Boston Bruins’ Weekly Report: Games 24-30

Game 24 v. Toronto Maple Leafs (12/3/11):

The B’s and Leafs played the back end of a home-and-home series on Saturday night at the Garden. This was the 643^rd time the B’s and Leafs have gotten together. The Leafs’ James Reimer returned from injury to face Tuukka Rask. Reimer has beaten the Bruins in the past so this would be a tough challenge. Leafs came out in their alternate blue ’67 Cup Winners sweaters. Three minutes in, Bergeron fired a wrist shot from the blue line that handcuffed Reimer. Moments later, Schenn fired a bullet from the point that Rask knocked away with the blocker. Corvo then had a one-timer that went just wide of the net. McQuaid then fired a shot from the point that Reimer cleared away as the B’s crashed the net. Reimer then stoned Bergeron cold on a point blank chance from out in front. Kulemin then zipped a rebound of Grabovski’s shot from the left circle that Rask hugged at the post. Lucic went off at 17:49 for tripping Gardiner. The Leafs had a couple of chances from the perimeter but nothing of consequence.

Reimer made a nice right leg save of Marchand’s stuff attempt in the opening seconds of the second period. The Leafs are playing with far more confidence than in Wednesday night as Reimer has played well. Krejci then scored at 4:20 as Chara carried the puck down the right wing wall and he fed Horton, who found Krejci in the low slot. Krejci had an easy open corner and he buried the puck. Leafs tied it at 5:08 as Grabovski fired a bullet from the right circle that Rask never saw. Rask then came up with a big save as he dove out of the crease and stopped the puck by extending his right leg. Chara then went off for tripping at 8:11. Boychuk then put a big-time hip check on Bozak then sent Bozak flying. The B’s held Leafs without a shot in that power play. Midway through the period, Marchand and Seguin broke in on a 2-on-1 but Seguin’s shot missed the net. At 13:11, Rich Peverley fed Chris Kelly out in front and Kelly popped the puck past Reimer to put the B’s ahead. Leafs then attacked with a vengeance, buzzing around Rask. Kessel had a glorious chance that Rask kicked out. Krejci was then sent off for holding at 15:43. Phaneuf’s one-timer whistled over the crossbar. Rask then made two nice stops as he knocked away Gardiner’s shot from the point and then fell backwards to stop a shot from in close. Rask then blocked Lupul’s chance from in close as the Leafs continued to press in the offensive zone. Through two periods, the B’s had out shot Leafs 19-18, but you wouldn’t know it based on the way Toronto played after Kelly’s goal.

In the first minute of the third period, Lupul and Kessel combined to make things difficult in front of Rask. Kessel attempted a backhand stuff at the point and Lupul’s rebound squirted across the crease. Boychuk then put a heavy check on MacArthur and followed that up with a bomb from the point that beat Reimer at 3:06 to put the B’s ahead, 3-1. Pouliot then rang one off the post. Rask stopped former B’s prospect Joe Colborne cold on a shot from directly out in front. Chara then went off for hooking at 6:28. Kelly rang one off the post on a shorthanded break. Grabovski’s one-timer went over the net but that was the only chance Leafs had on the power play. The B’s controlled the puck in the attacking zone for what seemed to be two minutes as two different lines continued to cycle the puck and fire shots on Reimer.  At 14:26, Krejci fed Horton in the high slot and Horton fired a drag snap shot that slipped past Reimer. At 14:45, Corvo and Crabb had a go that was quickly broken up after Crabb got in a few shots. MacArthur was called for tripping Boychuk at 15:44. Boychuk put two hard shots from the point on the power play that Reimer stopped. The B’s have outscored Leafs 23-6 in the four games the teams have played so far. The B’s are now 13-0-1 in their last 14.

