Plan the Parade Route

Put Mayor Menino on notice, he better start planning the parade route for June. Lord Stanley's Cup is coming. Now even the most optimistic of Bruins fans will laugh at this, but here are ten reasons why this team could have the goods in no particular order:

#1 Tim Thomas. Not since Dominik Hasek's days in Buffalo has the Vezina race been over by the all-star break. He has been absolutely dominant. Hopefully Tuukka gets more reps down the stretch to keep Timmy fresh for the postseason. Timmy was outplayed by Cam Ward two years ago in the 2nd round after his first Vezina season, but I have a different feeling about him this time around. He is so focused and so sharp that he seems to have reached another level.

#2 The Bruins are behind only Vancouver and Philadelphia in goal differential on the season. And they are 6th in the league in goals per game! It was much discussed that they were 30th on offense last season of course. They also have the fewest goals against and are on their way to another Jennings trophy this year. So, they have the balanced O and the solid D - a formula for playoff success. As we know, when David Krejci went down in Game 3 last year against the Flyers, we lost that balanced O and then lost the series. Losing Savard really hurts - though his numbers don't show it, it was him getting it going that spurred this team into playing incredibly well since xmas. He was just about to break out before Hunwick sent him back to Peterborough. I'm hoping he takes the rest of the season off for his own good.

#3 The Bruins are the best 3rd period team in the league this season. Only Vancouver has scored more goals in the 3rd so far this season (62 to 61), but our B's have only allowed 31 goals against for a +30 differential. The Canucks are 2nd best with a +23. What does this mean? That when the game is on the line, the Bruins are at their best. They show that playoff "gear" in the third period.

#4 Playoff experience. Most of the guys have been through the four playoff rounds the past two seasons (five over the past three). Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the only two teams with more recent experience in the East. This could be worth a key win or two.

#5 Shootouts suck. If not for the shootout and overtime, the Bruins would be even safer in the standings. For example - let's say every game that goes to OT counts as a tie - no extra points. Here's the Bruins and Habs:

Boston - 26-15-9: 61 points
Montreal - 22-18-10: 52 points

The Bruins are 2-7 in games going to the extra session. Only Phoenix and Ottawa have a lower winning % in the entire league. But guess what, 4-on-4 OT and shootouts don't apply in the postseason so the Bruins are clearly among the elite even though they don't bring a consistent effort on a nightly basis which leads to...

#6 We'll get a consistent effort from the boys in the postseason. The majority of the frustration with watching this team this year is the occasional night off they take (unfortunately usually on home ice). OK fine, it's frustrating when we pay money to watch them as season ticket holders and they drop stinkers at home like against the Wild and the Sabres this past month, but count me among the many that would rather see a few stinkbombs at home during the regular season if it means the boys are ready to go come April. Two years ago after that fantastic regular season, the team may have shot their wad. As we all know, no wads have been shot yet this season.

#7 Big Z is healthy. I love this guy. To all of those Bruins fans who boo him when he doesn't keep a puck in at the blueline: go fuck yourselves! He's in the conversation for the Norris yet again. To those idiots who berate him: Watch players bounce off him in the defensive zone or how many times he calmly shields a guy off and gets the puck to the open man or breaks up a play with his reach. Also, watch opposing forwards have second thoughts when they go into his corner. He's tasked with matching up against the top offensive players every night and he leads the team in +/- at a +22 (tied for 4th best in the entire league).

#8 Patrice Bergeron. This may be his Stevie Y season in the playoffs. The kid is ready to carry a team to a critical win or two. His concussion is finally a distant memory and he is playing great hockey.

#9 Contributions from the young kids. Brad Marchand is the perfect kind of player for the playoffs - you could make a Claude Lemieux comparison. He's going to draw some big penalties and chip in offensively. I can see Tyler pulling a Kessel circa 2008: Claude benching him for not bringing it and him coming back to score a big goal or two. He has the skills that all he needs is a moment to change a game in the Bruins favor.

#10 Forward depth. The depth up front is far better than the past two years. I think Soupy can step up to the 3rd line center role that was filled by Vladdy last year. That's what carried the Bruins over Buffalo was three lines that were going then Vladdy tweaked his shoulder late in that series and then we lost Krejci and then it was over. Bergy/Krejci/Soupy up the middle is a lot better than what we had last year. There is also more firepower on their flanks than what was sent out there last year: gone will be Satan, 60% Lucic, Paille (no way he makes the playoff roster), Begin, 30% Savvy. In steps Nathan Horton, 100% Lucic, Tyler Seguin, Brad Marchand, and Gregory Campbell. That is an enormous step up.

