The End of an Era

We’ve seen championship after championship since the Patriots were the first team to bring a trophy back to New England since the '86 Celtics.

There have been so many iconic wins; so many games that will go down in Boston sports history. We saw the rise of Tom Brady and the “Homeland Defense.” We watched Curt Schilling pitch with the bloody sock. We found out that anything was possible with the Big Three and our hearts raced through three game sevens on the path to the cup.

Within each and every one of these championship seasons, there lived endless story lines that brought a passionate fan base even closer to their teams.  These events will forever live on in the rafters and in the tales told to future generations.

However, it is time for us to accept the fact that the end is in sight, if not already upon us. Boston’s reign as “Title Town” is inevitably coming to an end.

It has become very clear over their most recent seasons, that the Red Sox and Celtics have headed back to, and have already arrived at, the drawing board.  It would be hard for even the most optimistic of fans to picture either of these teams winning a championship, or even being serious title contenders, in the next few years.

Now, while it would be totally unfair to put the Patriots and the Bruins in the same category as their fellow Boston teams, it’s hard to deny they too are trending in the wrong direction.  Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying the Patriots have no chance this year because with Belichick and Brady, anything is possible.  But who knows what will happen to the Patriots in the post-Brady era.  Let’s be honest, the chances of Jimmy Garoppolo becoming the next Tom Brady are very slim, which is by no means a knock on Garoppolo.

The Bruins seem to be in the best shape of Boston’s big four sports teams but even they aren’t the dominant team they were four years ago.  Their biggest problem is not the aging Zedeno Chara but the lack of top six talent. The fate of the Bruins depends on how quickly their talented young guys can come out of Providence and contribute in Boston.

So here we are, on the back nine of sporting supremacy, left to wonder if there will ever exist a greater time to be a Boston sports fan.  While it’s likely there will not be, it is important to approach the current situation with the right mindset.  Do not be sad that Boston’s reign of sporting dominance is coming to a close, but rejoice, for we have experienced something most fans will never be so fortunate to experience.

In thirteen years, we saw our beloved Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins win a combined EIGHT championships.  That’s eight more championship parades than some fans will ever get a chance see in their lifetime. So while it’s true that no one team can be at the top of the league forever, the cycle will continue.  I’m confident that it won’t be long before Boston plays host to another championship season, and yet the question remains...  

Will Boston ever again witness an era as dominant as this? 

Jack Edwards is Wearing On Me

I hate to say it, but Jack Edwards is kind of annoying this season.  In this past, I was always one to talk about how much I enjoyed his call of Bruins games.  Now, I'm getting a little sick of him.

One of the major reasons why I find Jack really annoying this year is his undying love for everything Ryan Spooner.  Whether its his speed or his “10 and 2 move,” there’s no doubt Spooner, in less than half a season, has Jack Edwards swooning.

It’s kind of sickening to watch Spooner take three strides through the neutral zone and chip the puck in, only to hear Edwards describe the play as “Spooner using his explosive speed to make things happen through the neutral zone.”  As unfair as it may be, comments such as these have started to turn me against Spooner a bit.

There’s no doubt the kid has speed and the offensive instincts to make things happen, but he’s still young.  It takes time to learn the game and to learn how to be consistently successful in the NHL.  It’s unfair to hype the kid up so much and cause fans to expect more than what’s reasonable from the rookie.

Jack’s love for Ryan Spooner is surpassed only by his love for Sidney Crosby and the rest of the Penguins team/organization.  There’s no denying Crosby’s talent, but I don’t want to hear how great he is every time he touches the puck.  I hear it enough from Pierre McGuire when the Penguin’s play on NBC Sports Network.

Another big reason is the fact that he’s starting to run out of material.  “Martha, the barn is on fire!” got a good laugh the first time, probably even the second, but after that it gets old.  I’ve heard Lucic referred to as “train number 17” too many times and I’m sick of hearing about a certain player having "a bee under his bonnet.”

Don’t get me wrong; I still like Jack Edwards.  I actually do enjoy some of his cornier lines and I can definitely appreciate the passion and enthusiasm he calls each Bruins game with.  I just feel like lately he’s needed to tone it down a little.

I do want to end this post on more of a positive and supportive note, so take a listen to a couple of my favorite Jack Edwards calls of all time.  Both the Nathan Horton series clinching overtime goal against the Canadiens in 2011, and the Patrice Bergeron OT goal to eliminate the Maple Leafs in last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs are truly some of his best.

Overall, he's a pretty likable weirdo.

Finding a Way to Win

Injuries happen in sports. That's the nature of athletic competition. The questions isn't, is someone going to get hurt? But rather, when is someone going to get hurt? Who will it be? And how long are we going to be without them?

The injury bug can shatter a team's chance at success. The Chicago Bulls, a team that seemed to be on the cusp of asserting themselves as the best team in the NBA Eastern Conference, have been decimated by the losses of Derek Rose and Luol Deng over the past two seasons and seem poised to remain sequestered in irrelevance.

The Green Bay Packers, who have made it to the playoffs each of the last 4 years, stand on the outside of the NFL playoff picture looking in after the loss of All-Pro Quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Somewhere Matt Hasselbeck rejoices.

We're gonna take the ball and we're gonna... throw a game ending interception.

The Boston Bruins are currently missing Chris Kelly, Dougie Hamilton, Loui Eriksson, and Adam McQuaid for substantial periods of time and consequently...

Oh wait... the Bruins are currently sitting atop the Eastern Conference with a three game lead over the Montreal Canadians with a game in hand... Okay so maybe that was a bad example, but they're the exception right?

I mean, let's take a minute to look at the Boston Red Sox. The Sox were missing their best hitter, David Ortiz for the first month of the season. Star outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury missed about 30 games. And arguably their best pitcher for the first half of the season, Clay Buchholz, didn't pitch from June until September. Clearly this level of injury should... come again... what's that? They... they won the World Series? Well... this is awkward...