Game 25 at Pittsburgh Penguins (12/5/11):         

The B’s took their act on the road for back-to-back games in Pittsburgh and Winnipeg. On the first leg of the trip, the B’s went up against Sidney Crosby, who missed nearly a full calendar year of action with a concussion. Pittsburgh is in first place in the Eastern Conference while the Bruins are in second. Tim Thomas started in goal against Marc-Andre Fleury. Chara fired a shot from the point in the opening minute that Fleury kicked out. A goal at 2:18 by the B’s was waved off after Chris Kelly crashed the net and interfered with Fleury as the puck went through. No penalty was called. At 5:27, Dupuis was sent off for holding Chara. The power play didn’t put any shots on goal as the Pens’ PK unit did a great job. Pouliot broke in alone and attacked the net but had the stick knocked out of his hands leading to a penalty against the Pens at 8:25. The B’s had a few chances from the perimeter but nothing of consequence. Dupuis then broke in alone on a pass from Crosby but Thomas came up big. Peverley then had a backhanded chance and Pouliot’s rebound nearly beat Fleury. Crosby then made a fantastic move attacking the net only to be denied by Thomas. At 12:19, Campbell was sent off for interference. Evgeni Malkin then broke in alone and fired a curl n’ drag that Thomas stopped. That was the only shot on the power play. In the final minute, Boychuk’s shot from the right point was stopped by Fleury. The first period had a good pace and was highly competitive.

The B’s opened the second period strong as the Krejci line fired three quick shots on Fleury in the opening seconds. Gregory Campbell put the B’s ahead at 2:57 as he dug a loose puck from behind the net and jammed the puck past Fleury. Marchand and Niskanen then had a decent go at center ice with several punches thrown with no clear winner. Marchand was also assessed an extra two for tripping. At 4:09, Chara was sent off for interference as he sent Neal flying in front of the net. The Pens had a 5-on-3 for 1:10. Malkin fed Kunitz and Thomas made a remarkable stop. Malkin the fired a tough shot that Thomas knocked, Paille then had a golden chance on a feed from Peverley but Fleury made a great stick save. Pouliot made it 2-0 at 7:18 as Peverley stole a loose puck from Orpik’s bad clearing pass and Pouliot fired a high shot that whistled over Fleury’s shoulder. Chara then rang the iron on a blast from the point. At 8:04, the B’s went back on the power play as Despres went off for tripping. The power play didn’t do much that time. Late in the period, Niskanen fired a wrist shot from the high slot that Thomas scrambled to cover. At 16:06, two Bruins were called as Peverley went off for holding the stick and Pouliot was called for goaltender interference. Neal fired a shot from a bad angle that Thomas deflected away. Crosby then tried to find Kunitz but his shot was knocked away by Chara. Thomas then made two great stops, the second of which came on Malkin’s wrist shot. The B’s once more killed off both penalties. Thomas turned away seven 5-on-3 shots. Asham then let fly a wicked one-timer that Thomas covered. Staal was called for running over Horton at 20:00. 

Seguin made it 3-0 at 1:07 of the third as he grabbed a perfectly timed pass from Bergeron and one-timed the puck through Fleury’s legs. Kunitz went off for tripping Marchand at 4:39. Crosby and Kunitz then collided at center ice and Crosby appeared to have suffered a leg injury. Paille then laid a heavy body check on Malkin, causing Malkin to go down hard. The Pens took exception to the hit and there and a small scrum ensued. Crosby returned to the ice shortly thereafter. Krejci fired a backhander that went past Fleury but hit the post. Staal then drilled a shot on Thomas that was deflected away. Cooke scored for Pittsburgh at 10:54 as he broke in with Joe Vitale on a 2-on-1. Vitale passed to Cooke and Thomas was defenseless on the play. The Pens then crashed the net and steamrolled Thomas. The B’s took exception and a fight broke out between Vitale and Campbell with Vitale winning in a tremendous bout. There were several punches thrown by both combatants. Both were sent off for five at 11:08. Steve Sullivan fired a bullet from right wing that Thomas covered and moments later, Malkin followed up with a tricky shot. Late in the period, Krejci broke in down right wing and fired a backhander that hit the post. Kennedy had two quick shots on goal that Thomas knocked away. Fleury was pulled with a little over a minute left. With the man advantage, Malkin fired two quick shots that Thomas covered. Thomas made 43 stops tonight. With the win, the B’s pulled to within one point of Pittsburgh.