I also want Peter to go out and get a blueliner for the playoff run if Savvy's cap number is indeed freed up due to LTIR as it probably will be. Hopefully Providence can take care of forward depth - maybe they'll look to add one depth guy up front, but it certainly won't be a high-priced guy one would think (replace Paille's salary). Spend the money on the blueline!

Reserve the duck boats, paint those traffic barriers so they're nice and shiny, and start producing the ticker-tape.

I'll be the first to admit I'm foolishly optimistic, but why not.

Zdeno Chara = Bruce Banner? A Quick Thought Experiment....

On February 22, 1977, a nuclear accident happened at Bohunice, Czechoslovakia. It was rated INES-4 ("Accident with Local Consequences"). Not quite talking Chernobyl by any stretch of the imagination, but stuff happened:

"Operators neglected to remove moisture absorbing materials from a fuel rod assembly before loading it into the KS 150 reactor at power plant A-1. The accident resulted in damaged fuel integrity, extensive corrosion damage of fuel cladding and release of radioactivity into the plant area. The plant was decommissioned following this accident." (Source: Good ol' Wikipedia)

Trencin, Chara's hometown, is located 22.5km SW of Bohunice, Czechoslovakia. On March 18, 1977, Zdeno Chara was born.

Could it be that the league's most mutant defenseman is a result of not just genetics (father Zdenek was an Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler), but of nuclear power gone horribly wrong? Momma Chara, perhaps she possibly got too close to the incident while carrying Chara, she inhaled the radioactive fumes and Chara mutated in the womb as a result of the exposure to radioactivity. For the last month, she's carrying a glowing-green, hulking, huge-ass Chara-baby and finally drops the kid less than month later.

Well, mutant or not, he's our mutant.

Postscript: Ever read the wikipedia entry on Chara? It says that according to WEEI, Sobotka was drafted because Chara needs a life partner on the team per the terms of his contract. I think most folks are willing to buy my "Chara is radioactive mutant" theory before they'll buy this one. Then again, consider, Satan & Chara are BFFs as well. THAT, combined with the B's opening up next season in Prague. Does Bruins management think "as Chara goes, so do the Bruins"?

Sully's Here We Come!

In a matter of hours, Section 311 will be downing beers at Sully's Tap. Had to show up at work extra early today to take off early and get to Causeway Street.

This is the greatest time of the year isn't it? Is there really anything better than playoff hockey? Anybody who doesn't enjoy this is soft and probably enjoys watching "The Real Housewives." The weekend's action across the league was just tremendously entertaining. You had the Capitals comeback against Montreal on Saturday night. You had the "cinderella" Phoenix Coyotes taking a 2-1 lead over the Wings and, on Friday, that series gave us one of the most entertaining periods of hockey I've ever seen including a stretch with 5 goals in 4 minutes. You had Craig Anderson stopping 51 shots to shutout the Sharks (laughed this morning when I woke up to see that result - if not for a Joe Pavelski goal with approx 30 seconds left in Game 2, it would be 3-0 Avs right now - Joe Thornton doing nothing again). You even had Daniel Carcillo scoring an OT game-winner.

So since Saturday afternoon, nothing but anticipation for tonight's game. Big and bad were actually back in Game 2 and let's hope they continue with a similar effort in front of us tonight. Vladdy Effin Sobotka! He gets my game puck for Game 2. Remember how much we liked this kid two years ago in the playoffs against Montreal? I can see why now - it appears the B's could have used him last year against Carolina too - 9 hits on Saturday and he scored a goal (only an assist on the scoresheet, but it was effectively his goal). Sobotka/Ryder/Wheels was arguably the Bruins best line. Can Michael Ryder keep this up? He's been great in the first two games - even landing a monster hit in Game 2.

There are people that like to hate on Chara out there. I bet they are silent now. What a great performance by the captain. It was nice to see the B's catch a couple lucky bounces on his two goals (Pominville's tip and Boychuk fanning from point getting Miller out of position).

