermont Catamounts, a Hockey East school, that I obviously have a special spot for. Basically, we needed to write about him!

Since joining the P-Bruins, Mink has played in five games and already has a goal, an assist, and six pim’s to his name. Not too shabby.

The right-winger was a part of the Hershey Bears before coming to Providence this season. He has also played in 7 NHL games with the Washington Capitals because of playing on the Hershey team. Providence is the sixth AHL team Mink has played for in 11 seasons. Overall he has totaled 243 goals and 250 assists for 493 points in his AHL career so I definitely think he will  be an asset to Providence.

Mink joined Providence on January 12th of this year signing the veteran forward to a professional tryout contract. Having someone with that much experience join the ranks will not only help the P-Bruins with numbers, but I think Mink will serve as a great role model for the younger guys joining the team straight out of college.

With that said, welcome to Providence Graham! You can follow Mink on his twitter here: @GrahamMink21

 

Braden Bounces the B’s

Well my friends, after a well fought out battle, sadly the Bruins season has come to an end as they fell to the Washington Capitals 2-1 tonight at the TD Garden. Braden Holtby posed as the biggest threat to the Bruins as he stood tall between the pipes and brought Washington the victory. When it is all said and done the problem lies in consistency.

Throughout the entire season the Bruins have sought for it. Having severe lows and battling their way through injuries to claw their way back to the top. Unfortunately this season, it wasn’t enough.

Tonight they fought hard, winning battles for the puck and creating offensive opportunities, it simply came down to the luck of the draw. Who was going to be lucky enough to get that rebound shot and the Bruins fell short. The game went into added minutes and it was off of a Mike Knuble shot that Ward would bang in past Thomas to seal the deal.

As many Bruins fans alike right now, I am in disbelief. A team that is so talented and has fought so hard to be where they are have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. In fact, BOTH teams that were in last year’s Cup final have been eliminated. It would appear as though this is the year for the underdog with teams such as the Phoenix Coyotes and Nashville Predators advancing and the Ottawa Senators coming within a game from knocking out the first seeded Rangers. It is definitely an odd year for sure.

However, despite tonight’s loss, the Bruins provided us with one hell of a season and fought until the very last whistle tonight. They showed heart, passion, commitment and determination, giving this game everything they had in them. Regardless of tonight’s outcome, the true fans of Boston still remain and we will continue to bleed black and  gold for many years to come. Congratulations to a spectacular season and we will see you in October boys!

Do or Die: Game 7 Preview

Will Thomas get another Game 7 Shutout? (Credit:Slidingsideways/Flickr)

Tonight it is a do or die situation for the Boston Bruins as they embark on the last meeting with the Washington Capitals tonight at the TD Garden.  Currently the series is tied at three games a piece, exchanging wins back and forth. At the end of tonight’s game one team will advance to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals while the other will hit the golf course.

For the Bruins, being in a game 7 series is not exactly unfamiliar territory. For Bruins fans, that anxiety that comes from game 7’s isn’t unfamiliar either. Last year’s Stanley Cup run made the B’s the first team to win 3 game 7 series on the route to the top.

“It means you’ve been there and know that you can win, especially as a group – it’s largely the same group with a couple new additions and that’s helpful,” Tim Thomas said of the experience of playing in Game 7s. “But at the same time, you have to go out and put in the work. You want to be the one that comes out on top in Game 7 — you have to be the one that’s willing to pay the price and is prepared to give everything you have that’s left inside of you.”(Via Bruins Official Site)

Unfortunately for the Caps they aren’t as Game 7 lucky, with a 1-3 record in the past four years. But I wouldn’t count them out. They have a ridiculously talented rookie goalie Braden Holtby and a lineup full of shooters. Nicklas Backstrom has 4 points in four games so he’s someone I’d put a target on if I was coach Claude Julien.

Every game so far in this series has been decided by one goal, and I expect tonight’s game to be just as close. B’s fans that are going to the game make sure to keep the energy alive in the T.D Garden. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it BELIEVE IN BOSTON!

Puck drops at 7:30 and for those watching at home you can check it out on NBCSN & NESN!