Injuries don't phase you when your hair also sweats

Okay we can talk about the Boston Celtics. They're essentially a collegiate team, right? They brought in Brad Stevens from Butler to coach a team comprised of seven players who have three years or less of NBA experience. The fact that All-Star Rajon Rondo, undoubtedly the best player on the team, hasn't played all season means that... means that they are sitting at 10-13 yes, but are currently 4th in the Eastern Conference and have went 6-3 over their last nine games...

Well at least we can talk about the New England Patriots, right? Danny Amendola has been unable to shake the injury bug that has plagued him his entire career. After missing the first 6 weeks of the season Rob Gronkowski saw his season ended on a low hit by Browns' safety T.J. Ward. The defense is reeling after the loss of nose tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly, and defensive captain/inside linebacker Jerod Mayo. The Pats can't hope to... what? Go 10-3 with a perfect 7-0 record at home through 13 weeks? Sit in 1st in the AFC East with a strong bid for a first round bye?

Somehow Boston's sports teams have been able to overcome injuries which would have decimated the majority of franchises in their respective sports. The loss of superstars, team leaders and playmakers has done little to slow down any Boston squad.

You can look to a variety of factors for answers: excellent coaching adjustments that take advantage of available personnel, deep farm systems and practice squads that emphasize the same play styles and responsibilities as their professional sides, key acquisitions by management to fill holes in the roster.

When it comes down to it there is no easy answer to the amazing way in which Boston's franchises have overcome injuries. They've used different methods, relied on different players and tried different strategies, but, put bluntly, they've simply found a way.

That simple phrase seems to embody what Boston is all about. When times get tough, when the chips are down, when tragedy strikes, this remarkable city bands together and finds a way. This year it seems like the organizations that represent Boston have taken that lesson to heart.

All of this of course begs one major questions. What the hell is really in that dirty water?

One part nitrogen, two parts used syringes, one part sweet sweet victory

A Rash of Injuries to Test Bruins

After the injuries sustained in the Bruins vs. Penguins game on Saturday, the list only grew against the Maple Leafs the next night.

Here's a compilation video highlighting the major incidents in the brutal first period of the Penguins game.



Less than twenty seconds into the game against the Penguins, Bruins’ winger Loui Eriksson was on the receiving end of a crushing hit by Brooks Orpik.  Whether the Orpik hit on Eriksson was a dirty hit or not could be argued either way.  On one hand, you could say that Eriksson did not have the puck when the hit was delivered, making it a clear interference call.  The dirty hit argument would also claim that Orpik finished high, contacting the head.  On the other hand, it looks as though the puck was passing just under Eriksson’s stick just as contact was made and it is hard to tell whether Eriksson’s head was the primary point of contact.  Either way, the hit has put Eriksson out with his second concussion of the season.

As if losing a second line winger wasn’t enough, word of injury to Chris Kelly came after the game. A broken fibula is reportedly the result of this slash by Pascal Dupuis late in the second period.  Looking at the video, it’s hard to tell whether the slash was intentional.  While Dupuis was swinging at a bouncing puck around Kelly’s skates, it also came right after Kelly finished a hit on Dupuis.  Intent aside, Kelly was placed on Long-term IR and is set to miss 4-6 weeks.

The most notable event however, was the retaliatory actions of Shawn Thornton on Brooks Orpik following his hit on Eriksson.  Of course, right after I write a post about how Shawn Thornton isn't a goon, he goes out and performs the most goonish act of his career.  Thornton approached Orpik from behind, slew-footing him down to the ice and then proceeded to deliver two shots to his face as he was laying on his back, the second knocking him out.

Now I’m a big fan of Shawn Thornton, but his actions in this case are completely unjustifiable.  While Orpik may have had it coming to him after the Eriksson hit and his previous refusal to drop gloves with Thornton, this type of incident has no place in today’s game.  However, I still stand by my statement that this is not the type of player Shawn Thornton is.

He was clearly shaken in his postgame press conference addressing the incident.




Facing what will most likely be a pretty lengthy suspension, Thornton is the third Bruins forward who will be missing some time as a result of the events of this game.

The Bruins didn’t have much time to let the dust settle and figure out what their new forward lines would look like, seeing as they were scheduled to face the Toronto Maple Leafs the very next night.

This game only brought more bad news.  Dougie Hamilton left the game in the first period with what is being reported as a lower-body injury and has flown back to Boston.  It is likely that he will miss the rest of the road trip as the Bruins are set to face off against Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

The Bruins depth will continued to be tested, even more so now that Hamilton will be missing some time and McQuaid has been placed on the IR.  With three Boston forwards slated to miss time, Ryan Spooner and Matt Fraser have been recalled from Providence to join Jordan Caron as fill-ins. Thankfully, the Bruin’s depth at the blue line has come up huge recently in the absence of McQuaid, and Johnny Boychuck.  Kevan Miller continued his strong play against the Leafs notching his first NHL goal last night.  Bruins coach Claude Julien is optimistic Boychuck will be returning to face Calgary on Tuesday.

This Canadian road trip and the games following will be a huge test for the Bruins.  At this point in the season, sitting atop the Atlantic Conference, the Bruins cannot afford to slip in the absence of these players.  However, if the Bruins can continue to get wins (as they did against Toronto last night) with a patchwork offense and a depleted defensive core, it bodes well for them moving forward.

If the Bruins can continue to play well in their absence, getting these players back will only provide them a boost in the New Year.  How the team responds in the face of this mounting adversity will speak volumes about the Bruins institutional depth and, more importantly, their heart.

