Bruins at Blue Jackets LIVE!

So I admittedly slacked off a bit this weekend and we saw two distinctly average performances from the Bruins. They were lucky to secure the win against Chicago and certainly deserved the loss they put up on the board against the Rangers on Sunday.

Manny Fernandez has proven he should not be the Bruins backup goalie and he'll likely be gone one way or another next season. After every save Manny makes, he's quickly looking behind himself to make sure the puck didn't squirt through. It's an obvious sign of a goalie lacking all confidence in his ability. Considering his GAA and how above his potential he played before the back injury, it's not a surprise to see him regress, but maybe a surprise to see him regress so far. It's time for Tuukka Rask to be the understudy for Tim Thomas, because Rask is the future number one netminder for the Bruins.

Stephane Yelle is out for the second straight game, Byron Bitz will replace him in the lineup as he did on Sunday.

Video Highlights Courtesy Of NHL.com


First Period
It appears as if I have missed the first 6 1/2 minutes of the game and the score is 0-0 so I will assume absolutely nothing occurred while I was gone...

9:58 - Bruins get lucky on a turn over when Klesla blasts it wide. One of the B's biggest problems these past three weeks has been sloppy passing and bad play inside their own end. Wideman has been sent off for holding at 9:46.

7:51 - Five seconds left on the power play and I can confidently say the Bruins look very good on the penalty kill tonight. Ference blocked a shot, won the battle to the puck and got it up to Wheeler who held it for Krejci. A little bit of inventiveness from the two forwards after Ference created the play. Encouraging sign.

6:09 - Mark Stuart is bleeding out of the face and there's only a 2 minute high stick called for it.

4:09 - The Bruins power play is a fail. The Blue Jackets are the best first period team in the NHL and they are showing us why.

1:57 - Malhotra with one helluva shot block on Wideman. Looks like he's feelin' it a little bit on the bench.

:51 - Chara going off for a hook. Columbus held for about 45 seconds before Boston could touch it.

End of one period and the Blue Jackets are looking like the stronger off the two teams. They lead in shots 12-5 and have seemed livelier to the puck. Bruins seem to be working hard, but they're being plagued by the usual issues. Bad passing, shaky power play, lack of physicality.

Bring the energy and the intensity for 60 minutes and then I'll be happy.

Second Period
Bruins on the penalty kill for another 1:09 as we enter the period.

18:35 - Bruins kill the penalty, Krejci goes to the bench hurt after blocking a shot and Kessel is stoned by Mason on a breakaway.

18:01 - This is what we like to see. Kessel rings the post. He, Lucic and Savard are looking good to start the period.

15:49 - Bruins called for offside. They are looking to attack every time they touch the puck, whether it be from out of their zone or not. I like what I'm watching early on here.

12:37 - Huselius called for slashing and the Bruins will go on the power play, their hard work is paying off and they've completely dominated so far. They're banging on the door and the power play must be the time to punch it past Steve Mason.

10:52 - B's creating chances left and right. Mason making a number of terrific saves. Nash gives Savard a bit too much of a push, Savard takes offense and Nash kicks his ass without ever dropping the gloves. They both get two minutes for roughing. Jackets kill the penalty to Huselius as well.

6:24 - Kessel skates off the ice holding his face. Think he took a stick, he got rocked pretty hard into the half-wall as well.

5:32 - Stuart and Boll going at it! The big bruisers land some punches before the referees separate them. Boll with his NHL leading 21st fighting major of the season.

4:47 - Getting chippy in the Boston end. Loose puck, Thomas makes the stop, it trickles around, Jackets try a little too hard on Thomas after it's tied up and the Bruins ready to defend their goalie.

1:38 - Bruins doing a nice job of keeping the pressure up even while rotating through lines. It's certainly disappointing that they've yet to capitalize on anything, but Steve Mason should be commended for his job in this second period.

:03 - Montador fakes a slapper and gets Torres to go down, makes the shot, saved by Mason. Bruins upping the ante as we go along here.

An excellent period from the Bruins. They've upped the energy, intensity, physicality, everything that I called for after the first came into fruition here in the second. They're showing they're not afraid to fight back. They moved deeper into the Jacket's zone and should be able to break the door down in the third.

Hats off to Steve Mason and Tim Thomas though, some stellar goaltending tonight.

Let's laugh at Mike Millbury a moment, shall we?

"These two goaltenders are 1-2 in the NHL in most stats. Mason is a bit surprising, but Thomas is not."

You knew Tim Thomas would have a career year?

Third Period

19:04 - Oooh nasty glove save from Mason on Kessel's quick release.

18:52 - Commodore to the box for holding. Bruins 0/2, 2 shots on the power play tonight. Anemic.

16:52 - Back to full strength, Bruins were sloppy at first but really pulled it together and got sharp toward the end. Mason makes a couple of nice saves and the B's are now 0/3 on the man advantage.

16:04 - Stoppage in play after Thomas collides incidentally with a Blue Jacket, causing his helmet to fly off. Timmy's helmet is now being worked out, the Jackets fans are growing impatient, letting everybody hear it.

15:49 - Timmy is wearing Manny's helmet. This does not bode well.

15:05 - Chara to the box for a high stick.

13:10 PP GOAL 1-0 Blue Jackets - Raffi Torres! Along the half-wall on Thomas' blocker side and beats him with a strong wrister.

It's the curse of Manny's mask.

9:52 - Timmy has his helmet back. Sixteen minutes of repair time. If he doesn't allow a single goal, I give the loss to Manny Fernandez via mask.

8:58 - More bad passing from Savard.

4:50 - The third period Bruins are looking more like I'm used to seeing. They've completely lost any edge they had from the second period. They seem complacent again... not good.

2:53 - Can't beat Steve Mason. Looking for his league leading ninth shutout of the year.

1:17 - Thomas is on the bench. Extra attacker on. Urgency!

:26 EN GOAL 2-0 Blue Jackets - Rick Nash seals it! 150 foot shot to just clear the zone has just enough on it to get into the net.


The Bruins lose again and I'm out of energy on what to say at the moment.