 

Keep Believing Boston; Game 6 Recap

Seguin scored his first goal of the playoffs when it counted! (Credit:Slidingsideways/Flickr)

Today’s matinee game was do or die time for the Boston Bruins in D.C. after an awful game five finish against the Washington Capitals. Fortunately it was do thanks to an AMAZING overtime goal by Tyler Seguin. Yeah you read that correctly out of six games the two teams have played, three have gone into overtime. This is definitely not good for my health.

Anyway this game went back and fourth literally down to the final buzzer in regulation. A positive that I would like to note is that the Bruins were first to get on the score board five minutes into the first. I was even more happy to see that it was Rich Peverley that got the goal because to me Pevs is one of the most underrated players we have. The Bruins carried that momentum on in the first with another goal from David Krejci. It was good to see players that have been slacking a bit pick up the energy.

But like I said this game was anyone’s win. There were moments that I thought this could be the end of the B’s this season but thanks to my friends and my twitter I kept on believing. Seguin’s goal could not have come to a better deserving person considering he was the leading scorer for the team and was well not scoring thus far in the playoffs.You can relive it here:

The goaltending on both ends has been phenomenal. Tim Thomas and Braden Holtby are literally giving this game all they have and it shows. Between both teams there were 70 shots on net and only 7 went through. Every game thus far has been decided by one goal which is terrifying to watch.

Wednesday is game 7 where both teams will lay it all on the line. For one (hopefully Boston) they will advance to the semi finals. For the other, it’ll be the end of the road.

If you want the Washington perspective on this series, check out VC Chillin.

BELIEVE IN BOSTON!

Stay In It: Game 6 Preview

Bruins looking to hold on in Game 6 (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

The Bruins are holding on for dear life today as they head to Washington for the sixth game of the Eastern Conference Quarter Final.  The focus today needs to be capitalization. The Bruins have been able to muster plenty of shots against stellar performer Braden Holtby, but they are lacking in getting pucks past him.

Main points to focus on:

• Shooting the puck: The Bruins have been doing a decent job at putting pucks in the general direction of the net, but they are trying to rely on scoring opportunities based on plays from forwards like Seguin and Bergeron, players that are being stopped by the defense. If the Bruins take more shots from the blue line or top of the circle, they can produce off of the rebound opportunities.
• REBOUNDS!!! I can not stress this one enough. Rebounds have been an on-going issue with the Bruins in this series, they have missed some GOLDEN opportunities from missed rebounds, thus putting them down three games to two. They need to crash the net and Hard to bang the pucks in. This is where the majority of their goals against the Capitals are going to come from. None of the fancy stuff they have been pulling.
• Depth: In order to produce shots on net, the Bruins are going to need to play deep into the offensive zone ,something that the Capitals tend to dislike. The Caps defense doesn’t like to play deep into their own zone, they are more of a neutral zone trap team. They capitalize on turnovers with forwards like Semin, Ovechkin and Beagle. If they can get the puck past the defense, they have a better chance at more shots on net and rebounds.
• FOCUS: The Bruins need to focus. We’ve all seen the way that the Capitals play. It, at times, is gritty and dirty and yes, there have been cheap shots thrown from both sides. The Bruins need to look past that, they need to focus on what their goal is and today, that oal is to not get eliminated in the first round.

 

Today’s game is at 3pm EST on NBC, the Bruins need to buckle down and play some true Boston hockey, it’s far too early to be eliminated.

 

For a different perspective, take a look at VC Chillin‘ or simply mock the enemy if you please.

Bruins Drop the Puck; Game 5 Recap

Marchand scored his first 2012 playoff goal today (Credit:Slidingsideways/Flickr)

Today the Boston Bruins returned home for game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals with new lines and new focus. Coming off of a tough loss against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, the B’s look to bounce back and a take a 3-2 game lead. This series literally has come down to one goal decisions in all 4 games because Tim Thomas and Braden Holtby have been brick walls.

The Bruins get the first chance on the power play but considering they were 0 for 12 thus far on the PP I was less than optimistic. And yeah they didn’t do anything with it. Boston is the only time without a power play goal in the playoffs. First period the shots on goal between both teams were 21 however the score was 0-0.

Second period was boring. No goals until 8:14 remained when  Alex Semin got the Caps on the board first. I don’t like to argue goals but moments prior Joe Corvo went down on the ice after the puck hit his knee and there was no whistle. HELLO REFS?! Corvo had to be helped down the tunnel. Not even three minutes later, Jay Beagle gets a shot in off of Johnny Boychuk‘s stick. The Bruins need a goal and they need it now. Unfortunately, Patrice Bergeron headed to the dressing room after a hit to the head. Because Bergy has a history of concussion, things like this make me nervous. Fortunately, he returned soon after and with Corvo.