Shawn Thornton: Always the Enforcer, Never the Goon

Today’s NHL is a league dominated by speedy, skilled players.  With so much quickness and skill at all positions, especially the forward spot, it is increasingly difficult for managers and coaches to justify the use of a roster spot on a goon.

There is an important distinction to be made between an enforcer and a goon.  A goon is a player who, with their lack of skill, is unable to contribute much to a team other than their fighting ability.  A goon is usually a large, physically imposing player with limited skating ability and even worse puck skills.  An enforcer, however, is a player who cannot only throw hands with the best of them, but can also contribute to the team in other ways.

John Scott, of the Buffalo Sabres, is not only the definition of a goon, but one of the few true goons remaining in the NHL.  At 6’8” and weighing in at 258 lbs, it is clear that Scott has the physically imposing part locked up.  Take a closer look at his career statistics and it becomes clear that Scott has absolutely zero value to his team aside from his fighting ability.  In 194 games over the course of five seasons, he has 343 penalty minutes to compliment a whopping five points (1 G, 4 A) and is -12.

Let Mike Milbury and Keith Jones give you a better idea of the type of player Scott is after his dirty hit on Loui Eriksson, which earned him a seven game suspension.



On the other hand, we have Shawn Thornton.  Now Thornton isn’t a scorer, nor could you really call him a playmaker, but as an enforcer, he is second to none.  You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn’t agree that Thornton is also the most honorable fighter in the league.  You’ll never see him sucker punch someone or punch a guy when he’s down because that’s not the type of player he is.

While Thornton is easily one of, if not the best fighter in the league, he has the ability to contribute to his team on the score sheet as well.  In his 10 seasons in the NHL, Thornton has 83 points (36 G, 47 A) to go along with his 856 penalty minutes.  Not to mention he also averages about double Scott’s ice time per season.  Check out this penalty shot goal and try to tell me he doesn’t have skill.



An enforcer such as Shawn Thornton brings so much to a team like the Bruins.  He is always ready to answer the bell and never shies away from a fight if that’s what it takes to defend his teammates.  The best part about his play though is that he is far from a liability when he’s on the ice.  The Merlot line, consisting of Thornton, Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille, is often cited as the best fourth line in the league, which speaks volumes about the Bruins’ depth.

The part many people don’t realize is how Shawn Thornton and other tough guys on the Bruins are able to indirectly elevate the game of their teammates.  Knowing you have so many guys behind you who are more than ready to drop gloves and stick up for you, gives you so much more confidence in your game.  Players are less worried about taking cheap shots because their opponent knows as well as they do that any such act will be answered by the fists of guys like Thornton, Milan Lucic, Adam McQuaid and Gregory Campbell among others.

As the game of hockey evolves, the role of the goon will continue to fade into the past, while fans will continue to appreciate the numerous contributions of enforcers like Shawn Thornton.


BONUS VIDEO:
This is possibly my favorite Thornton moment as he and Mike Felger shut down Vancouver journalist, Tony Gallagher.  It comes after the Vancouver game in which he was jumped by seven Canucks and then, in the most embarrassing moment in NHL history, baited into dropping his gloves by Dale Weise, who proceeded to immediately back down in hopes of drawing a penalty.



Seriously, how can you not like this guy?

Saving You The Trouble of Googling The Best B's-Habs Moments

There are just so many awesome moments from the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens rivalry over the past few years, we just had to post a few more in preparation for the game tonight.

No sense mucking things up with words, just enjoy the videos.





Okay, I wouldn't call Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty "great" but it has been a huge part of the rivalry, and even led fans to call for a police investigation... Yeah, that happened.



Now, this may not be a list of the "best" moments in the recent rivalry, but if they don't get you fired up, then you clearly don't have a pulse.

Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry Renewed Thursday Night

The Boston Bruins will cross over into the Great White North Thursday night to take on their arch rivals, the Montreal Canadiens.

It will be the first match-up of the year for these two, and for both teams, it is a must-win game.  While the Bruins remain top dog in the Atlantic division, the Habs have gone 8-1-1 over their last 10, and have won three in a row coming into a three-game homestand.  The B's have 38 points on the season with a 18-7-2 record, but the hated Habs are hot on their heels with 37 points from a 17-9-3.

So what can we expect from this game?

Both, to the crowd's delight and coaches' dismay, will look to get their physical games going early, which will inevitably lead to some odd-man rushes, but barring a complete defensive meltdown, don't expect too many goals to get by Carey Price or Tuukka Rask.  The two netminders are third and fourth in the entire league for save percentage (.937, .935) and sixth and fifth in the league for their goals against average (2.00, 1.90) respectively.

Offensively, both teams average under three goals scored per game, Boston with 2.74 and Montreal with 2.69, and are the top two in North America with 1.96 and 2.03 goals allowed per game figures.  Both teams have an .824 winning percentage when scoring first.  So where do these teams differ?

Montreal makes their money is with the play of their specialty units.  When the Habs power play takes the ice, they are scoring nearly a quarter of the time, and their penalty kill has been stalwart with an 86 percent success rate.  They look to the play of their young guns, namely linemates Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk who have combined for 15 goals on the season and this weird pumpkin carving contest.

The Bruins sport a plus-20 goal differential and have overcome several injuries that have forced players to miss time like Loui Eriksson, Adam McQuaid and Dennis Seidenberg.  They are just as hot as the Canadiens, going 7-2-1 in their last 10 and winning two straight.

Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell said several times throughout his team's World Series run that there were some games and situations that looked bleak, but his team stuck to their motto and rallying cry of: "find a way."  And that is what the Bruins have done this season.  Through injuries and bad bounces, this team has refused to stay down.  They were trounced by the Detroit Red Wings 6-1, dragged themselves to practice the next day (on Thanksgiving, no less), and two days later led a spirited comeback against the New York Rangers.