 Game 26 at Winnipeg Jets (12/6/11):                    

Twenty-Four hours after playing in Pittsburgh, the B’s moved on to the Prairies to face the Winnipeg Jets. It’s been quite some time since the B’s have played in Winnipeg since the original Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996. This iteration of the Jets formerly played in Atlanta as the Thrashers. Prior to the game it was announced that Tyler Seguin was scratched from the lineup with no reason given. Later, it was described as a “discipline issue” (he apparently missed the team breakfast). Jordan Caron took Seguin’s spot in the lineup. Ondrej Pavelec started in goal against Tuukka Rask. In the opening minutes, Boychuk leveled a Jets’ player with a devastating hip check. Jim Slater was sent off for slashing at 3:40 but the B’s mustered only one shot on goal. Lucic then popped Thorburn with a heavy check. Midawy through the period, Marchand and Caron each had chances from in close that Pavelec knocked away. Andrew Ladd then fired a shot from the high slot after grabbing a loose puck but Rask made a nice save in traffic. Late in the period, Krejci fed Horton with a one-time attempt that Pavelec covered. Ladd scored at 18:22 when his shot from the left circle squeezed between the post and Rask’s blocker.

Carl Klingberg went off for holding at 3:17 of the second. Krejci had a wide open left corner but Pavelec slid across the crease to make a nice save. Chara then fired a bomb from the point that Pavelec covered. Bergeron and Marchand each had chances from in close that Pavelec knocked away. The B’s had six shots on goal in that power play. Pavelec then made the save of the night on Krejci’s tip in attempt of Chara’s shot from the point. The B’s then exercised their time out midway through the period after an extended shift in which the Jets buzzed around in the attacking zone. At 13:41, Tim Stapleton was sent off for hooking. Pavelec stopped Seidenberg’s shot from the point and Chara followed with another shot from the point. Just as the power play concluded, Bergeron was sent off for hooking at 15:45. On the Jets’ power play, Boychuk caught Bogosian’s slap shot from the point and went down in a heap. Krejci then was caught hooking at 18:16 and the Jets went right back on the power play. Little had a point blank chance that Rask knocked away. Peverley then had a shorthanded chance on a feed from Kelly that Pavelec covered.

McQuaid put a heavy check on Tanner Glass in the opening seconds of the third. Chara then mishandled the puck and turned it over to Klingberg, who broke in alone with the puck but Rask stoned him cold. Shawn Thornton then tied the score at 3:16 as Campbell picked a turnover and fed Paille, who fired from a bad angle and Thornton tipped in the shot. A scrum ensued at the center ice boards but no penalties were called. Another scrum ensued after Krejci hit Mark Stuart up against the boards. Krejci and Bogosian were sent off. Bryan Little then put the Jets ahead at 4:50 when he broke in on a 2-on-1 right off the faceoff as there was a defensive breakdown by the B’s. Rask then robbed Kane cold on a point blank chance as the Jets were flying around in the attacking zone. Pouliot was then caught tripping at 9:17. Rask denied Ladd on a chance from directly out in front. Wheeler then fired a shot from the left dot that Rask covered. Late in the period, Lucic had a glorious chance at the top of the crease but he couldn’t handle the puck and it bounced over his stick. Pavelec then denied Horton on back-to-back chances directly out in front. Rask was pulled with a minute and change remaining. Lucic was robbed on a chance from the right circle. The winning streak came to an end in Winnipeg as Pavelec was immense, stopping 39 shots.

