Redden Practices, Still "Day-to-Day"

The Boston Bruins held an optional skate today at TD Garden prior to departure for Toronto. It was sparse pickings at the practice as several members of the Black-and-Gold opted out.

Jaromir Jagr, Tuukka Rask, Zdeno Chara, and David Krejci were some the more notables taking a maintenance day.

Though Patrice Bergeron and his line mates were among those Bruins who were taking part, attempting to get some extra work in prior to game 6 with the hopes of finding their game. It is apparent they need it considering the trio has only combined for a single goal this series.

Wade Redden also returned to the rink after sitting out game 5 with an undisclosed injury. Claude Julien is saying Redden will be listed as day-to-day. Neither redden nor the Bruins are shedding any insight as to what the ailment may be.

When asked about the injury, Redden said, “It’s feeling better, so that’s a positive.”

Bruins Cancel Morning Skate; Status of Game Tonight Unkown

Both the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins have cancelled their morning skate in wake of the unfolding events taking place as we speak. Last night a shootout took place in Watertown as Police apprehended the suspects at the home they had been staying at. One of the suspects was killed in the gun fight. The other is currently on the loose, said to be armed and dangerous, and his where abouts are unknown. MIT police officer Sean Collier lost his life in the process.

Boston, Watertown, Waltham, Newton, Belmont, and Cambridge are all on high alert and said to be shutdown completely. People are urged to stay indoors.

The status of tonight's game at TD Garden is unknown at this time. In all likelyhood the game will postponed as hockey seems rather trivial at this point. 

Game 43: Bruins vs. Sabres Preview

The Black-and-Gold return to action Wednesday night against the Buffalo Sabres. It will be the B’s first game back following the horrific Marathon bombing Monday afternoon. Their tilt against Ottawa was postponed and rescheduled in wake of the tragic events. Following practice Tuesday morning, the Bruins pledged to “play their hearts out” for a city in need of emotional relief.

Boston (26-11-4) will play host to Buffalo (18-19-6) in what will be the fifth and final meeting between the two clubs this year. The Bruins will be looking to win the season series. Each team has won two games a piece.

The B’s hope to snap a two game skid and will be getting some help in doing so. Patrice Bergeron, Boston’s heart and soul, is set for a return to action. Bergeron had sat out the prior six games with a mild concussion. His presence in the lineup will certainly help to solidify a group that has shown its fair share of inconsistencies in his absence. Brad Marchand will make his return as well. It is clear what his talents bring and mean to the team.

Buffalo comes into Boston having won three of their last five contests. A strong showing thus far in the month of April has the Sabres sitting only four points back of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Clinging to postseason hopes, the Sabres face a must win situation in this one.

Expect veteran leaders Thomas Vanek, Steve Ott, and Ryan Miller to have their guys ready go. The Sabres will be skating with great desperation and intensity. Buffalo has a “nothing to lose” attitude and is fully aware the fate of their season hinges on every play. 

As for the Bruins, finding their stride with the playoffs rapidly approaching, is at the forefront of the to do list. Jaromir Jagr, Gregory Campell, and Tyler Seguin have been three of Boston’s hottest players. Each has stepped up their production in significant fashion with Bergeron and Marchand being out. Anton Khudobin is likely to the get the start in goal for the B’s. Anton is 2-1 against the Sabres this season. His last time out, Khudobin blanked Buffalo 2-0 at the First Niagara Center.

Emerging as victors at TD Garden would be an immense lift for the thousands affected by the recent despicable acts. The city of Boston is more than deserving of another Stanley Cup. In speaking to the media following today’s morning skate, Claude Julien said, “it’s all the same goal, to win the Stanley Cup.” The Bruins are getting healthy at the right time and the addition of Carl Soderberg makes the B’s a very deep, multi-faceted, dangerously versatile group.

All great runs begin somewhere and what better night to get it all started than tonight against a hated divisional rival. Boston will clinch their highly elusive postseason birth with a win. Soderberg did practice with the team Wednesday. He will wear #34 and it’s not yet clear if the Swedish newcomer will start. Andrew Ference will get a scheduled night of rest and Wade Redden will make his Bruins debut.

According to today’s morning skate, the Boston lineup projects as follows:

Campell-Krejci-Jagr

Marchand-Bergeron-Seguin

Paille-Kelly-Horton

Lucic-Peverley-Thornton

Chara-Boychuk

Seidenberg-Hamilton

McQuaid-Redden

Khudobin/Rask

Bruins beaten by the Isles, 2-1

The Islander bench congratulates Josh Bailey after scoring
one of his two goals. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The Boston Bruins, plagued by fatigue, fell to the New York Islanders Thursday night. The Isles defeated the B’s, 2-1. With the victory, New York improved to 5-0-1 in their last 6 games and avoids the dreaded season sweep. Boston lost its top spot in the Northeast and moved back into fourth place in the Eastern Conference. It was a night full of missed opportunities. The Black-and-Gold seemed to be a step late all evening long.

