Game 1 & 2

What an interesting weekend it was at the Garden. There are two completely different takeaways from each game and it is hard to tell which way Game 3 will go. The Bruins were completely out of Game 1 emotionally, and then were the exact opposite in Game 2 which culminated in the exchange Zdeno Chara had with Brendan Smith above.

Game 1

The Bruins came out hot in the first 2 minutes of the game that gave way to a slow, methodical, unemotional pace. The pace of play that the Red Wings thrive playing. Instead of the Bruins dictating their own tempo and style, they played right into Detroit’s hands. With a tight game late, Milan Lucic saw his scoring chance squeeze by the post, then, less than a minute later Pavel Datsyuk makes a couple of moves and beats Tuukka Rask through a screen. I wonder if the Wings won that game, or if the Bruins lost to the flu with Kevan Miller, and Matt Bartkowski out. A very disappointed BruinsBeliever left The Garden upset and frankly angry at the effort.

Game 2

This was a totally different game. Jimmy Howard looked like the Jimmy Howard that has frustrated Wings fans all year. He gave up a bonehead goal to Justin Florek who was fore-checking along the boards when Howard practically passed the puck to him. Shortly after that, the Bruins capitalized on the power play a couple of times throughout the game including a goal from Zdeno Cara to seal it. The biggest difference in Game 2 was the presence of Kevan Miller on the blue line. His physicality set the tone for the Bruins early in the game and his solid defensive play was a welcome relief to the nail-biting play of Corey Potter. The most surprising aspect of the game was how quickly the Bruins got in the head of the Red Wings. Suddenly the Red Wings were taking roughing penalties and initiating the rough stuff after the whistle. That equals a worst case scenario for the Red Wings who were dominated throughout the game and played right into the hands of the Bruins.

Game 3 Preview

After Game 1 the Bruins publicly and privately complained about the lack of obstruction and holding calls that should have been made on Detroit. Sure enough, in Game 2 we saw more holding and interference penalties called on the Red Wings. Now, after Game 2, Coach Mike Babcock has been complaining about how the Bruins are getting away with a lot of rough stuff after whistles and during game play. History has shown that we should see a correction from the officials; meaning that Game 3 will be called a lot tighter overall. While I am expecting the Red Wings to win 1 in Detroit, I don’t think it will be this one. I see the Bruins winning this game taking a 2-1 series lead and taking back home ice advantage.

Follow me on Twitter for all of my in-game thoughts and as always, Let’s Go Bs!

The season started off with a bang thanks to Chris Kelly and his short-handed penalty shot goal opening night vs. Tampa Bay. The Boston Bruins went on to win that game 3-1 and the season was off and running. The Boston Bruins game against the Tampa Bay Lightning opening night was a great way to start off the season. The Bruins wasted no time in playing their brand of Bruins Hockey with 2 shorthanded goals. It was a game where they physically dominated their opponent and took away their best weapon in Steven Stamkos.

I was very excited for the start of the new division rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings. And even though we are only 5 games into the season, we have seen the last of the Red Wings in Boston, barring a playoff match up. The Bruins ended up splitting the two games with the Wings, winning the first match up, a 4-1 victory and a lose in the second game 3-2. The first game was a must win for the Bruins with Detroit at the tail end of a 3 games in 4 nights stretch and were very clearly fatigued. My biggest takeaway from these games was the special teams play from the Bruins. The Bruins did a great job of shutting down Detroit’s power play while establishing their own. The Bruins and their new power play look, with Zdeno Chara down low, came out with 2 goals from the first game including this beauty from Chara after an amazing feed from Torey Krug (skip to 25 seconds):

The games against the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Colorado Avalanche were very similar because the Bruins put forth a very strong effort in each game. The Bruins played a great game against Colorado but, unfortunately, the Bruins ran into a very hot goaltender in J.S. Giguere. Colorado scored on a deflected shot on the power play and the Bruins couldn’t manage a goal as they fell 2-0. The game against the Blue Jackets was similar except for the fact that the Bruins were able to put the puck in the net. The two newest Bruins each played a crucial role in the Bruins 3-1 win. The first goal was due to a tremendous individual effort by Jerome Iginla and the second, and eventual game-winner was the first goal in a Boston Bruins uniform by Loui Eriksson.

Overall, I am very happy with the effort and intensity the Bruins have played with throughout the season thus far. In the not-so-distant past, the Bruins have struggled in afternoon games, usually coming out slow and flat-footed. But so far I have loved seeing the team ready to go for these early afternoon games. I am enjoying watching the Boston Bruins on the power play for the first time in years due to the strategy of putting Zdeno Chara down in front of the net and allowing Torey Krug and David Krejci to make plays in space. The Bruins have already scored a handful of power play and shorthanded goals this season and have shown an huge improvement especially on the power play.

Who’s Next: New Division Rivals & Old Friends

The Bruins have three consecutive division road division games up next. The first is in Florida against old friend Tim Thomas and second game is against the Tampa Bay Lightning. I am looking forward to having these two teams in the division because with all of the other teams being tough and competitive, it will be nice to play these two teams that appear to be doormats. After those games it is another road division game where the Bruins will visit the Buffalo Sabres. Following that the Boston Bruins will be welcoming Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks to the Garden.

Watching the Bruins has been and should continue to be fun, especially watching how Coach Claude Julien continues to rotate his defensemen. A separate blog on that topic will follow. Until then, remember to follow me on twitter @BruinsBeliever for my in-game analysis and for quick hit thoughts. Thanks for reading, and as always: Lets Go Bs!

@BruinsBeliever

Tag Archives: Zdeno Chara

Boston Bruins vs. Red Wings Recap & Game 3 Preview