They don't rely on one player or one line.  Boston can roll four lines, and get production from the blazing one-timers by Jarome Iginla or the sneaky wristers launched by Shawn Thornton. They struggled early, but have found ways to complete a 60 minute game, and could be deadly if Montreal gets caught on long shifts.

Puck drops at 7:30.  To get your mind right for the game, check out the rivalry game of the century in the video above.  Hard to believe that was almost three years ago.

The Obnoxious Visiting Fan

If you plan on attending a sporting event as a fan of the home team, you know there’s always a possibility you'll be sitting next to a visiting fan.  The odds are, if you're not sitting directly next to an opposing fan, there will most likely be a few sitting in your section or the section over.  But if you do find yourself sitting next to a fan flying the enemy flag, just hope they're not obnoxious.

Whether you've had direct exposure to them or not, you know the type of fan I'm talking about.  They can't just sit there and cheer respectably for their team when they score or something significant happens.  They have to be loud and over the top, even during the most inconsequential plays.

I was prompted to share my views on this issue after attending the Bruins Thanksgiving Showdown against the New York rangers at the TD Garden on the 26th.  I was in my seat ready to enjoy myself as the start of the game neared.  Then it happened; a couple in their mid twenties wearing Rangers jerseys filled the two seats directly to my right.  “Oh, great,” I sighed, alerting the rest of my party to the presence the enemy.  All I could hope for now was that these weren’t the obnoxious brand of visiting fan.  Maybe they’ll be cool and we’ll end up being friends.



It started right from puck drop.  “LET'S GO BOYS!” “HERE WE GO RANGERS!”

So much for that; I hated them already.  It was shaping up to be a long game as she insisted on constantly yelling “go, go, go!” once any Rangers player got control of the puck.  But that was only the beginning.  It got even worse when she started calling Henrik Lundqvist “Lundqy” and “Lundqs” and Mats Zucarello “Zucs” as if she knew them personally.  The worst came when the Rangers scored, to first tie the game and then again to take the lead after the Bruins scored the first goal of the game.  She made sure her shrill screech, loud clapping and annoying cheers identified her as a Rangers fan.

She also made sure to get up multiple times to get beer, as if she wasn't annoying enough sober.  Each time she stepped down over the row of seats in front of us to make her way to the aisle, I rooted (sometimes out loud) for her to fall.  Unfortunately, she didn’t.

At this point, I wanted the Bruins to win so badly.  Obviously I wanted them to win because that’s my team, but at this point, maybe more so just to shut this girl up and to stop the other idiot Rangers fan in the section over from starting his “LET’S GO RANGERS!” chant that he was well-aware would never catch on.

Congratulations man, mission accomplished; you have successfully alerted everyone around you that you are not only a Rangers fan, but an asshole.  Now sit down and watch your team lose.

And lose they did.  The Bruins came back and scored two goals in the third to lock up the 3-2 win. Oddly enough, once the Bruins had tied it and later took the lead, the obnoxious girl next to me fell oddly silent.  It was so satisfying to watch her sit there quietly, watching the minutes tick down to zero with her team losing.  The horn sounded to end the game and they were off as quickly as possible.

So what’s the point of being an obnoxious visiting fan?  Your jersey has already identified you as a supporter of the opposition, why do you need to attempt to ruin others’ experience by constantly yelling and cheering for the sole purpose of getting under the home fans’ skin?  I wish I knew the answer to this question.

Don't get me wrong, if you're a fan of the opposing team you have every right to cheer them on. All I ask is that you’re reasonable.  I am confident that any obnoxious fan is well aware of the fact that they're being obnoxious because they’re doing it on purpose.  I have no respect for a fan who cheers for their team just to make a scene.  Besides, you make it a lot harder for yourself when your team loses.

The Bear is Back!

Last year the Bruin's launched a web-series titled The Bear and the Gang which chronicled the interactions between the B's mascot and various Bruins players, staff and personalities. If you missed any of last season don't fret, both first season episodes are still up on the teams site. (Claude Julien steals the show.)

Earlier today the team unveiled the trailer for Season 2...



So basically Season 2 is going to be even better - if that's possible. There's so much that's right with this video. Johnny Boychuk rocking the goggles from Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. Loui Eriksson's face watching the Bear carrying a sheep through the locker room. (Although in fairness to Eriksson he really only has one face. I'm not lying look at how far down you have to go to actually see him smile.) Or perhaps Brad Marchand throwing out a sac tap that would make Ashley Schaeffer jealous.

Check it out and let us know what you think. And don't forget to tune back in when the second season begins on December...ish.

Rooting for Other Teams

Thursday is a big day for me. Not because of Thanksgiving food, not because I get to spend my day surrounded by my awesome family but because the Edmonton Oilers have a game against the Nashville Predators. Yes, I acknowledge that the Oilers suck, and no, I don't care.

I know that Max is going to go off on me for this, but I'm going to do it anyway. I'm a Boston Bruins fan through and through and if the Oilers and Bruins played each other in any situation I'd be cheering for the B's. That said when these two teams aren't playing one another I see no reason why I shouldn't get fired up when Taylor Hall buries one from the slot? Why shouldn't I cheer when Devan Dubnyk makes a sprawling save (rare as that may be)? And for that matter why shouldn't I get fired up when Drew Brees fires a strike to Jimmy Graham when he finds a seam?

I cheer for these teams because as much as I love the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, and Bruins, I love sports even more. Cheering for the Oilers, the New Orleans Saints or even the Pittsburgh Pirates doesn't make me less of a Boston Sports fan, it makes me more of a sports fan.

When I cheer for Edmonton, I'm cheering for a team that plays an entirely different style than the Bruins. It's entertaining to watch a team that doesn't have the defensive discipline or physical presence of the B's. I'm watching a team that is entirely reliant on their offensive skill and talent which is staggering, to say the least. Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky; the list goes on and on.

