As per the Boston Globe and Boston Herald, Michael Ryder is out indefinitely after suffering a facial fracture after taking the stick of Ottawa's Antoine Vermette to the face late in Thursday night's game.
The high-stick, which gave the Bruins a four-minute advantage on which they tied the game, appeared to catch Ryder near the right eye, and caused the forward to bleed profusely. He did not return to the game.
According to Fluto Shinzawa of the Globe, Ryder's eye was not affected, but he may still require surgery.
Tough blow for the B's and Ryder, who was playing very strong hockey as of late. With Ryder out, the line-up has a little less firepower, but expect one of the youngsters to fill in during Ryder's absence.
Showing posts with label Michael Ryder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Ryder. Show all posts
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008
October Wrap-up
Points in the month: 13
Record: 5-3-3
Goals for: 29
Goals against: 31
All in all, it's hard to be disappointed with the Bruins' October performance. The B's faced a rough early season schedule, and still managed to celebrate Halloween with a winning record. The B's played 8 road games and only 3 at the TD Banknorth Garden, including the always-treacherous Western Canada swing, on which the Black and Gold went 2-1 with 2 shutouts.
Tim Thomas is currently in the middle of one of his trademark hot streaks, where he seems to save whatever is thrown in his direction. Phil Kessel continues to put up points, Marc Savard continues to put pucks directly on the tape of his linemates, Zdeno Chara is still rock-solid on the blueline, and Dennis Wideman is playing like he deserves the big raise he got over the summer.
Really, there is very little, if anything, to complain about or nitpick. Michael Ryder still hasn't really gotten it going, and Marco Sturm has been invisible at times, but neither have been slouches on the defensive end, and one must believe that the scoring will come.
The only real issue I think the Bruins are facing right now is the shootout. The team went 0 for 3 in shootouts in October, costing themselves a win in Montreal, a win in the home-opener vs. Pittsburgh, and a two goal collapse vs. Buffalo. Those are 3 points, 2 against division rivals, that one can only hope don't come back to haunt the B's in March. It's hard to say what is wrong with the shootout lineup, as the B's have plenty of skilled players who can put the puck in the net. It appears that the shots just are finding the back of the cage early, and that needs to change. The shootout has become reality in the NHL, and that extra point is always huge. The B's need to start finding ways to pick it up.
NOVEMBER AT A GLANCE:
Games: 13 (8 home, 5 road)
Key opponents: vs. Montreal 11/13, vs. New York Rangers 11/15, at Montreal 11/22, vs. Red Wings 11/29
Currently the B's are 3 for 3 in November, picking up a quick six points. My prediction for this team is to finish November with 31 points, which would mean picking up 12 out of a possible 20 (excluding the three games that have already been played). I think this is a pretty reasonable goal, and wouldn't be surprised if they surpass that mark if the team keeps playing together as they have so far on this young season.
Record: 5-3-3
Goals for: 29
Goals against: 31
All in all, it's hard to be disappointed with the Bruins' October performance. The B's faced a rough early season schedule, and still managed to celebrate Halloween with a winning record. The B's played 8 road games and only 3 at the TD Banknorth Garden, including the always-treacherous Western Canada swing, on which the Black and Gold went 2-1 with 2 shutouts.
Tim Thomas is currently in the middle of one of his trademark hot streaks, where he seems to save whatever is thrown in his direction. Phil Kessel continues to put up points, Marc Savard continues to put pucks directly on the tape of his linemates, Zdeno Chara is still rock-solid on the blueline, and Dennis Wideman is playing like he deserves the big raise he got over the summer.
Really, there is very little, if anything, to complain about or nitpick. Michael Ryder still hasn't really gotten it going, and Marco Sturm has been invisible at times, but neither have been slouches on the defensive end, and one must believe that the scoring will come.
The only real issue I think the Bruins are facing right now is the shootout. The team went 0 for 3 in shootouts in October, costing themselves a win in Montreal, a win in the home-opener vs. Pittsburgh, and a two goal collapse vs. Buffalo. Those are 3 points, 2 against division rivals, that one can only hope don't come back to haunt the B's in March. It's hard to say what is wrong with the shootout lineup, as the B's have plenty of skilled players who can put the puck in the net. It appears that the shots just are finding the back of the cage early, and that needs to change. The shootout has become reality in the NHL, and that extra point is always huge. The B's need to start finding ways to pick it up.