And then this happened. With 2:39 remaining, Dennis Seidenberg got the Bruins on the board. 28 seconds later Brad Marchand poked the puck past Holtby and friends we have a tied game. Needless to say Marchy is making his presence known on the 4th line.

Third period it’s the Caps who get the lead thanks to Mike Knuble and a lucky rebound. With 11:13 left, Boychuk literally let loose a rocket to tie up the game once again. But that didn’t last. With 1:27 left Troy Brouwer would get the game winner.

And it’s back to D.C. we go…

Marchand Sporting the. . . Merlot?

Marchand sporting. . Merlot? (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

The Boston Bruins head back tot he Garden today to take on the Washington Capitals in game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Final.  Currently the series is split right down the middle, each team with two wins under their belt, requiring another two wins to advance in the series.  The only team thus far in the playoffs to advance is the Nashville Predators who knocked out the Detroit Red Wings last night. Congratulations Preds!

For the Bruins in game 4, there are really no words to explain what occurred. It was just a minute and a half into the game when the Capitals got on the board first, providing the Capitals with confidence, despite missing star forward Nicklas Backstrom. There really were no ‘stellar’ plays to talk about in this game. Simply put, despite valiant efforts by Peverley and Pouliot, the Bruins sucked more than a hooker on a street corner on a Friday night in Vegas. They lacked net presence, rebounding, shots and all-around offense in general.

“At the end of the day it’s trying to resolve the situation of capitalizing on our chances.”-Claude Julien (via Bruins Beat)

Heading into Game 5, the Bruins are changing things up a bit. After yesterday’s practice, there were some noticeable line changes. Here is a look at what to expect in today’s game:

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Brian Rolston

Rich Peverley-Patrice Bergeron-Daniel Paille

Jordan Caron/Chris Kelly-Benoit Pouliot-Tyler Seguin

Shawn Thornton-Gregory Campbell-Brad Marchand

Yes, you read that correctly, Marchand is going to be sporting the fourth line to start out Game 5. The ‘Little Ball of Hate’ has been a good brat for the most part throughout the playoffs, but has bigger skates to fill if the Bruins intend to move forward in the series.  Tortunately for the Bruins, they are a team that is easily adaptable, each and every player has played on a line with each other at some point or another and are familiar with the style each plays with.

In order to come out on top today, the Bruins are going to have to continue to dominate play through the neutral zone and create offensive opportunities, but provide a much better net front presence and rebound opportunities.

Be sure to tune into NESN at 3pm EST to see if the Bruins can take yet another lead in the series or listen to the game on 98.5 the Sports Hub.

 

Increasing the Lead; Game 4 Preview

 

Can Tim Thomas shutout the Caps? (Credit;Slidingsideways/Flickr)

Tonight the Bruins have a chance to get a 2 game lead over the Washington Capitals before returning to Boston for game 5. At the end of game 3, star center Nicklas Backstrom was assessed a one game suspension for a cross check to Rich Peverleys face. This means that the Caps will be without Backstrom for one game and the Bruins should definitely take advantage of that without getting too over confident.

“Obviously the league suspended Backstrom with what they felt was the appropriate amount of games and it’s over and done with,” said Milan Lucic. “With him out of the lineup and with him being a big part of their team, our mindset is that we can’t take them lightly at all.(Via CSNNE)

What the Bruins need to do in order to get the dub is to stay focused for a full 60 minutes. The biggest positive that I noticed from Monday night’s game was the level of physicality. The Bruins  had 58 hits on the Caps in that game and the intensity was definitely noticed. When the Bruins laid down the hits, the Caps responded and their were penalties on both ends.

Though the Caps are missing one of their stars, there are still a few players to target. Obviously Alex Ovechkin is someone to keep an eye out for. And as much as I would rather not praise him, their rookie goaltender Braden Holtby has been more than impressive and basically the Capitals biggest asset right now.

I am more than confident and the B’s and fingers crossed they can carry Monday’s win over and make it a 3-1 series lead. BELIEVE IN BOSTON