Josh Bailey was the difference in this hockey game. The 23-year old winger scored both Islander goals and it was all that they would need. His first tally came with just 21 seconds remaining in the first period. Boston turned the puck over, Bailey gobbled it up, and ripped one top shelf by Rask on the glove side. The Isles would take a 1-0 lead to the dressing room and into the second frame.

Boston opened up the scoring in the second. Tyler Seguin notched a power play goal at 3:41 of the period.  Jaromir Jagr and Greg Campell both picked up assists on the play. It was the B’s second PP goal in as many nights. The final scoring strike of the game came at 13:12 of the period. Josh Bailey was unopposed on a strong net drive and ended up beating Rask for the game winner. 

After playing 3 games in 4 nights, Boston’s finest seemed to fade away as the game progressed, as tired legs caught up to them. The Bruins started out like a house on fire, heavily outshooting the Isles in the opening twenty-minutes. New York tilted the ice in their favor at a steady clip following that. Boston was unable to convert on numerous scoring chances and it ultimately cost them two points.

Excuses aside, the game was there for the taking and Boston failed to capitalize. For some odd reason, Claude Julien decided to tinker with the lines once again and it proved costly. Playing without leading scorer Brad Marchand, the B’s offense looked invisible at times, especially in the third. In the games most crucial moments the Bruins seemed to fumble the puck away and misfire.

Lets not take anything away from the phenomenal blue collared effort the Islanders put forth in this one. New York knew what they were up against and showed up ready to roll. Chasing a playoff spot, the Isles put their skills to the test and left the Garden feeling excellent about their chances moving forward. They played a sound defensive game, stifling the Bruins top scorers from finishing off plays that should have been finished.  Evgeni Nabokov was a huge contributing factor in the success New York had. The veteran net minder turned away 30 of 31 shots.

For Boston, Tuukka Rask kept his club in the game for the full sixty. Rask made 34 saves and withstood several series of sustained Islander attacks in which several shots were fired toward him. The loose defensive play exhibited by the Bruins defensemen has become a highly unsettling trend, as they have looked beatable for weeks now. If it wasn’t for the elite goaltending the Bruins tenders have been turning in nightly now, things would look much worse.

The B’s will get a day off, rest, and regroup before traveling to Carolina Saturday night. In the mean time, many aspects of their game need to ironed out. Most importantly, Claude needs to find functional line pairings and stick to them. This Bruins team may be winners of 5 of their last 7, but that is largely due to the spectacular goaltending they have gotten. With Marchand and Bergeron out with concussions until further notice, the B’s must to dig deep and believe in one another.

By no means should the Bruins push the panic button. The Islanders are formidable opponents who were hungry and desperate for a win. Obviously the lack of production is a cause for concern, but it’s nothing that a veteran savvy group cannot work out. The continued success Tyler Seguin, Jaromir Jagr, and Gregory Campell are having is more than encouraging.

Game 36: Devils-Bruins Preview

Boston: 23-8-4  New Jersey: 15-12-9

The Boston Bruins will play host to the New Jersey Devils tonight at TD Garden. Boston has beaten the Devils in 9 of their last 10 tries, including a 2-1 shootout victory back on January 29. The meeting will mark the second of three contests scheduled for this year.

The B's have won two straight and find themselves in a perfect position to continue its dominance over New Jersey. Boston is poised to pass Montreal in the standings with a victory and regain the top spot in the Northeast.

The Devils on the other hand are on a downward slide that may very well push them right out of the playoff picture. They are currently in a tie for seventh in the East. An injury to Ilya Kovalchuk has directly resulted in their latest 0-3-1 free fall.

The Bruins seem to have gotten some of their offensive swagger back. Swagger the Black-and-Gold had been without while amidst a dismal 2-3-1 stretch. On the heels of a 50 shot performance against Ottawa, newly acquired Jaromir Jagr will add to a group that looks to have found its stride.

Expect the iconic Jagr to skate alongside Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand on Boston's second line. With the Lucic-Krejci-Horton line beginning to catch fire, Jagr's offensive creativity will give the Bruins viable secondary scoring and elite power play capabilities.

Patrice Bergeron will be out after suffering a "moderate" concussion in the second period of Tuesday night's game. Kaspar Daugavins will make his Bruins debut on line three and will likely assume Bergeron's penalty killing role.

After allowing a season high 47 shots on goal, the B's defensive corps will look to bounce back as the team gears up for a run at the Conference's top cede. It will likely be Tuukka Rask in net tonight, though Anton Khudobin has made his case for more action with his recent outstanding outings. With newcomer Wade Redden added to the mix and Adam McQuaid eyeing a return to the lineup, the defense should be much tighter moving forward.