Lucic blew it twice on Saturday (running around in own zone on Myers goal and horrible turnover on Pominville goal) and got demoted to 4th line duty for the 3rd period, but on a positive note, was landing hits and intimidating when he was out there a la '08-'09. Hopefully he will be better. It will be interesting to see what Claude does with the lines tonight.

Another guy who was sleepwalking through most of the regular season was Steve Begin, but he has been brilliant in his role thus far in this series. That's what Chia hired him for and so far he's delivered.

Unfortunately, I can't be 100% positive. Marco Sturm was invisible again on Saturday and he appears to be slower than normal. I'm beginning to think he has an undisclosed injury he's trying to battle through because he's just not right.

Thomas Vanek is doubtful for tonight and judging by the way he hobbled off the ice, one would think he is doubtful for the rest of the series. The Sabres will of course play the injury game and pretend he's about to come back, but it looked like his knee buckled when Boychuk's stick came down directly on it.

My biggest fear tonight is seeing the team we saw at home all season: tentative, tame, and tense. I'm feeling positive that they've put that behind them and will come out playing the way they did for the majority of the first two games.

If you are in attendance and anybody around you starts booing Dennis Wideman tonight, tell them to shut their ignorant mouths and get behind their team. "Wides" has been pretty solid for the better part of a month now. See you at the Garden...

B's Win 2 Straight; Menino Planning Parade Route

I have to admit - I fell into a NyQuil-induced haze during the 3rd period and missed all of OT and the shootout. But I was hiiiiiiiiggghhh above rinkside for most of the game where the B's beat Buffalo, 3-2 in a shootout. (I'm watching the NESN replay now) The game featured the usual intense play that we've seen the past few games, but now we seem to be getting the bounces. 2 goals by Paella - and he almost had a hat trick. He's probably the most serious contender for the 7th player award at this season. 2 fights tonight - Thornton vs. Rivet and Lootch vs. Mair. Thornton spent a good portion of his fight trying to get Rivet's helmet off. Thornton with the takedown. Lootch's fight was pure anger - Mair hit him late and Lootch started pounding on him, even with his own jersey pulled over his head. Rask faced a ton of shots and hung in there pretty well, though that Tyler Myers wrister from the blue line looked a little weak to me. Krejci wins it in the shootout.
random crap

• 98.5 the Sports Zone reported yesterday with some guy from "Hockey News" that a trade with Thomas going to Chicago was imminent. Sorry, I don't think these rumors are based in reality. Thomas costs too much, Chicago's right at the cap, too much junk in the way for this one to happen. Noted Minnesota, "Eklund's got nothing on this, and he's the biggest rumor monger out there."
  
• What is it with these refs/linesman who simply cannot get out of the way of the puck? Instead, they gotta pull some sort of Boitano/Orser dance move when the puck comes to make it look flashy when they dodge the puck. This season, it seems the refs have been in the way more often.
• BC won the Beanpot, which really only matters to anyone who attends or attended those 4 schools. NESN had a puffy Craig Janney doing analysis during the intermissions with Bob Beers and some goof named Brendan Walsh. Yeah, I don't know much about Hockey East. Bottomtooth enjoyed the game
• Gaustad's a little bastard, isn't he? Chara & Gaustad battled a little bit early, but apparently Chara's got a splint on his dislocated finger, and when you drop the gloves with splints/casts on your fingers/hands/wrists, it's a suspension or something. I remember this being a factor a few years ago when the B's played MTL in the playoffs, and Souray wouldn't thrown down because his wrists were in splints. Anyway, the crowd booed Chara the whole time.
  
• Bruins open up next season in Prague, a city near Krejci's & Sobotka's hometown. Actually not too far from Chara-land, either.
• Miro Satan had an assist last night. There was a sequence in the game where he was 2 feet away from the puck in the crease but could not overtake some weenie Sabre defenseman (Butler). He's just not good enough anymore to skate with Savvy.
  
• Seriously, how sad was that Wheeler fight the other night. You saw it, right? Two very sloppy overhand rights and then tripping over something and falling. It was like watching an NBA fight - where you got 2 guys who are so tall that no one will eff with them - so they actually never learn how to throw down, and you're stuck watching a slapfight between a coupla dudes. Wheels is 6'-5", probably never dropped 'em in his life because of his size, so he threw his purse at O'Byrne in desperation.
  
• That said, I really would love it if everyone just pissed in the B's bowl of Wheaties every morning, and they played with an angry chip on their shoulder. Having your opponent believe that they may die when they play against you is a psychological edge.
  