When I cheer for the Saints, I'm cheering for a team that rallied a city around it in the face of overwhelming tragedy, much like the Red Sox did this past year for the City of Boston. Brees is one of the classiest athletes in all of sports and does more for charity than just about any athlete. You can say all you want about Bountygate but the whole thing got blown out of proportion and the team paid the price.

When it comes down to it, sports are entertaining no matter who is playing them. If you're a fan of a sport, you have an interest in the game. For many reasons - some personal, some trifling, some foolish - people get vested in sports. This doesn't mean that people don't have preferences or priorities, but rather that they can't help but be a fan.

I'm going to sit down tomorrow night with a stomach full of turkey, stuffing and general goodness to watch the Oilers take down the Preds in grand fashion... or lose by five goals. Regardless, I'll be watching, because I like the Oilers. Because they aren't playing the Bruins.  And because no matter who is playing, it's hockey.

Embrace the Hate!

Fans of New England area sports teams are touted as being some of the most passionate and knowledgeable fans out there but there’s one thing we aren't very good at and that’s embracing the hate from other fans/fan bases.

There have been a few controversial calls against Boston sports teams as of late, most recently the non-call on the final play of this past Monday Night Football game against the Panthers.  There was also the call against the Patriots field goal defense team in Week 7 against the Jets costing them the game in OT.  And who could forget the obstruction call against Will Middlebrooks on what came to be the winning run in Game 3 of this year's World Series?

As the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox have amassed their various championships, starting with the New England Patriots Super Bowl victory in 2001, these big four teams have attracted far more bandwagon haters than bandwagon fans.
   
As a result, when controversial calls like these occur, bars, living rooms and social media sites erupt with various arguments from both sides.  The two main sides of these types of arguments become the Boston Fan vs. the Anti-Boston Fan.

Here is where us Boston fans need to learn to take a step back and embrace the hate.  Don’t waste your time trying to reason against such antiquated arguments as “its payback for the tuck rule and Spygate!”  Don’t even bother responding to accusations that the Bruins are so dirty and only get away with it because Greg Campbell’s dad used to be Director of Player Safety.  Oh, and most certainly do not even entertain the most bitter anti-Boston fan’s disturbing conclusions that the Red Sox World Series win was given to them as a result of the tragic events of April 15^th (disgusting, I know).

Trust me when I tell you, it is so much more satisfying to sit back and listen to these baseless arguments and unsupported character assassinations and smile.  Smile because you know that no one is as dedicated to trashing the Jaguars and Astros as they are to trashing successful teams like ours. Smile because you know players like Tom Brady and Milan Lucic would be just as popular if they played in any of these “hate Boston” markets.

If you really want other fan bases to stop hating your teams and players, it’s simple, lose.  If you want other fans to acknowledge that maybe your team did in fact get screwed on that call, stop beating their teams so much.

But if you want to see the wins and the championships continue to pile up, learn to let everyone else hate on your team knowing that the hate they live to express is just a product of the intense jealousy they try so hard to suppress.

Conference Finals Preview

Wednesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks won a 2-1 overtime thriller against the Detroit Red Wings to join the Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins as the four teams remaining in the quest for Lord Stanley's Cup. With the Conference Finals set to start this Saturday, here is what you can expect going forward from both series.

Blackhawks vs. Kings - This series is an interesting match-up as it places the hottest goalie left, Jonathan Quick against a Chicago team that is probably the most well- rounded squad left in contention.

One of the things about playoff hockey is that one player can entirely change the dynamic of a series, particularly when the individual in question is the man between the pipes. The last four Stanley Cup Champions have ridden hot goalies all the way to the Cup. The Conn Smythe went to Quick last year and the Bruin's Tim Thomas in 2011 and while they didn't win any awards Antti Nieme and Marc-Andre Fluery played crucial roles in the victories of the Blackhawks and Penguins respectively.

The Kings are hoping that goaltending once again can dictate the course of the cup this year because in all likelihood that is the only way they can compete with the three other teams left in the playoffs. Their defense has been solid thanks to the addition of Robyn Regehr but the Blues and Sharks both lack the talent of the Blackhawks forwards. Simultaneously their offense has struggled scoring three or more goals in only three of the thirteen games they've played this post season. Their leading scorer Mike Richards (two goals eight assists) is their only player in double figures and regular season scoring leaders Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams have been stagnant so far this post season.

The Blackhawks are probably the most complete team left in the playoffs. Their forward lines house the superstar power of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp (who's tied for the playoff lead with seven goals). Defensively the Hawks are anchored by blueliners Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brent Seabrook. While Seabrook has underperformed thus far he did score the game winning goal against Detroit in overtime which may provide the spark he needs to play up to his ability level. When you put Corey Crawford's, 1.70 GAA and .938 Save Percentage in the crease with that lineup you have one of the most formidable teams in the leave.

Prediction- Hawks in 6- Quick's 1.50 GAA and .948 Save Percentage are good but he can only do so much, particularly when the Kings struggling offense will be facing a talented Corey Crawford and the best defense they've seen throughout playoffs. The Kings will probably steal a game or two at home but expect the Hawks to cruise on to the Cup.

Bruins v. Penguins- The Penguins handled the Bruin's fairly easily in the season series but the playoff will pit two very different teams against one another. This is going to be a tough one either way and both teams have a legitimate shot at taking the East.