NOVEMBER AT A GLANCE:
Games: 13 (8 home, 5 road)
Key opponents: vs. Montreal 11/13, vs. New York Rangers 11/15, at Montreal 11/22, vs. Red Wings 11/29
Currently the B's are 3 for 3 in November, picking up a quick six points. My prediction for this team is to finish November with 31 points, which would mean picking up 12 out of a possible 20 (excluding the three games that have already been played). I think this is a pretty reasonable goal, and wouldn't be surprised if they surpass that mark if the team keeps playing together as they have so far on this young season.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Different Season, Same Result
The Bruins rolled into the Bell Centre last night for the first time since their season ended there last year, looking to start off the season series against the Canadiens on a positive note. The B's had a lot going against them last night: Montreal had yet to lose in regulation, it was their home opener so the "Ole!" chants were going to be extra loud, and it marked the beginning of the Habs "Centennial Season" celebration, complete with old Canadiens legends coming back out onto the ice.
As I said in the previous post, if the Bruins could weather the storm early, they'd be in good shape. Well, they did that, and were actually able to control the flow of the game for a bit in the first period, giving the Montreal crowd little to cheer about.
Shawn Thornton welcomed Georges Laraque to the Northeast Division in this early-first period bout:
Tough to say who won this one. Thornton scored an early takedown when he caught BGL off balance, but allowed him to get up and continue the fight. BGL got some good "clubs" off of the back of Thornton's head, but neither really landed any good shots. I'd have to say that this one goes in the books as a draw, or maybe the tiniest of edges to Laraque, simply because he landed more punches.
After the usual hijinks were out of the way, it was back to the regular game. The Bruins had done a good job staying out of trouble and away from the penalty box, a place one never wants to find himself against Montreal. However, Dennis Wideman finally lost his cool, getting called for cross-checking one of the Kostitsyn sisters after a mild dust-up. Sister Kostitsyn actually leglocked Wideman and tripped him before Wideman hit him back, but the ref, as is usually the case, only saw the retaliation.
16 seconds after Wideman went into the box, Alex Kovalev scored a power-play goal to give the Habs the lead, bring the building to life, and put the Bruins behind the eight ball early. However, that wasn't big enough of a hole for the B's who gave up another goal to Saku Koivu a little over a minute later, then decided "What the hell, we're already down two, may as well get lazy on the power play", and gave up a shorthanded goal to Maxim Lapierre. Ouch. 3 goals in a little over 3 minutes. Lights out, right?
Well, seemingly, yes. But this Bruins group showed no signs of fear or intimidation at the hands of Montreal, despite the playoff exit and last season's numerous embarassments. Instead, the Bruins came out charging in the second, again controlling the play, and finally got one on the board when David Krecji beat Carey Price with a slap shot moments after a Bruins power play expired.
The B's would keep up the pressure into the third, when Marc Savard fired one past Price to bring the Bruins within a goal. After that, the B's pressed on, desperate to tie the game. With just under a minute left, Tim Thomas began to head to the bench for an extra attacker. The puck was fired into the Montreal zone, intended as a dump-in to try and get possession of the puck, and Price went around behind his net to try to stop the puck. However, the puck took a funny bounce off of the boards and ended up squirting right out into the crease of an empty net. A streaking Savard seized the opportunity and banged the puck into the net, tying the game with 48 seconds left.
The Bruins trailed gave up three goals in three minutes, on the road against the Canadiens, and then came back to tie the game with seconds to go. This is the kind of performance that builds teams, and shows that this team will not be a pushover, no matter what obstacle it's facing. It wouldn't have been surprising, or even hard to fault the B's had they disappeared after those horrendous three minutes in the first period, but they fought back and tied the game, standing up to Montreal and giving hope to fans as well.
As overtime came to a close without any real scoring chances from either team, save for a breakaway with moments left by Kovalev that may not have even counted even if Thomas didn't save it, it was time for a shootout. Phil Kessel shot first for the B's, and had Price beat but the puck didn't lay flat for him and he lost the handle, the puck sliding harmlessly into Price's pads. Thomas then stopped Andrei Markov, and Patrice Bergeron, who did the same "5-hole" move he does everytime he's in a shootout, was stopped by Price. Alex Tanguay, an offseason acquisition by the Habs, beat Thomas with a wicked wrister, leaving the game on the stick of the third Boston shooter, none other than...Michael Ryder.
