Well, tonight was certainly not comforting. It was perplexing, frustrating and a definite setback from where this team needed to go. I watched the first period and said, "This team always comes out flat, tonight they come out roaring and look primed for a 60 minute effort." Then the next two periods are, well, are just about as bad as it could get. The Bruins get outshot 19-8 in the second, including giving up the tying goal to Eric Cole. Coming out for the third, and what has been this team's best period over the last few seasons, I was thinking that the boys had the Habs where they wanted them. Then, the third ends up being worse than the second. It felt like the puck was in Boston's end for all but 3 minutes of that period. The Bruins surrendered the go ahead and game winning goal to Thomas Plekanec. In the game, Carey Price made an easy 29 saves on 30 shots. The lone goal he surrendered was on a freak play. Off of a faceoff, Bergeron's stick broke, he fell face first on the ice. Plekanec won the faceoff clean back and the puck went right through Price's wickets. Goalies usually stop what they can see and I cannot remember a single play in the second or third where the Bruins set up offense and actually had a body parked in front of the net. Tim Thomas made 33 saves on 35 shots.
The Bruins were awful in the neutral and defensive zones tonight. I am all for believing in Claude's system, but this D to D stuff does not work against a team with sustained forecheck. Montreal had a two man forecheck all night, and constantly frustrated the Bruins, forcing errors and a turnovers. When they managed to get the puck into the neutral zone, they could not gain entry to the offensive zone. When they attempted to chip and chase, the puck would be knocked down and pushed out by Montreal. Instead of playing to the boards and gaining ice with the puck, the B's were retreating back to their end. The powerplay looked awful again, going 0-6. There was no movement, no consistent cycling and only mustered 6 shots. With both teams sitting in the basement of the east, the two points were going to be huge tonight. Unfortunately, one team played like they did not want to be in last and one did not. So there you go Boston, defending champs to basement dwellers. Only 9 games in, I get it, but past history will tell us bad starts usually equal bad endings. I thought this series would wake them up, but I just do not know what it will take at this point.
Positives.......ok give me a second, let me think. Well, it was fun to see PK Swimteam with his gloves off, that is without someone else ripping them off. I guess I was wrong, they are not glued on. It was nice to see Marchand showing emotion and actually handled himself quite well in a very spirited scrap. Shawn Thornton was his usual energizing self with some very well timed exciting shifts. I am tired of Shawn only getting 7 minutes a night, and Campbell and Pouliot coming in around 8 minutes. I do not care to watch the rest of the guys log 15-20 minutes of unspirited time. Atleast when that 4th line is out there they show they care and show us they cherish and want their ice time. Another matchup Saturday night at the Bell Centre is the last positive I can muster up. This is the best rivalry in sports, and though I am one helluva frustrated fan, I love this team and love every time I get to watch a game against the Habs. Maybe being officially in the cellar will wake the black and gold up. Or maybe just another game against the frogs will do it. At this point I do not care what it takes, just let me see those big bad bruins I love to watch. See you Saturday Montreal. I hope you woke a sleeping bear!
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