Derek Morris sucks; B's win

"I never quite understood the hatred you had for Derek Morris until now. I am jumping on that bandwagon, and as a matter of fact, I'll be driving that bandwagon." - The contributor known as "Minnesota", during the OT session of tonight's game vs Ottawa.

See, until today, Minnesota was not in tune with my and Row 12's dislike for Derek Morris. We saw the signs. We knew the shortcomings - $3.3M for a guy who is a little bit better offensively than Wideman, but lacking in his defensive skillz.
Tonight, with under a minute left and Ottawa's goalie pulled, Milan Michalek skated right around/through Derek Morris and scored a soft goal on Tim Thomas. The game was tied at 3, and went to a shootout where Michael Ryder scored the winning goal.
Goal & assist for Krejci. The return of the Matrix?
random crap

• The poor sap on the Devils who blocked Chara's shot last night? broken leg.
• Kessel went end-to-end to score a goal for Toronto last night. I'd post a link, but you really don't need to see it.
  

Horrible.

Tonight was a perfect example of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory". The Bruins had come back to lead the Pens...and with only 0.4 seconds left - only to lose it in OT, 6-5. The game was over. 44.1 seconds left - and Paella forgets to shoot for the empty net...then Begin misses an empty net attempt...then Bergeron's stick breaks on an empty net attempt. Horrible. Then Wideman has a brain fart on a Pittsburgh clear-in, and Pascal Depuis scores an easy goal to win it in OT. Most Horrible.
random crap

• Good to see some scoring. Krejci (close in, off a rebound), Wheels, Sturm (deflecting a Chara slapshot with the inside of his left thigh), Morris (he still sucks), and Ryder (wicked shot) had goals.
• You better believe that Jack Edwards made a comment regarding composite sticks and Bergeron's stick breaking in the final seconds. He also commented on Godard's "fisting ability".
  
• More crazy saves by Thomas, two on breakaways by Malkin & Crosby each. Yeah, he let up 5 goals, but the final score could have been a lot worse.
• 

• I'm telling you, the Marchand Experiment has to end. He shanked an empty-net opportunity.
• The NHL's secret flow chart for determining suspensions.
  
• 

• Maple Leaf Suck Watch: They lost tonight, 5-2 to Calgary. 29th in the league with 11 points. 30th in the league is Carolina with 8 points.
• Evgeni Malkin hails from one of the most polluted cities on the planet, Magnitogorsk. Mutant? Sweartagawd he's got a couple eyes on the back of his head. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'.
• Looch was at the NESN desk in between periods. Ya know how Howie Carr's got that "Wizard of Uhs" thing with Ted Kennedy? Play a Ted K. clip, and count the "uh"s? Winner gets a gift cert to the Kowloon or something? Well, he should switch that game over to Looch.
  

B's Rattle Sabres

I love being right.

The Bruins bared their teeth last night in a game that featured 3 fighting majors and some slashing. Shawn Thornton took on the league's punching bag, Steve Montador, and beat him. Then he took on Paul Gaustad, who had been being a pest all night, and beat him, too. Stuart threw Jochen Hecht down in a fit of caveman fury. I think Stuart held back a little because Hecht was wearing a face-shield. And the Bruins won the game. Okay, so we faced their rookie goalie in his first NHL game, and maybe Buffalo was playing its second straight game in as many nights, so the path was cleared for us, but I'll take it. Paella must have had at least a billion scoring chances and converted on none. Noted Minnesota, "He shoulda had 8 goals tonight." Lord Byron Bitz scored a goal (pretty goal line dangle), Sturm scored (finally a goal that went off the post and in instead of out - check out HubHockey for classic SturmFace), Chara (a freakin' BOMB from the blue line with Recchin Ball screening Enron, er, Enroth), and The Recchin Ball (tipped a wrist shot/pass from Dmo). Bergeron could have had a few goals, but tried to get too pretty with the stickwork and ran out of room both times.
random crap:

• Best comment of the night came from a fan a few rows back, "Buffalo sucks - the Bills suck, the Sabres suck, you guys have never won anything, so what's happening here should be no surprise."
• Has hockeyfights.com ever been award "top 100 websites of all time" by Time Magazine, or something? It should at least be in the, say, top 15, if you ask me.