Bears Beat Sabres in Possible Playoff Preview
A while back I wrote a column talking about how the Bruins were getting “puck-blocked” in games like a college kid getting denied true love on a Thursday night by some chick’s friends. Well, after last night’s 3-1 win over Buffalo, is it safe to say the Bruins are morphing into another evil feature of those salacious nights on the town – the tease?
All season long, the Bruins have been driving fans in this city crazy by failing to score timely goals, beat teams that want to be beaten and defend home ice. Certain players on the team have been vilified as virtual beer-leaguers who did not deserve to wear the same jersey that Hal Gill did, let alone Bobby Orr. After a season-long rash of injuries, the final nail in the coffin appeared to be elbowed into place March 7 when Matt Cooke went all Macho Man Randy Savage on Marc Savard. Even Craig’s silly impersonation of Jim Mora’s infamous “Playoffs? We may not win another game!” speech seemed less funny and more foreboding on the world-famous and uniquely informative “On the Ice Show”.
The Captain Helped on the Insurance Goal
However, as I write this, the Bruins are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. SIXTH PLACE. Of course, they don’t have that locked up and have a bit of work to do in order to fully lock up a playoff spot, but a point from them or a Rangers loss in regulation tonight clinches a trip to the playoffs. With the way this season has gone, just being in control of your own destiny is a great accomplishment. The chance to not only make the playoffs but rise all the way to the sixth seed is a huge deal and says a lot about the character of this team.
The Bruins did not make it easy on themselves. Four one-goal losses on that massive road trip in mid-March made the road tougher. Even heading into this week, it was just as likely that the Bruins would miss the playoffs as it was they would make them. Are the Bruins still struggling to put together back-to-back wins? Sure. But they have taken five of six points over their past three games and seven of ten in order to give themselves a modicum of breathing room entering the final two tilts.
Still, this team is a bit of a tease. They do seem to be peaking at a good time, playing solid hockey and sticking to what they can do well. The question of whether or not this team can do any damage in the playoffs remains unsolved and probably won’t be until its opponent is determined. It is clear that the bruins have a much better chance against Buffalo or New Jersey than they would against Washington or Pittsburgh. And that motivation should keep the Bruins hungry on Saturday against Carolina.
In preparation for the final weekend of the regular season, here is your “Five Minute Major”
- The MVPs of last night’s game are without question Dennis Wideman, Zdeno Chara, Matt Hunwick and Johnny Boychuk. Those four played about 110 minutes combined on defense last night, compared to 12 minutes from the other two defensemen, rookies Adam McQuaid and Andrew Bodnarchuk. That is a hefty night’s work for the foursome which had a goal (Wideman’s game-winner) and an assist (Chara’s slapper that was deflected by human pinball flapper Mark Recchi) and was a combined +4. Of all the character-defining sequences for the 2009-10 Bruins, the way these four defensemen have come together with the injuries to Andrew Ferrence, Mark Stuart and now Dennis Seidenberg shows what being good hockey players means to these guys. Anyone who boos Wideman for the rest of this season should have their B’s fan privileges revoked. Sure the guy has made some turnovers, but who hasn’t? If I am Claude Julien, I want a player to do exactly what Wideman did last night – atone for his sins. He had a bad clear in the first period which led to a goal. Late in the game, he bounced back with the game-winner. What more can you ask?
- Don’t look now, but the signing of Miroslav Satan appears to be paying off for the Bruins. Brought on board at the start of January, Satan has scored nine goals in 36 games – the eighth most by any Bruin. He seems to be clicking with David Krejci, becoming the first player all season to convert on Krejci’s passes. Satan is a proven playoff player with 16 playoff goals and a Stanley Cup to his name. If he and Krejci can keep the mojo working, they give the Bruins at least the semblance of a second line for teams to worry about.
- Paging Marco Sturm! Will Marco Sturm please report to the scoresheet! Lost in the shuffle of the Bruins playing good hockey and winning games is Marco Sturm disappearing faster than Red Sox fans on the bandwagon after a 1-2 start. Sturm, who is still the high goal scorer on the B’s with 21, has not scored a goal since March 11 against Philadelphia. That is 14 games in a row without a goal and only one assist in that span. Last night, he didn’t even register a shot on goal. He is now playing with Krejci and should be able to whip up the wings and allow Krejci to find him. A player who has been notoriously nonexistent in the playoffs in his career, a resurgence from Sturmie is a big-time necessity.
Vladimir Sobotka is Playing Well of Late
- A player who has been fun to watch lately is Vladimir Sobotka. Now, he hasn’t scored a goal since Dec. 23, but since the line reshuffling has found him playing with Blake Wheeler and Michael Ryder, that isn’t surprising. Finally unshackled from fourth line duty, Sobotka has brought his jam with him to the third line, at least making his 10-13 minutes a game difficult for opposing teams. He is constantly on the forecheck, pressuring defensemen and goalies into making uncertain plays. Last night, he deftly pulled back on a rush and fed Wideman for his goal. If you remember, two years ago in the playoffs he had two goals against the Canadiens. He is not shy about going into danger areas and he has one of the biggest compete levels on the Bruins. Expect a timely goal from him at some point.
- Finally, a look at the last three days of the regular season. Right now, the Bruins have the same amount of points as the Canadiens with 87. The B’s hold sixth place because they have played less games. The Canadiens play the Maple Leafs on Saturday night at home. By that point, the Bruins will have already played Carolina and the Flyers and Rangers will have had the first game of their home and home bloodbath. The first Philly-New York game tonight will help the Bruins understand where they are a bit as a Philadelphia win in regulation clinches a playoff spot for the Bruins while moving the Flyers into sixth place. If the Flyers win in overtime or a shootout, the Bruins need simply a point from their final two games to make the playoffs. Two wins from the Bruins will lock up sixth place. That is about all that is easy to define in this race. All four teams still have a shot at sixth place and all four teams could miss the playoffs all together.
Enjoy the weekend everyone, and hopefully there is reason to celebrate at The Garden on Saturday.
Keep up with Chas throughout the week by following him on Twitter!
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