Trap vs. Shootout vs. Punch to the 'Nads: I choose the 'Nad Punch.

Wednesday's game at the Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota vs. the Wild was a lot of what you'd expect. See, the Wild feature one of the NHL's worse offenses (next to our Bruins). So both teams struggled to score. They have limited offense (Koivu, Brunette, some guy named Kobasew, Belanger) and a good goalie. Rask was pretty good in net, though he tends to think he's Brodeur and starts trying to handle the puck. It leads to heart-attack moments where Wide-uh-man or Ference do not understand what he's trying to do, and suddenly the net is open and the defense pair is confused. Keep it simple, Tuukka. Of course, this game went to a shootout after being tied, 1-1. Bruins goal by Bitzus Christ. The Bruins won the shootout. Bergeron, he's got some skillz.
Black Friday's game vs the Devils felt like the same type of game. More limited offense, exceptional goaltending, and 1-1 going into the shootout. Wheels scored the B's goal after a nifty pass from Lord Bitz. Brodeur, after setting the NHL record for all-time minutes played, stood on his head in the 3rd as the Bruins finally woke up and started crashing the net. Wheels scored, but Langenbrunner beat Rask between the pads to win it.
So a rough 2-game set for the B's - playing two defensive teams when your own offense is scuffling can't be easy. I'm pleased with getting 3 of 4 points out of it. The team is slowly inching its way up the league standings. It does suck to lose Looch for a few more weeks as his ankle sprain heals - he changed the identity of the team as soon as he was back on the ice.
random crap

• Kobasew had a hat trick today for the Wild.
• The Mayor was in town today.
• Alex Ovechkin boarded Kaleta Wednesday night. Kaleta had it coming, and I suspect most of the league was glad Kaleta got hit.
• Bitz' hit on Zanin at about 0:57. video also features his goal.
• Thornton got in a fight today, he fought Andrew Peters. Wasn't much of a fight, just a lot of grappling. Thornton couldn't get his punching hand free.
• Joey Kocur vs. Jim Kyte Legendary bout. I've always characterized the Winnipeg Jets as the Hartford Whalers of Canadian Hockey. They got about 8 pasty-white loser fans, which is why they got relocated to Confederate Hockey land.
• Speaking of losers, saw a Rob DiMaio shirt in the stands today. Not as notorious as when I spotted an Alex Zhamnov jersey last year, but still pretty bad. Imagine being that sucka fan who bought a Zhamnov jersey. Now wear it to a game 2 years later after he was bought out due to some phantom ankle injury. wow.
  
• According to today's poster/roster hand-out thing, Patrice Bergeron's full name is Patrice Bergeron-Cleary. Now you know where this came from, as he revealed his Irish side by pounding on Josh Gorges during last year's playoffs. It's always interesting when anyone fights, but when someone who usually doesn't fight gets all pissed and pounds on someone, it adds extra juice to the game. Patrice - a southpaw, hits Gorges in the neck on his 3rd or 4th punch for the KO.