The former Hab was jeered all night by his former fans, and could have really shut them up by tying the shootout. However, it was not meant to be last night, as Price slammed the door on Ryder and gave the Habs the win.
Despite ultimately coming up short, the fact that the B's got a point out of a game they trailed 3-0 before the game was 10 minutes old is encouraging. The Canadiens are, by all "expert" accounts, the class of the Eastern Conference, and the Bruins showed that not only can they play with them, but they can control the play as well. Sure, the B's didn't get the win, and still haven't beaten the Habs in a regular season game in over a season. But a point is a point, and the B's can take note of the fact that if not for those three wretched minutes in the first, they may have left Montreal with a 3-0 victory.
As I said in the previous post, if the Bruins could weather the storm early, they'd be in good shape. Well, they did that, and were actually able to control the flow of the game for a bit in the first period, giving the Montreal crowd little to cheer about.
Shawn Thornton welcomed Georges Laraque to the Northeast Division in this early-first period bout:
Tough to say who won this one. Thornton scored an early takedown when he caught BGL off balance, but allowed him to get up and continue the fight. BGL got some good "clubs" off of the back of Thornton's head, but neither really landed any good shots. I'd have to say that this one goes in the books as a draw, or maybe the tiniest of edges to Laraque, simply because he landed more punches.
After the usual hijinks were out of the way, it was back to the regular game. The Bruins had done a good job staying out of trouble and away from the penalty box, a place one never wants to find himself against Montreal. However, Dennis Wideman finally lost his cool, getting called for cross-checking one of the Kostitsyn sisters after a mild dust-up. Sister Kostitsyn actually leglocked Wideman and tripped him before Wideman hit him back, but the ref, as is usually the case, only saw the retaliation.
16 seconds after Wideman went into the box, Alex Kovalev scored a power-play goal to give the Habs the lead, bring the building to life, and put the Bruins behind the eight ball early. However, that wasn't big enough of a hole for the B's who gave up another goal to Saku Koivu a little over a minute later, then decided "What the hell, we're already down two, may as well get lazy on the power play", and gave up a shorthanded goal to Maxim Lapierre. Ouch. 3 goals in a little over 3 minutes. Lights out, right?
Well, seemingly, yes. But this Bruins group showed no signs of fear or intimidation at the hands of Montreal, despite the playoff exit and last season's numerous embarassments. Instead, the Bruins came out charging in the second, again controlling the play, and finally got one on the board when David Krecji beat Carey Price with a slap shot moments after a Bruins power play expired.
The B's would keep up the pressure into the third, when Marc Savard fired one past Price to bring the Bruins within a goal. After that, the B's pressed on, desperate to tie the game. With just under a minute left, Tim Thomas began to head to the bench for an extra attacker. The puck was fired into the Montreal zone, intended as a dump-in to try and get possession of the puck, and Price went around behind his net to try to stop the puck. However, the puck took a funny bounce off of the boards and ended up squirting right out into the crease of an empty net. A streaking Savard seized the opportunity and banged the puck into the net, tying the game with 48 seconds left.
The Bruins trailed gave up three goals in three minutes, on the road against the Canadiens, and then came back to tie the game with seconds to go. This is the kind of performance that builds teams, and shows that this team will not be a pushover, no matter what obstacle it's facing. It wouldn't have been surprising, or even hard to fault the B's had they disappeared after those horrendous three minutes in the first period, but they fought back and tied the game, standing up to Montreal and giving hope to fans as well.
As overtime came to a close without any real scoring chances from either team, save for a breakaway with moments left by Kovalev that may not have even counted even if Thomas didn't save it, it was time for a shootout. Phil Kessel shot first for the B's, and had Price beat but the puck didn't lay flat for him and he lost the handle, the puck sliding harmlessly into Price's pads. Thomas then stopped Andrei Markov, and Patrice Bergeron, who did the same "5-hole" move he does everytime he's in a shootout, was stopped by Price. Alex Tanguay, an offseason acquisition by the Habs, beat Thomas with a wicked wrister, leaving the game on the stick of the third Boston shooter, none other than...Michael Ryder.