Game 27 v. Florida Panthers (12/8/11):                

The B’s returned home to face the surprisingly competitive Florida Panthers on Thursday night. The Panthers come into this game at 15-8-4 and in first place in the Southeast Division. The B’s were decked out in their alternate third sweaters. Tim Thomas started in goal against Jose Theodore. Peverley and McQuaid fired long distance shots on Theodore in the opening seconds. The B’s had an early goal waved off as it hit the crossbar and came back out. Barch put a nasty hit on Daniel Paille, whi immediately went to the dressing room. Shawn Thornton and Barch then had a go at center ice with Thornton pounding Barch down. The B’s had no shots on goal during the power play. Midway through the period, Seidenberg’s shot rang off the post. Moments later, Bergeron’s attempt hit iron. Santorelli then went off for tripping at 9:31. Horton had a rebound of Chara’s shot from the point. Weiss then had a chance from in close that Thomas knocked away. Barch and Kennedy combined to put two tricky shots on goal. Versteeg followed on the next shift with a shot on goal while Thomas was on his back. Late in the period, the B’s pressed the action in the attacking zone. In the final seconds, Brian Campbell fed Versteeg, whose one-timer had Thomas scrambling.

Paille did not return for the second period. In the opening seconds, Jason Garrison fired a shot from the left point that Thomas smothered. Marchand went off at 2:51 for elbowing Tim Kennedy. Peverley had a shorthanded bid from the blue line that Theodore covered. Just as the power play expired, Santorelli fired a low wrist shot on goal. Thornton then spun around and fired a shot on Theodore. Florida’s Campbell was then whistled off for delay of game at 6:29. Horton and Lucic had chances from in close on the power play. After the power play expired, Kennedy was robbed by Thomas on a point blank chance. At 10:27, Barch went off for holding. Corvo’s shot from the left point rang off the post. Theodore then clamped down on Seidenberg’s blast from the right point. Bergenheim then broke in on a 2-on-1 with Fleischmann and fired a backhander on Thomas. After Boychuk leveled Santorelli with a clean check, Boychuk and Skille then had a go at center ice with Boychuk winning on points. In the final minute, Garrison fired a shot from the point and Thomas left a big rebound that Weiss backhanded on goal.

Versteeg had a chance from in close in the opening minute of the third. Four minutes in, Theodore made the save of the night off of Lucic’s shot from the low slot. Theodore made another great stop of Krejci’s rebound attempt. Seguin then missed on a shot from the low slot as the B’s continued to press in the attacking zone. Dmitry Kulikov then skated down center ice and fired a low shot that Thomas covered. Thomas then robbed Skille on two separate chances as the Panthers pressed hard in the B’s zone.   Tomas Kopecky scored for Florida at 17:28 as he grabbed a rebound directly out in front of Thomas and fired the puck over a sprawled Thomas. Thomas was pulled with 1:20 on the clock. Versteeg then potted the empty netter at 19:18 to give the Panthers a hard fought win. Hitting the iron only counts in horseshoes, not hockey.

Game 28 at Columbus Blue Jackets (12/10/11):

The B’s looked to get back on the winning track as they took their act to beautiful Columbus and a date with the struggling Blue Jackets, who come into this one at 8-16-4 and at the bottom of the Central Division. Curtis Sanford started in goal against Tim Thomas. It was a full house at Nationwide Arena as the Jackets came out in their alternate dark blue third sweaters. Peverley rang one off the post in the opening minute. Three minutes in, Thornton and Boll had a go at center ice and Thornton pounded Boll into submission. The B’s quickly found their attacking rhythm as they buzzed around Sanford in the opening minutes. Just like that, Rick Nash scored at 5:46 as he took a pass from Vinny Prospal in the neutral zone and skated in alone and buried the puck in the back of the net. Ryan Johansen then went off for a high stick at 8:22. After the power play fizzled, Lucic went off for holding at 10:34. The Jackets made it 2-0 on the power play as Jeff Carter tucked the puck past Thomas on the backhand at 11:09. At 14:08, Lucic went off again for a double minor cross-check. This occurred moments after Umberger dumped Lucic on the seat of his pants. Prospal had a chance from in close on a pass from Umberger. Thomas then made a diving save of Prospal’s backhanded try into an open corner. The Jackets then crashed the net as Umberger and Prospal each hacked at the puck in front of Thomas. Joe Corvo then scored his first goal with the Bruins on a bomb from the point at 18:26. Horton tied it at 19:12 as he took a pass from Lucic in the high slot and fired a wrist shot that blew past Sanford.

