Tag: Brad Marchand

A Win is a Win

The Bruins continued their winning ways this Saturday, having beaten the New Jersey 1-0 at TD Garden. This one was mostly a snoozer, as most are against the sorry Devils. When the Devils suck, they play an awfully boring hockey game. It’s been that way for years, and this year was no different.

Much of the game was a battle of Goalies. Tuukka Rask manned the pipes for the Bruins, and Mackenzie Blackwood for the Devils.

The only goal of the game came early on a Bruins power-play:

A filthy goal from Marchand who received a disgusting no-look, behind the back pass from Patrice Bergeron. It was so naughty it should be illegal in some states. This goal came just 2:37 into the First. Neither team would score for the remainder of the contest.

Rask stopped all 20 shots he faced, while Blackwood stopped 29 of 30. Including a Marchand Penalty Shot in the First.

With this loss Devils remain in the basement of the Metropolitan Division, whereas the Bruins continue to roll. Saturday was the Bruins 12th win in their last 16 games

Small note regarding Marchand:

Marchand with some improbable history in this one. There isn’t a more obscure stat that is more fitting for Brad Marchand than that.

Next up for the Bruins are the surging Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes have won 8 of their last 9 and 5 in a row. This will be a good test for the Bruins, playing a team almost as hot as they are. Sebastian Aho leads the way with 73 points, followed by Tuevo Teravainen in second with 61. This isn’t a typical Canes team with piss-poor forwards.

They’ve got quality youth in Aho and Alex Svechnikov. They made a ballsy mid-season trade when they were out of the playoff picture to acquire Minnesota Wild forward, Nino Niederreiter. He’s provided secondary scoring with 41 points. Canes biggest whole comes in net where they sport two below average, stop-gap goalies. We will have a better idea tomorrow whether Peter Mrazek or Curtis McElhinney will man the crease. Bruins will need to be as focused as they were against Tampa to win a 13th out of 17. Lets keep those sorry Maple Leafs in the rear-view.

Nothing is Coming Easy.

Image result for Bruins comeback stars

The Bruins continued to limp around the country during their late season Road-trip, and had a clash with the Dallas Stars on Friday Night.  This reunites us with old Friend, Tyler Seguin (I am not going to go any further into Tyler Seguin).  Anyway,  it was yet another third period comeback for the Black and Gold.  This time they were missing a total of 8 regular skaters for this one, and they still won.   Dallas booked their tee-times for early April, as this loss puts them out of Playoff contention.

Just 2:26 minutes into the game Stars Defenseman Esa Lindell fired home a Snap-Shot through traffic to beat Tuukka Rask.  The Bruins were caught running around in there own end.  The Forwards and Defense all got sucked in below the Face-off dots, and Lindell had all day to fire a shot once the puck was given to him at the Left Point.

Things got much worse for the Bruins in the second period with the Bruins on the Power Play:

Brutal goal for the Bruins to give up with just barely over a minute left in the second period.  Hoping to tie the game up before the start of the third, Grzelyck fell at his own attacking Blueline.  The puck slipped free, and Jamie Benn took it Coast to Coast to make it 2-0 Stars at the end of the 2nd period.  Seemed like this one was over, as a Short Handed goal in the final minute of a period is just back breaking.  Once again the 2018 Boston Bruins slapped us all across the face.

Just barely over 1 minute into the 3rd period the Bruins got on the board thanks to Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak:

Great work by David Pastrnak skating through virtually the entire Stars defense, and Brad Marchand was doing Brad Marchand things.  Going to the net drawing bodies his way.  Initially rules Pastrnak’s goal, it re-directed off Marchand prior to going in.  Early on in the 3rd it was 2-1 Stars.

The Bruins continued to press hard for a tying goal, but Dallas was hanging on by a thread.  Later on in the period Dallas was on a 5-4 Power Play, when Marchand got the puck with a head of steam.  Marchand generated a 2 on 1 with Tim Schaller on his left.  The Stars Defenseman tried their damnedest to get between the puck, and Schaller.  It found Schallers stick, who made a little move to tuck the puck into the net.  Tie game.

Looking like overtime was coming, the Bruins amped up the attacking pressure in the final minute of the third.  Any time a Star’s Defenseman touched the puck behind his goal, they were being hounded.   This would pay off as the Stars began to ware down, and David Pastrnak was wide open in front of goal with the puck on his stick.  Patiently he wrapped the puck around Kari Lehtonen’s leg to win the game with 11 seconds to go.

That should just about do it for the Dallas Stars, who were fighting for their playoff lives.  They sit 5 points out of the last Wild Card spot with 6 games remaining.  They’re going to have to win-out, and get some help from others.  The Bruins would continue their road-trip on Sunday Night in Minnesota.

The Bruins were welcomed with the return of Mr. Perfect Hockey Player-Patrice Bergeron.  Boy did he not miss a beat.  Nearly 20 minutes played, flawless in the dot, and two points to go along with the win.  Just an incredible hockey player.  Sounds like more of the M.A.S.H. will be returning in due time as McAvoy, Chara, Debrusk, and Backes have all resumed skating.

Late Sunday evening the Bruins played an overtime period against the Wild.  Much of this one was a fucking snoozer.  With the game tied at 1 just seconds into overtime Brad Marchand and Tory Krug will do all talking for me:

They keep on winning in ugly fashion and I do not care.  Winning is winning, and this team sits at 104 points.  It is crazy to think the past two-three seasons the Bruins have been like this seasons Dallas Stars.  They were hovering around 80 points with less than 10 to play, and having to win out to get in.  This year being comfortably in has allowed injured guys to take a few days off and get healed.  They may be winning ugly now, but when they finally get healthy……look out.

Go Bruins!