The Penguins have the most talented forwards in the league plain and simple. Any team that can place the league's reigning Most Valuable Player on the second line clearly has a lot of depth and that's exactly what the Penguins have done with Evgeni Malkin. Oh and by the way they also have Sydney Crosby the league’s best playmaker running the first line. Veterans Pascal Dupuis and Jerome Iginla  give the team the experience it needs for a playoff push and their third and fourth lines are two of the best in the league. While Bruins fans may claim to have four solid lines the Penguins have more depth and skill top to bottom then the Bruins forwards do. For this reason the Penguins forwards will be the ones who decide the series. Defenders Kris Letang, Paul Martin and Brooks Orpik are extremely talented but they have been plagued by subpar goalkeeping throughout the playoffs giving up a lot of soft goals. Thanks to their lackluster defense they are going to need to score if they want to win games.

The Bruins on the other hand are going to need to rely heavily on their defense and an underrated Tuuka Rask if they are to contain Pittsburgh's explosive forwards. Boston's Young Defenders Dougie Hamilton, Matt Barkowski, and the unbelievable Torey Krug played a fantastic series against the Rangers, but the Bruins are going to need Dennis Seidenberg and Zdeno Chara to play their best in order to prevent Crosby and Malkin from running wild. In order to accomplish this the Bruins need to play physically but disciplined. The slight physical edge the Bruins bring to the table could be their biggest asset, particularly with the Merlot Line playing extremely well. That being said it is imperative that the Bruin's stay disciplined and out of the box. If the Bruins commit the number of penalties against the Penguins that they did against the Ranger's they'll be out of the series before you can say “Crosby to Dupuis”.

Prediction- Bruin's in 7- I'm not even going to pretend to not be biased on this series. Are the Penguins the favorite? Definitely. Do they have home ice? Yes. Does that matter? No. It's the playoffs and the beautiful thing about the playoffs is that nothing leading up to a series matters. The Bruin's are going to need to play well to win, but they made a very talented Ranger's team look so bad that head coach John Tortorella got the boot. It's going to be a tough series, but I've got faith in the boys.

Regardless of what you think there is no denying that the Conference Finals are going to be great battles. These four teams deserve to be here and have all played exceptionally well up to this point. If the first two rounds are any indication there's a lot to look forward to as the hunt for the Cup continues.

Young Defenders Sparking the Bruins

Boston Bruins fans held their collective breath last Monday as Dennis Seidenberg left the ice a minute into Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Seidenberg joined teammates Andrew Ference and Wade Redden on a growing list of injured Bruin blue liners. The loss of three veteran defenders has meant that the Bruins have had to turn to young prospects to fill the void.

Dougie Hamilton, Matt Bartkowski and most recently Torey Krug have been called up over the course of the playoffs and have excelled. The explosiveness of these three young players has helped spark the Bruins, pushing them past a tough Toronto squad and into a commanding 2-0 series lead over the New York Rangers. So who are these three youngsters who have stepped into arguably the league's biggest spotlight?

Hamilton is probably the most familiar to Bruins fans. The 19-year-old Toronto, Ontario native was the Bruins first overall pick in the 2011 entry draft and made his NHL debut earlier this season against the Rangers. Hamilton spent most of this season with the Bruins appearing in 42 of 48 games. While Hamilton has had a solid rookie campaign, netting five goals and adding 11 assists, he was criticized throughout the season for mental lapses and inconsistent play and ultimately was replaced by Redden as the Bruins entered the playoffs. Since returning to the lineup Hamilton has been fantastic. Joining Zdeno Chara on the first defensive pairing-- and also getting some time on the second powerplay unit -- Hamilton has taken advantage of his size, power and raw talent while limiting his mental mistakes, proving he can play in big games. seventh

Bartkowski was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 NHL entry draft by the Florida Panthers and came to the Bruins in the same trade that brought Seidenberg to Boston. Since then, Bartkowski has spent the majority of his time in the AHL with the Providence Bruins. It was there that Bartkowski made a name for himself as a solid defender and as a result, was the first of the Bruins young defenders to see time in the playoffs. Not normally a prolific scorer, Bartkowski has notched a goal and an assist in his four playoff games and has been playing with Johnny Boychuk on the second defensive pairing in addition to receiving time on the second powerplay with Hamilton. Probably the best pure defender of the three, Bartkowski is a known commodity who has the stuff to be a consistent Top 4 defender

Finally, and perhaps most exciting has been the emergence of Torey Krug. The 22-year-old Michigan State alum was an undrafted free agent who was signed by the Bruins in March of last year. Krug only appeared in one game for the Bruins during the regular season. Despite all of that, in the playoffs Krug has shown a scorer's touch and fantastic skating ability scoring two goals and adding an assist in two games against the Rangers. Although undersized, Krug has also shown solid defensive instincts breaking up a few key plays and throwing his body around. In yesterday's victory over the Rangers, Krug showed excellent stick work, kicking a pass off his skates to set himself up for a goal from the slot and adding an assist on a similar move when a puck he fired from the blue line was buried by Gregory Campbell. While Krug still has a lot to prove, he has shown some incredible offensive skills in his brief call-up and could be a solid asset to the Bruins moving forward.

These three youngsters have given a much needed spark to a Bruins squad that was floundering entering the playoffs. They've certainly been aided by the revelation in net that is Tuukka Rask but there is no denying that their speed and energy allowed the Bruins to contain scorers Phil Kessel of the Leafs and (so far) Rick Nash of the Rangers.

Whether their consistency and quality of play is an enigma or here to stay remains to be seen, however, they have been a crucial part of the Bruins' playoff success thus far. As Redden and Seidenberg stand poised to rejoin the team it's likely that these young defenders will return to the bench, but in either case, Boston's blue line is in good hands for the foreseeable future.

Bruins Fan Prove Boston Strong, While Bruins Clinch Playoff Spot in Shootout Loss

The boys are back.  Boston hosted its first sporting event since Monday's Marathon bombings in the form of a Bruins-Sabres game at the TD Garden, with Buffalo coming out on top after a 3-2 shootout win.  But the focus was not on the winner of Wednesday's game, rather the spectacle of the game itself.