 

Sanford robbed Pouliot in the opening seconds of the second period as Pouliot streaked across the goal mouth. Broussard then went off at 40 seconds for hooking. Chara put the B’s ahead at 58 seconds as he fired a blast from the left point past a screened Sanford. Ference went off for high sticking at 3:27. Nash then went off for tripping Krejci at 5:24. Horton fired a shot that went behind Sanford but was cleared away. That was the only chance the B’s had on that power play as the Jackets PK unit did a good job keeping the puck out of danger. Bergeron was sent off at 7:47 for hooking. Johansen fired two shots from the high slot that Thomas knocked away. McQuaid made a desperation clearing pass after Thomas came way out of his crease to play the puck. Thomas then robbed Dorsett, who was then called for goaltender interference and crashed hard against the boards and was injured. The crowd lustily booed the referee’s call. Umberger fired a tricky snap shot that handcuffed Thomas. Nash followed with a wrist shot that Thomas picked. The B’s had zero shots on goal on that power play. Umberger tied the score at 16:05 as he broke in alone down left wing and tucked the puck behind Thomas. A rumble at center ice then ensued and Pahlsson and Krejci were sent off for their trouble.  Ference had a drive from the left point that Sanford smothered. Lucic went off at 19:54 for tripping as the idiotic PA announcer loudly announces that it’s a POWER PLAY!!!

There was a heated conference between the referees and the B’s coach before the puck dropped to open the third. Chara suffered an injury during the second period and would not return for the third. Rask relieved Thomas to open the third period.  Rask made a couple of nice stops while the Jackets were on the POWER PLAY!!! Johansen then spun around and fired a backhander on Rask. Vermette then went off for hooking at 5:28. Corv o fired a bullet from the right point that blew past Sanford at 6:44. Nash then broke in on a 2-on-1 with Prospal and his shot went wide of the net. Carter fired a snap shot on a drop pass from Nash that Rask knocked away. Marchand and Bressard then exchanged pleasantries behind the B’s net. Tyutin was called for hooking Seguin at 18:26. Seidenberg’s shot from the left point was knocked away. Kelly scored at 19:34 as he grabbed a pass from Bergeron and knocked in the puck from the low slot. Give the Blue Jackets a lot of credit as they made the B’s fight for every inch of the ice tonight.

Game 29 v, Los Angeles Kings (12/13/11):

The B’s returned to the Garden to face the LA Kings, who just fired Terry Murray as their head coach and replaced him with former Flyers’ boss John Stevens. The Kings have underperformed so far prompting the coaching change. Chara missed this game after suffering a “lower body injury” in the Columbus game. Jonathan Quick started in goal for LA against Tuukka Rask. Slava Voynov went off for interference at 18 seconds. The initial power play wasn’t anything to write home about. Four minutes in, Dustin Penner missed a wide open net directly out in front of Rask as the B’s defense broke down. The B’s got on the board at 6:32 as Rich Peverley scored from directly out in front on a pass from Zach Hamill as the line worked the triangle offense perfectly. Greene went off for slashing at 7:01. Krejci had a clean break but his shot missed the net. Lucic then went off for roughing at 8:01 as he slugged a Kings’ player. Pouliot ripped a shot from the blue line that went just wide. Simon Gagne followed with a quick snap shot that Rask knocked away. Voynov was caught tripping Hamill at 12:18.  

