Tag Archives: Carl Soderberg

Boston Bruins vs. Detroit Red Wings Game 4 Recap & Game 5 Preview

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 Boston Bruins Game Winner vs. Detroit Red WingsGame 4 Recap

What a game and what a comeback!!! The Bruins pulled out the win in OT where they found themselves down by 2 goals at one point and came back to win. Tuukka Rask was huge and stole this game for the Bruins.

Detroit had their best period to start and the Bruins had their worst of the series so far. Tuukka Rask stood on his head and made a few ridiculous stops. Even though the Red Wings put on all of their pressure in the first, they were only able to score 1 goal in that dominant period. The Bruins could have had two goals with Marchand missing his first of 2 open nets and Reilly Smith hitting the post. In the second period, the Bruins got their act together and it was a very competitive period with each team netting a goal. The Bruins were in control for most of the third period with Lucic tying the game early in the period. And that momentum carried over into overtime with the Bruins dictating the tempo after successfully wearing down the Red Wings. After Tuukka Rask came up big with a huge stop on Justin Abdelkader, Iginla tipped the Krejci drive home to win it.

Game 5 Preview

I do not expect the Detroit Red Wings to lay down in Game 5 on Saturday. Detroit seemed to pull out all the stops to try and win Game 4 and the Bruins shouldn’t be surprised by anything they will see from Detroit on Saturday. Another solid defensive effort is needed and the Bruins will have the coveted last change to match up against the Zetterberg – Datsyuk line with Chara. Tuukka Rask is feeling it right now and it is hard to bet against the Bruins at this point. The Bruins take this game and series. Hopefully we’ll be getting ready for Montreal next week.

Follow me on twitter for all Boston Bruins news and my in game thoughts. Lets go Bs!

Overcoming Injuries & Still Winning

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Seidenberg KneeI feel like at this point in the season I know most of the Providence Bruins roster, and that isn’t because I have been making the 40 minute drive down there. It is because of the obscene number of injuries that have befallen the Bruins, most of them since the Thornton suspension. Since his suspension, the Bruins have lost Loui Eriksson for an indeterminate amount of time, Chris Kelly for a few months and Dennis Seidenberg for the season. There were a few games where I thought we would see the Boston Bruins just throw in the towel and give up but, they powered through adversity, played hard, and earned victories all while giving their prospects some run and managing the minutes of Zdeno Chara and Tuukka Rask.

First, let’s start behind the blue line. Dennis Seidenberg, Johnny Boychuck, Dougie Hamilton, and Adam McQuaid have all missed a significant amount of time. In their place, the Bruins have called up Kevan Miller, David Warsofsky, and Zach Trotman and all of done pretty well in their brief stints. I was very impressed with the local kid Warsofsky, and not just because he went to BU. He showed a Krug-like flash of offensive skill that could be a huge asset in the future. Claude Julian was so impressed Warsofsky saw some power play time in the place of Dougie Hamilton. Kevan Miller has done so well during his time, that the Bruins have called him up on a permanent basis. He will remain on the roster for the remainder of the season which of course fuels the hot stove trade talk. With Dennis Seidenberg’s season ending knee tear (see above photo) I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bruins go out and make a move for a veteran defenseman.

The forwards had their own issues with two centers and three wingers out due to suspension and injury. Shawn Thornton, Loui Eriksson, Carl Soderberg, Chris Kelly,  and Daniel Paille all missed time with either suspension or injuries. It was a hodgepodge of replacements called up for a game or two and then immediately sent down for the next. The list includes: Ryan Spooner, Matt Fraser, Nick Johnson, Justin Florek, and Craig Cunningham. Spooner has been tremendous and we have seen him grow up during his entire stay in Boston. Matt Fraser has also been a pleasant surprise and saw some time on the penalty kill.

What’s Next?

Now the Bruins are heading out west for tilts against the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks. Shawn Thornton’s suspension will finally come to an end against the Sharks on Saturday which will help provide an emotional boost in time for a division game back in Boston against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Yours Truly will be there and I am pretty pumped about it because games against Toronto are always fun. Then, it’s off to visit Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars followed by a Stanley Cup Finals rematch against the Chicago Blackhawks. There are some really exciting games in this stretch of quality opponents and I am looking forward to watching every minute (yes even these late nights against the West). Follow me on twitter @BruinsBeliever and check back for updates. Let’s Go B’s!

Boston Bruins Training Camp Report

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Training Camp 2013

This past Sunday, I was able to attend both session of Boston Bruins Training Camp at the TD Garden. Which, I have to admit, is just not the same as it was going to Wilmington because yesterday felt more like a production. I was a little depressed (but not surprised) to find Jeremy Jacobs making money off of what was supposed to be a free event by selling concessions. I was pleased to find players taking the time to sign some autographs after the second session for the kids who turned out.

The Boston Bruins split up the team into 2 practice groups for Training Camp 2013. Group B went first for the 10 o’clock session. The guy who really stood out was Carl Soderberg. He scored 3 goals and hit 2 posts during the practice. 2 of the 3 goals were perfectly placed shots over the goaltenders shoulder, under the bar shots that are virtually unstoppable. That is a skill the Bruins have missed quite a bit throughout the years. From what I have heard, he has been lighting it up all camp long. He looks ready to breakout in the 2013-2014 Season. Soderberg had me wondering if Claude Julien would have to consider possibly moving Loui Eriksson or Jerome Iginla down to the third line to make room for Soderberg. Meanwhile, Iginla looked like he would fit in perfectly with Milan Lucic and David Krejci on that top line.

During the afternoon session, BruinsBeliever was able to watch Loui Erikkson interacting with future line mates Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. The first thing I noticed was his size. He is a lot bigger than I thought he was and seemed more than willing to go into corners to free the puck up for Bergeron quarterback. I think he will be a great fit for the Bruins and a much better fit than Tyler Seguin would have been. Erikkson did a great job back-checking throughout the session and even lifted a goal past Tuukka Rask during a drill. I am excited to see how these lines play out, especially if Soderberg plays anywhere near the level he has been practicing.

Overall, Believe it or not, I feel better about this team than I did about last years team during their brief ‘training camp’. This team just seems so meticulously put together and each piece seems to fit perfectly together. They lost a leader in Andrew Ference, but then traded for Loui Erikkson who was an Alternate Captain down in Dallas. Heck, Brad Marchand already called Erikkson a “great leader” during a post practice interview. They also signed Chad Johnson as a potential backup for Rask who is a great locker room guy as well. Not to mention the character and desire to win a cup with Jerome Iginla. This team is built to win now and take advantage of everything Zdeno Chara has left in the tank coupled with the younger players entiring their primes. It should be another awesome year. Especially when the preseason starts off with a Boston Bruins win in Montreal. Let’s hope for another great year. Keep Believing and don’t forget to follow me @BruinsBeliever. Let’s go B’s!