The former Hab was jeered all night by his former fans, and could have really shut them up by tying the shootout. However, it was not meant to be last night, as Price slammed the door on Ryder and gave the Habs the win.
Despite ultimately coming up short, the fact that the B's got a point out of a game they trailed 3-0 before the game was 10 minutes old is encouraging. The Canadiens are, by all "expert" accounts, the class of the Eastern Conference, and the Bruins showed that not only can they play with them, but they can control the play as well. Sure, the B's didn't get the win, and still haven't beaten the Habs in a regular season game in over a season. But a point is a point, and the B's can take note of the fact that if not for those three wretched minutes in the first, they may have left Montreal with a 3-0 victory.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Early Thoughts on a Young Season
This is my first post since the regular season started, and unfortunately it's going to start off on a sad note. Yesterday, 19 year-old Alexei Cherepanov, a highly-touted New York Rangers prospect playing in Russia's KHL, died unexpectedly after collapsing on the bench near the end of a game. There were media reports swirling about shortly after this happened, some saying he collided with the elbow of teammate Jaromir Jagr, others saying that he simply collapsed. However, the official word seems to be that he collapsed on the bench due to apparent heart failure or a heart attack, seemingly the same ailment that felled fellow young hockey player Mickey Renaud back in February. It appears that a criminal investigation is underway, as some officials are saying negligence on the part of paramedics and the lack of a defibrilator may have led to the young player's death. Either way, a young kid is gone, and may he rest in peace.
Despite this tragedy, hockey goes on, and the Bruins are 1-1-0 on the young season, beating Colorado 5-4 in a wild season opener, before falling to the Minnesota Wild, 4-3, in game two of the season.
Here are some observations on the team so far:
Despite this tragedy, hockey goes on, and the Bruins are 1-1-0 on the young season, beating Colorado 5-4 in a wild season opener, before falling to the Minnesota Wild, 4-3, in game two of the season.
Here are some observations on the team so far:
- The offense already looks much more dangerous than last season. Last year's edition of the Bruins had a very hard time putting pucks in the net, while this year's group has scored 8 goals in two games. Granted this pace will be hard to sustain throughout the course of a season, but the offensive prowess of this team has looked very promising thus far. Patrice Bergeron is still showing a little rust, as he missed on two breakaways in the season opener, but that is to be expected. He looks very strong overall, and has been creating great scoring chances for his teammates. It won't be long before he buries one. Marc Savard is picking up where he left off, setting up golden scoring chances and even potting a couple himself. Blake Wheeler continues to impress, and David Krecji looks like he is continuing on his upward trajectory.
- It was good to see Michael Ryder get one out of the way against Colorado. He scored a goal to put the B's up 4-3 over Colorado on a beautiful no look pass from Marc Savard from behind the net. After doing little scoring last season, it must be a load off of Ryder's mind to get the first one out of the way. He's shown great offensive instincts so far, and a willingness to shoot and take the puck to the net. If Ryder and Savard can get some chemistry going, he will be a 30+ goal scorer this season.
- Defensively, the B's have work to do. The blueliners looked overwhelmed against Colorado early, and, despite holding on to win, nearly gave the game up down the stretch. Against Minnesota, the team was beaten end to end too many times, as Wild players were allowed the carry the puck from their own goal all the way to that of the Bruins without encountering much resistance. The defense needs to step it up. This team isn't going to go far getting into offensive shootouts with teams this season.
- The goalies have each had a start, and so far I'd say Tim Thomas has the upper hand. Each netminder allowed the same amount of goals (4), but it's safe to say that Thomas had the far better performance. He faced a barrage of shots against the Avalanche (20 in the first period alone), but held the fort, making some of his trademark spectacular(though some call it "flopping") saves, including stopping one on the doorstep as the final seconds ticked away. Thomas' performance left room for improvement, but he certainly didn't play poorly. Manny Fernandez, on the other hand, needs some serious work. I imagine there were some jitters for Manny, seeing his first real in game action in a while, and playing in front of his old fans against his old team. Despite all of that, Manny needed to have a strong showing to boost the team's confidence in him, and, perhaps more importanty, to boost his own self-confidence. He's made some statements this year that sound like he isn't all that high on himself, something that's never a good quality in a goalie. He let in two very soft goals, goals that he himself said he should have stopped. He didn't play all that poorly, but definitely wasn't good. Manny needs to step it up in his next start, or he may be seeing the bench for a while.