With a Saturday night showdown in Montreal looming, the B's cannot afford to overlook New Jersey. Jaromir Jagr's experience, knowledge, and talent will nicely aid in keeping the task at hand in perspective for many of the younger Bruins. Seeking a sixth straight win at home, Boston will hope to exploit Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur. Brodeur has lost seventh straight to the Bruins. All signs seem to be pointing positive as the puck drop approaches.

Projected lineup:

Lucic-Krejci-Horton
Marchand-Seguin-Jagr
Pandolfo-Peverley-Daugavins
Thornton-Campell-Paille

Chara-Hamilton
Bartkowski-Seidenberg
Ference-Boychuk

Rask

*Tonight's game will be aired on NESN+*

Bruins defeat Ottawa in a wild affair, 3-2

Nathan Horton celebrates after scoring the the game winning goal.

The Bruins capped off an eventful day with an exclamation point Tuesday night. The Black-and-Gold picked up their fourth straight win over Ottawa, rolling 3-2. The victory makes it two consecutive wins for Boston. More importantly, the B’s showed several signs of regaining their winning ways. Led by a well-timed offensive assault, Boston continued its dominance of the Senators this season.

A season high 50 shots on goal more than made up for the 47 the B’s allowed. The Boston offensive exploded, creating chance after chance. All but two Bruins registered a shot on Robin Lehner. Tyler Seguin recorded a whopping 12 shots himself.

Boston acquired Jaromir Jagr only hours before the puck drop and one would have sworn that he was skating in this one. The B’s shrugged off any offensive ailments that had been plaguing them. Sustained pressure in Ottawas’s end and an effective north-south skating game powered the Bruins in this one.

It was Ottawa opening up the scoring in this game. Colin Greening notched his 7^th goal of the season just 2:48 into the first. The Bruins wasted little time and responded in a big way. Just seconds later, David Krejci redirected a Zdeno Chara blast by Lehner, scoring his 9^th goal of the year. Tyler Seguin followed with his 12^th marker; tapping a tape-to-tape Brad Marchand feed past the Sens net minder. The Bruins would take a 2-1 led all the way to the third period.

The Sens struck just minutes into the final frame, tieing the game 2-2, on an Andre Benoit slap shot. The Bruins dug deep, stuck with the system, and found a way to get it done. Nathan Horton scored his 12^th goal, banging a Milan Lucic rebound by Lehner on the glove side. Horton’s tally would hold up to be the game winner.

An unheard of 97 shots were compiled between both Ottawa and Boston. Both sides have to be disappointed with their defensive efforts in this game. The final score could have very easily been much higher. Anton Khudobin and Robin Lehner each had career games. Both goaltenders kept their teams in it, making incredible saves all night. Dobby turned away 45, while Lehner denied 47 shots.

A determined effort dictated Boston’s success. The Bruins have to be pleased with the life their offensive showed and how well timed the resurgence is. The ultra talented Jaromir Jagr, coming over from Dallas, will join an already stout group. Keeping pace with Montreal was a must and the B’s did jus that. Improving to 23-8-4 gives Boston 50 points and brings them within 1 of the idle Habs. Look for the B’s to continue their recent success Thursday night against the Devils at TD Garden.

*Patrice Bergeron left the game with an apparent head injury.

Game 35: Senators-Bruins Preview

Bruins: 22-8-4 Senators: 19-10-6

The Boston Bruins will kick of the final month of the regular season against the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night at TD Garden. This will be the fourth time since February 28 these two sides will have linked up. The B’s are 3-0 versus the Sens this season. Record aside, each meeting was decided by 1 goal and two of the games required overtime.

Ottawa is coming off of a demoralizing 4-0 loss to Toronto. The Sens have been hot of late, winning 6 of 8 games, ascending the Northeast Division standings. Their 44 points has them positioned just 4 points behind the Bruins. The success Ottawa has had is truly remarkable, considering they have been devastated by injury for the majority of the season.

Boston on the other hand will be looking to build upon a 2-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. Unlike Ottawa, the B’s have had trouble stringing wins together in recent weeks. In fact, you would have to look all the way back to March 14-16, the last time the Bruins won two straight. As a result, the B’s have watched their cushioned divisional lead on Ottawa disappear.

A victory Tuesday night would be a gigantic step toward snapping a prolonged streak of inconsistency. Winning would also give Boston a 6 point lead on Ottawa in the standings and help them keep pace with the division leading Canadiens.

Expect another low scoring affair between these two. Both clubs are among the league leaders in fewest goals allowed per game. Former Senator Kaspar Daugavins is expected to make his Bruins debut in this one. Daugavins is a shifty two-way forward that should give Boston a boost. The B’s will be more than motivated to get their second straight win and silence some of the doubters heading into the Wednesday trading deadline.

Greetings from the upper deck