On Monday, the Bruins players were all at the Garden for their game against the Senators before it was postponed due to the attack a few hours before puck drop.  With the players gathered, they had an opportunity to talk about what had transpired on Boylston Street and how they would react as a team.  Coming into Wednesday's contest, they knew what this city needed.

"The only thing we can do is play the game to give Boston something to be happy about," said B's center David Krejci.  "It's been an emotional last few days.  Just like everybody else, I had just one channel on the TV the last couple of days."

Before the game started, Boston had plenty to be happy and proud about.  A video tribute to the victims and first responders was shown, followed by Rene Rancourt and the Boston Fire Department Honor Guard entering the rink for the national anthem.  As you can see in the video above, Rancourt didn't have to do much singing as the Garden crowd was more than ready to show just how Boston Strong they were.

"I know its a tough time right now, we know that," said winger Brad Marchand.  "For them to come out and support us, to take their minds off everything for a couple of hours and come in tonight, we just wanted to say thanks.  We're thinking of everyone and they're in our thoughts and prayers."

The Bruins fought hard throughout the game, with Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly each notching a goal, but it was an Andrew Ference penalty with just under a minute in the third period that led to a Sabres power play goal that would tie things at 2-2 before the final horn.  Sabres goalie Ryan Miller stood tall, stopping all four attempts in the shootout, while Anton Khudobin stopped three before Drew Stafford slipped one in between the Bruins backstop's pads.

"It's emotional for me as well, as an American," said Miller.  "We like to play, but there are bigger things.  I think the way people have stepped up and tried to help, tried to do the right things, you can tell that this is only going to make us stronger."

The Bruins locked up a spot in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the point from the shootout loss, but just getting back to hockey in Boston was the most important thing on their minds.

"You feel that this is your home, that this is what you represent as a professional organization," head coach Claude Julien said.  "The first thing you want to do is help out, and you do the best you can.  We did that for Newtown, and I'll tell you what, there wasn't a better feeling than going there and trying to spread some joy and put smiles on some people's faces.

"Our goal is to do the same thing here with this city and everyone that was involved in this tragedy."


UPDATE: For those of you who cannot see the video above, here is another version on YouTube.

Bruins Reportedly Trade for Jaromir Jagr

Hopefully this isn't another Jarome Iginla scenario, but for the time being, the Bruins have reportedly completed a trade that would put Jaromir Jagr in Boston.

Multiple sources, including ESPN's Pierre LeBrun and the Dallas Morning News' reporter Mike Heika, have said the deal is completed, pending the approval of the league.  The deal seems to be similar to Iginla's, with the Bruins sending two prospects along with a conditional draft pick based on if Jagr is re-signed for next season.

As with the Iginla deal, we will be monitoring this very closely to make sure all the details are correct and that everyone dots their i's and crosses their t's.  But, as it would have been with Iginla, it will be great for the B's to add a veteran presence like Jagr, who has the ability, even at age 41, to make everyone around him on the ice a better player.

UPDATE: The deal is rumored to involved Lane Macdermid and Cody Payne as the two Bruins prospects going to Dallas, and the draft pick will be a conditional second-round pick.

UPDATE: The deal is official.  Jagr will join the team on Wednesday.  As to where he'll fit in, that remains to be seen.  Patrice Bergeron went down with an apparent head injury on Tuesday night against the Senators, so with more line jumbling on the way, Jagr's role could vary greatly.

Jarome Iginla Officially Traded to Penguins...

Well, that's embarrassing.  I had numerous sources, from ESPN to WEEI to Yahoo! Sports telling me that Jarome Iginla was set to become the newest member of the Boston Bruins, but they were wrong, I was wrong.  Everyone was wrong.

Iginla has just been officially traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins as of early Thursday morning.  The deal will send forwards Kenneth Agostino and Ben Hanowski to Calgary along with a conditional first-round draft pick is Iginla is re-signed in Pittsburgh next season, per CBCSports.com.

I am shocked by this.  CBC had this article up at 8:47 p.m. Wednesday night that I did not catch, but that was overlooked by everyone when the news hit around midnight that Iginla would be heading to Beantown.  The trade deadline is still a few days away (April 3), and thus far, the only other substantial rumor has been surrounding veteran defenseman Ryan Whitney from the Edmonton Oilers.  The Bruins defense corps is in rough shape this season, and a left-handed D-man who could bolster their power play could be just what the doctor ordered.

But either way, the Iginla news has ruined my weekend, so let's hope the Bruins can get back on the horse and get another big deal done.

Bruins Reportedly Acquire Jarome Iginla... Let's Go!

If you've been following any hockey news over the past few days, you've heard about the rumors involving 35-year-old Calgary Flames winger Jarome Iginla.

Late Wednesday night, after Iginla was scratched from the line-up for the first time in 441 games with the Flames, a deal was reportedly struck between Calgary and the Boston Bruins.  Iginla will join the Bruins, who needed some good news after coming back from a two-goal deficit only to blow that lead with eight seconds remaining and lose in a shootout to division rivals, the Montreal Canadiens.

In return for the Flames captain, reports indicate the Bruins are sending young defenseman Matt Bartkowski and a top prospect in Alex Khokhlachev up to Calgary.  Along with the two young players, a conditional first-round draft pick will be part of the swap if Iginla is re-signed in Boston next season.

All in all, this looks like a great pick up for the Bruins at a time when they really needed it.  Iginla ranks third among active players with 525 career goals, and his veteran presence will be a huge spark at the Bruins ramp up for another Stanley Cup run.  As to where he'll fit in, that's tough to say right now.  The Bruins have been shaking up their lines a little bit recently, but on the offensive side of things Wednesday night, they scored five great-looking goals, with the first and second forward lines looking very sharp.