- The Andrew Alberts trade marks a disappointing end to the ex-BC star's tenure in Boston. Unfortunately, Alberts never seemed to reach his full potential, his play marred by inconsistancies. He never seemed to fully recover last year after the hit to the head by Scott "I'm A Clean Player!" Hartnell of the Flyers, something that he can't be blamed for. It's interesting that Alberts is now going to play on the same team as the man who nearly derailed his career. It seemed a given that Alberts was on his way out when he was a healthy scratch against the Wild, as he is from nearby Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and probably was chomping at the bit to play in front of fans in his home-state. Best of luck to Alberts in Philly. Maybe he'll crush Hartnell in practice a couple of times.
- Tomorrow's game is going to be a tough one for the B's. Playing against the Canadiens, who according to some are already appearing to be a better team than last year, in Montreal is never a picnic. However, tomorrow is the Habs' home-opener and the home beginning of the season-long Centennial Celebration, one that is guaranteed to feature old Habs legends being brought back and plenty of pregame ceremonies. After that, the Habs are sure to come out flying, and the B's need to avoid a Game 1 of the ECQF-esque start, and try to not allow a goal within the first four minutes. If the B's can weather the storm early and slow down the pace of the game, they've got a great chance to win. Hopefully the team shows a desire to exact some revenge of the team that ended their season last year. Also, expect Michael Ryder to be loudly booed everytime he touches the puck, if not everytime he's on the ice. Hopefully he'll shut the crowd up with a goal or two.
- The Bruins really do have a pretty tough schedule to open the season. Not only do they begin with four straight on the road, but their first five opponents were all playoff teams last year. The Avalance, Wild, Canadiens, Senators and Penguins averaged over 98 points last year, with two (Pens and Habs) teams breaching the 100-point mark. It's good that the B's got a win in their first game, becuase it wouldn't be inconceivable to have them come home with a 1-3-0 or 1-2-1 record. I feel like this won't happen though, and that the B's will continue to build on the positives and trend upward this year.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Pre-season: Islanders at Bruins
The Bruins played their second game of the pre-season at the TD Banknorth Garden yesterday, and result (a loss) was the same as the first.
The Bruins' line-up for yesterday's tilt was essentially what it should be this coming Thursday. Tim Thomas was in net, and all of the major players (Chara, Bergeron, Savard, Wideman, Kessel, Ward, Lucic, etc.) were dressed, and played the entire game.
The opposing Islanders are a team slated to do little this season, in the middle of a rebuilding of sorts. Their line-up was essentially intact yesterday, the only exception being Joey MacDonald (yes, that's former Bruins Big Mac in net) starting as goalie instead of Rick Dipietro.
The game was pretty disappointing overall, especially considering that this was the second last game before the regular season starts. The power play looked decent, and scored the only goal. The passing was crisp and chances plentiful. However, offense can't be based only on power plays, and the B's even strength game was mediocre at best. There were really very few good scoring chances generated even by the top lines.
In goal, Thomas looked pretty strong. He gave up two goals, both of which came on Islander power plays. The first goal was scored on a great bit of passing, and there was nothing Thomas could have done. The second was a tricky deflection, one that, again, Thomas really can't be blamed for. He didn't do anything spectacular, but was definitely steady in net.
One player I was focused on yesterday was Blake Wheeler, who still has a pretty good chance of making the team. He played pretty well, though he did take two penalties. He was strong along the boards in battles for the puck, and showed great hockey instincts as well, threading passes and setting up some good breakouts and chances.
I was also keeping an eye on Michael Ryder, waiting for him to show flashes of bein reinvigorated. I didn't see many, but he didn't really play poorly either. He showed some pretty nice offensive moves at times, at one point stickhandling his way into the slot only to misfire on the shot. I'm still confident that he's going to turn it on, but he's done little to silence the doubters.
No one really played poorly yesterday, but the whole team definitely needs improvement. The group still looked a bit out of sync, and with only days until the real games start, they don't have much time to get it together. Today's game (starting right now, actually) will be a telling one, as it's the final tune-up of the pre-season, making it likely that everyone will play regular season-esque shifts.