In the first minute of the second period, Rask made a great glove save of Simon Gagne’s blast from the high slot. Rask then made another stop of Stoll’s shot from in close. Six minutes in, Seidenberg fired a long distance shot that handcuffed Quick. Westgarth bumped into Rask prompting a brief rumble at the side of the net. Kelly then broke in with Marchand on a 2-on-1 and Kelly’s shot rang off the iron. Bergeron then fed Seguin from behind the net and Seguin nearly tipped in the pass at the near post. Marchand made it 2-0 at 7:43 as he took Bergeron’s feed on the draw and fired a wrist shot that whistled past Quick. Midway through the period, Marchand had a clean break in alone but his backhanded attempt missed the net. At 13:53, Horton went off for a slash on Jack Johnson. The Kings hit the post twice on the power play and then Dustin Brown had a chance from in close that Rask knocked away. Kampfer was sent off for hooking at 15:33. In the final seconds, Doughty snuck in from the right point and fired a shot that Rask kicked out. The B’s counterattacked and rushed the net and nearly scored.

The Kings started out quickly to open the third period as they buzzed in front of Rask. Quick then deprived Horton of a point-blank chance. Marchand made it 3-0 at 5:35 as he picked a pass from Bergeron, skated across the crease and fired a backhander past a diving Quick. Pouliot then rang one off the post as he took a pass from Kelly and broke in alone. Midway through the period, Rask made another nice stop off of Loktionov. Kampfer was sent off for holding Hunter at 13:25. Doughty fired a bomb from the point just as the power play expired and Rask covered the puck. Rask then robbed Brown on a point blank shot. So, Rask came up big and was the star of the night, stopping 41 shots. The B’s are now 19-9-1 and are in second place behind Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference.

Game 30 at Ottawa Senators (12/14/11):

One night after the shutout over LA, the B’s traveled to Ottawa for a Northeast Division clash with the Senators. Zdeno Chara and Gregory Campbell remained out of the lineup so Kampfer and Hamill dressed for the second straight game. Tim Thomas started in goal against Craig Anderson. The Sens came out in their classic 1920’s third sweater that features black, red and white stripes and a big “O” in front. Alfredsson had a chance in the opening seconds after a breakdown in the B’s zone but Thomas slid across and made a big save. The B’s had difficulty in keeping the puck out of their end in the first few minutes. Midway through the period, Lucic and Matt Carkner had a go at center ice with punches thrown but no clear winner. Peverley put the B’s ahead at 12:10 on a wrist shot from the high slot. Chris Neil then got into a confrontation in front of the B’s net but was led away by the referees.

Daniel Alfredsson tied the score at 4:37 of the second on a feed from Jason Spezza. Joe Corvo then fired a blast from the point that was deflected and struck Marchand in the mouth. Seidenberg went off for a cross-check at 5:31. The B’s did a good job killing the penalty limiting the Sens’ chances to the perimeter. Chris Kelly then put the B’s ahead at 13:47 as he tipped in a shot from the point. Kelly positioned himself directly out in front of Anderson and was at the right place at the right time.  McQuaid took out Foligno with a leg trip and Foligno went down with an injury and needed help getting off the ice. McQuaid was given a major and game misconduct, giving the Sens a five-minute power play. Foligno shortly reappeared on the Ottawa bench. Thomas then stoned Alfredsson on a point blank chance, making a terrific glove save. Konopka was sent off with 20 seconds in the period for goaltender interference. Smith fired a shot on Thomas after the final horn blew and the B’s were very upset with the play and confronted him.

The teams opened the third in a 4-on-4 for the first two minutes. After Konopka’s penalty expired the Sens went back on the power play for a minute. Foligno was skating perfectly well on the power play and his miraculous recovery didn’t sit well with some of the B’s. Bergeron made it 3-1 at 4:54 as he broke in alone after picking a loose puck in the neutral zone and tucked it past Anderson with the backhand. Paille made it 4-1 at 5:50 as he took a long pass from Thornton, skated in alone and buried the puck into the back of the net. Spezza made it 4-2 at 15:55 as he took a pass at the left dot and ripped it short side high at the blocker. Marchand then flipped the puck over the glass at 16:23 and was hit with a delay of game penalty. Thomas made a nice sliding save of Alfredsson’s chance. Paille then fired a high rocket that broke over Anderson’s glove side shoulder and into the net at 18:58. This was the second straight game in which the opposition has posted over 40 shots on goal. Tonight, Thomas made 47 saves and kept the B’s in the game as they struggled early on.