A third line spot would seem weird for the six-time all star, but right now seems the most practical unless they decide to mix up their pairings again.  Whatever the Bruins do will be very interesting, and they have back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday against Philadelphia and Buffalo to figure things out, provided the deal is completed and Iggy joins the black and gold by then.

Bruins Sputtering, Julien Shuffles Lines

The Boston Bruins have hit a rough patch.  After scoring just six goals in their last four games, head coach Claude Julien is working on fixing the offense and helping the B's find their rhythm again by changing up all of the forward lines.

When asked why he shook things up, Julien replied, "Because I can. Because I'm the coach. And every once in a while, you've got to do those things. Simple as that."

So it doesn't sound as though everything's coming up roses in Boston.  The Bruins have not given up more than three goals in their last 11 games, and they have scored more than three just twice.  Their defense and their goaltending tandem of Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin have been getting the job done so far, so what can these new lines do to help?

The first line will now be made up of Brad Marchand, David Krejci and Nathan Horton, the second will be Daniel Paille, Patrice Bergeron and Tyler Seguin and the third, Milan Lucic, Rich Peverley and Jordan Caron.  The "Merlot" line will now have either Jay Pandolfo or Lane Macdermid (depending on who is scratched) along with the usual suspects Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton.

"Yeah, we go through this every year," Julien said of the recent struggles. "It does weigh on guys eventually."

As for the line changes, Julien was just hoping to change the mood of the team after a frustrating loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night.  "We just thought we'd start off with a bit of a fun thing, loosen up the guys, put some smiles on their faces, then get a good practice out of it."

In the final stretch of March, the Bruins will face the Leafs and Montreal Canadiens at home, then the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres on the road.  Time will tell if these lines will make a difference or if the Bruins will stick with them in crunch time.

Bruins Mount a Comeback But Fall in Shootout Despite Jack Edwards' Going Bananas

The Bruins fell short in Tuesday's contest with the Rangers at home, losing 4-3 in a shootout.  This was the third time the teams have met, and despite a loss, they have managed to get five out of six points against the Blueshirts.

That point tonight was an absolute steal.  The B's just could not get their offense going, again trudging out sluggish power play units against reigning Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist.  The game was pretty much a snoozer for Boston fans until late in the final period.  With a 3-0 lead, the Rangers were looking poised for a great team win.  David Krejci potted a goal just under 9 minutes into the final frame, and gave the Black & Gold that spark they needed.

Waiting until the last minute and half, the Bruins starting pouring on the pressure.  With Tuukka Rask pulled and the extra attacker out, Nathan Horton found a rebound land on his stick and slid the puck across the ice to bring it within one.  Not to be outdone, the team's leading scorer Brad Marchand fired one over Lundqvist's right shoulder with 43 seconds remaining in regulation to knot it up at 3. 

Bruins play-by-play announcer Jack Edwards was just as excited as any fan in the TD Garden, jumping up and down while making the game-tying call.  Eventually the Bruins fell after a heart-pounding overtime.

How Will the Bruins Fare in the Shortened Season?

The NHL gets back to business as unusual on Jan. 19th when they begin a shortened 48-game season.  For Bruins fans, just seeing the players back on the ice in black and gold will be a success, but for the players, they must be licking their chops for the 2013 season.

The B's won the Lord Stanley's Cup for the 2010-11 season, and most of that same roster til laces 'em up at the TD Garden for home games.  The Bruins have young stars like Tyler Seguin, 20, Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic, 24, as well as elder statesmen like Andrew Ference and Shawn Thornton, 33, and captain Zdeno Chara, 35.  Age has never seemed to slow the Bruins down, and Ference and Chara have been playing for over a month already overseas, so in 2013, that's not a concern.

After a few concussions, the most famous of which came at the hands of Canucks defender Aaron Rome, B's winger Nathan Horton is ready to rock.  According to Lucic, Horton looks more game-ready than ever some of their teammates playing overseas.

"We had a little scrimmage to end [Thursday's practice] and on our side there was only five forwards.  we were huffing and puffing, but he looked good," he said.  "He looks to be back on track.  He's in really good shape and I'm excited to get back out there and play with him."

Horton's condition shouldn't be a problem this year, but one player to keep an eye on will be goaltender Tuukka Rask.  Poised to be the starter between the pipes after Tim Thomas lost his marbles, Rask aggravated his groin against playing in the Czech Republic.  It was not as severe as when he originally injured it last March, but took himself out of a few games as a precaution.

The only other injury on the team right now appears to be to perennial all-star snub defender Adam McQuaid.  Darth Quaider has had multiple surgeries to correct blood clots around his collarbone and arms, and will hopefully be ready by the end of the month.  Watching the Bruins won't be the same without McQuaid crushing faces on the ice.

All in all, the Bruins look to be in an excellent position to finish at the top of the Eastern Conference this year.  With an embarrassing first round exit after losing to the Capitals, the Bruins will come back faster, stronger and hungrier for another championship. 

I'm predicting Seguin will lead the team in points, followed closely by linemate Patrice Bergeron and second line winger Lucic.  If Seguin and Bergeron find their rhythm like they did last year, they can again be one of the most electric lines if Marchand is up to the task.  A lot of Lucic's points come right down in front of the net, allowing Horton and Krejci to use their skills to fire pucks on net for Looch to slap home on a rebound.

Defense has always been a strong point for the Bruins, if they get out to a hot start on the pillows of Rask, that should be all it takes to fuel a playoff run.  The first test will come right away against the East favorite New York Rangers on opening night  Its tough to judge with a 48-game season, but I'm gonna say the Bruins can get 29 to 31 wins.  Doesn't hurt to be optimistic, right? 

Don't forgot to join Three if by Strike on Jan. 19th for the Bruins opener live blog!