Hopefully they show some life tonight that was lacking yesterday.
Sums/story of the game from Bruins.com
The Bruins' line-up for yesterday's tilt was essentially what it should be this coming Thursday. Tim Thomas was in net, and all of the major players (Chara, Bergeron, Savard, Wideman, Kessel, Ward, Lucic, etc.) were dressed, and played the entire game.
The opposing Islanders are a team slated to do little this season, in the middle of a rebuilding of sorts. Their line-up was essentially intact yesterday, the only exception being Joey MacDonald (yes, that's former Bruins Big Mac in net) starting as goalie instead of Rick Dipietro.
The game was pretty disappointing overall, especially considering that this was the second last game before the regular season starts. The power play looked decent, and scored the only goal. The passing was crisp and chances plentiful. However, offense can't be based only on power plays, and the B's even strength game was mediocre at best. There were really very few good scoring chances generated even by the top lines.
In goal, Thomas looked pretty strong. He gave up two goals, both of which came on Islander power plays. The first goal was scored on a great bit of passing, and there was nothing Thomas could have done. The second was a tricky deflection, one that, again, Thomas really can't be blamed for. He didn't do anything spectacular, but was definitely steady in net.
One player I was focused on yesterday was Blake Wheeler, who still has a pretty good chance of making the team. He played pretty well, though he did take two penalties. He was strong along the boards in battles for the puck, and showed great hockey instincts as well, threading passes and setting up some good breakouts and chances.
I was also keeping an eye on Michael Ryder, waiting for him to show flashes of bein reinvigorated. I didn't see many, but he didn't really play poorly either. He showed some pretty nice offensive moves at times, at one point stickhandling his way into the slot only to misfire on the shot. I'm still confident that he's going to turn it on, but he's done little to silence the doubters.
No one really played poorly yesterday, but the whole team definitely needs improvement. The group still looked a bit out of sync, and with only days until the real games start, they don't have much time to get it together. Today's game (starting right now, actually) will be a telling one, as it's the final tune-up of the pre-season, making it likely that everyone will play regular season-esque shifts.
Hopefully they show some life tonight that was lacking yesterday.
Sums/story of the game from Bruins.com
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Back at the Bell Centre: New Season, Same Result
Wednesday night, the Boston Bruins returned to the scene of their last loss of the 2007-2008 season, a 5-0 loss in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Granted, this was a preseason game, with a level of importance not even close to that of postseason hockey, but it was at the Bell Centre nonetheless.
This game, like all but one of the B's preseason games thus far, wasn't available on television, and the only radio feed available was that of CJAD out of Montreal. Uh oh, homer alert! But listening to play-by-play through bleu, blanc et rouge glasses is better than not listening to hockey at all.
The Bruins ended up losing this one 3-1, with Manny Fernandez giving up three power play markers in the defeat. Fernandez made 25 saves in the losing effort, but according to coach Claude Julien, played very well. A solid game seems like a must at this point for Manny. After reading this article by ESPN.com's Scott Burnside, it was hard to imagine Manny has all that much confidence in himself. One of the many things the NHL has proven over the years is that a solid 1-2 punch in net is never a bad thing, and the B's need Fernandez to play like the number one they acquired him to be.
It was a pretty decent game for the Bruins (from what I could hear, anyways, as it's always hard to judge without video, but...), who seemed to turn up the heat big time in the third period. There were a couple of occasions where they seemed to be knocking on the door, sometimes literally, with scrums for the puck in front of Jaroslav Halak, but they just couldn't put it away. Their one goal came on the powerplay, on a goal that the Habs' broadcasters seemed to describe almost as a "tic-tac-toe" goal, a perfectly executed power play strike, one that I believe they termed "inevitable", given the pressure the B's were putting on.
Here are some other pro's and con's from the game:
Pro's:
Con's:
Overall, a loss is a loss, but in the same vein, a preseason loss is just a preseason loss. No big deal, take the positives and negatives from it and move on. The B's next game is on Saturday, at home at the TD Banknorth Garden versus the New York Islanders. The game is on NESN too, for readers in the Boston area. I'm planning on going to this game, and should have more to report on after seeing the team in person.
Until then, go B's.
This game, like all but one of the B's preseason games thus far, wasn't available on television, and the only radio feed available was that of CJAD out of Montreal. Uh oh, homer alert! But listening to play-by-play through bleu, blanc et rouge glasses is better than not listening to hockey at all.
The Bruins ended up losing this one 3-1, with Manny Fernandez giving up three power play markers in the defeat. Fernandez made 25 saves in the losing effort, but according to coach Claude Julien, played very well. A solid game seems like a must at this point for Manny. After reading this article by ESPN.com's Scott Burnside, it was hard to imagine Manny has all that much confidence in himself. One of the many things the NHL has proven over the years is that a solid 1-2 punch in net is never a bad thing, and the B's need Fernandez to play like the number one they acquired him to be.
It was a pretty decent game for the Bruins (from what I could hear, anyways, as it's always hard to judge without video, but...), who seemed to turn up the heat big time in the third period. There were a couple of occasions where they seemed to be knocking on the door, sometimes literally, with scrums for the puck in front of Jaroslav Halak, but they just couldn't put it away. Their one goal came on the powerplay, on a goal that the Habs' broadcasters seemed to describe almost as a "tic-tac-toe" goal, a perfectly executed power play strike, one that I believe they termed "inevitable", given the pressure the B's were putting on.
Here are some other pro's and con's from the game:
Pro's:
- Milan Lucic seemed to have a pretty good game. He's had a less than stellar camp so far, and probably needs to play better in these last few tune-ups to secure himself a spot on the roster. Yes, he's a fan favorite, but in no way is he an incumbent for a roster spot. Lucic has a ton of potential, and needs to turn it up a bit to solidify his standing.
- Blake Wheeler, a bit of a dark horse to make the team at the start of camp, seems to have almost assuredly gotten himself a place on the roster. GM Peter Chiarelli would have to do some juggling to get Wheeler on the team, as he has a pretty big (over $1 mil.) bonus that would need to be absorbed into the salary cap, but by all media accounts Wheeler seems to have been a standout throughout the entire camp. His name was mentioned quite frequently on the broadcast tonight, and always in a good manner. It's early, but Wheeler seems like he's been a great pick up by Chiarelli so far.
- Zdeno Chara, in his first game-action in the preseason, was unloading from the point on the power play. Some of the shots could be heard booming off of the pads of Halak even on the radio feed, so hopefully Chara's surgically repaired shoulder is at 100%.
- Patrice Bergeron and Mark Savard both seemed to be making plays as well, with Bergeron's name appearing all over the dial throughout the game.
Con's:
- This one could probably be split into two con's, but it'll instead go under one: special teams. The Bruins PK remained suspect, allowing all three goals (though one was on a 5-3, which is a situation where a team really can't be blamed for allowing a goal). To compound matters, the Montreal power play seemed as strong as ever, showing no signs of coming down from their #1 power play ranking from last season. This is bad for the Bruins, as the Montreal power play burned them almost too many times to count last season. The Bruins PK needs to improve from their bottom-half of the league ranking last year, and should do that with the acquisition of Stephane Yelle, a strong defensive player.
- Michael Ryder probably shouldn't be named as a complete "con", but he didn't do much in this game to shake his reputation of no longer being able to finish that followed him from Montreal. One of the reasons Bruins fans grew tired of Glen Murray was due to his inability to put home goals, despite constantly seeming to be in prime position. Ryder seemed to have plenty of shots, but missed the net fairly often. If Ryder is going to be the scorer the Bruins need him to be, he's got to start hitting the net.
- The physical play seemed lacking tonight. It almost seemed like the Bruins were shying away from their physical game, something that almost always led to trouble last season. When the Bruins impose their physical will on their opponents, their defensive style of play is far more effective. Plus, what real Bruins fan doesn't like to see a member of the Black and Gold lay out, as Shawn Thornton put it the other day, one of those "little French guys"?
Overall, a loss is a loss, but in the same vein, a preseason loss is just a preseason loss. No big deal, take the positives and negatives from it and move on. The B's next game is on Saturday, at home at the TD Banknorth Garden versus the New York Islanders. The game is on NESN too, for readers in the Boston area. I'm planning on going to this game, and should have more to report on after seeing the team in person.
Until then, go B's.
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