Bruins vs. Coyotes LIVE!

Back in Boston for the fifth of a six game homestand where the B's (42-13-9) will look to avenge their 4-2 loss to the Flyers on Tuesday night. The Coyotes (27-31-5) and the Bruins both will look different than they did 24 hours ago, with the Bruins adding Mark Recchi and Steve Montador and the Coyotes clearing house and apparently starting over.

Gone from Phoenix are Derek Morris and Olli Jokinen. Jokinen was signed just a summer ago to be Phoenix's star center, but not being in the thick of the playoff race will make a GM do crazy things and blowing up the team is one of those things.

Good news for the Bruins tonight, Milan Lucic returns after a two game absence with a "body injury." We all know it was his hand. This is excellent news for the club, you've got to believe the Bruins will rediscover some of that physicality they were missing over the last 2/3 of the Flyers game.

Recchi and Montador are suited up and skating around pregame. Brick muses that Recchi will likely be on the left with Savard and Kessel. He's not sure where Montador will fit in, and as I said after the trade happened, I'm not quite sure either.

Even the Boston Globe's Bruins blog isn't sure, they're best guess is that Byron Bitz sits so PJ Axelsson can move to the checking line.

Remember, it's another night of Jack Bingo! Hopefully less frustrating that Tuesday night's version.

I find it terribly satisfying that the Coyotes have yet to make the playoffs in Gretzky's three seasons as coach.

Bruins lines in warm-ups..

Forwards:
Mark Recchi-Marc Savard-Phil Kessel
P.J. Axelsson-Patrice Bergeron-Chuck Kobasew
Blake Wheeler-David Krejci-Michael Ryder
Milan Lucic-Stephane Yelle-Shawn Thornton

Defencemen:
Zdeno Chara-Aaron Ward
Andrew Ference-Dennis Wideman
Mark Stuart-Steve Montador

Goaltending:
Tim Thomas

Looks as if Bitz, Hunwick and Hnidy are gonna sit tonight. Has to be disappointing for them. I'm disappointed to see Hunwick sit, but let's see if Montador can help Lucic make this team the physical beast it can be.

First Period

Ilya Bryzgalov starting for the Coyotes tonight. My guess is he could have a long game.

17:50 - "D to D." Mark an X for me Jack, we're off to a good start. Early two minutes haven't been too exciting, teams feeling each other out. The Krejci line looked to have the best movement, but it's way too early to make any calls on things of that nature.

15:25 - One too many passes. Kessel breaks in with Recchi two on one, passes over to Recchi, back to Savard, back to Recchi and it skips to the wall. Gotta pull the trigger boys.

13:49 - Bruins defending extremely well. Coyotes can't keep position in the Bruins end. Also, I don't think I've seen Shawn Thornton put a shot on net yet, they always go wide.

12:51 GOAL 1-0 Bruins - Chuck Kobasew! Perfect pass from Bergeron along the halfwall to find Kobasew in the slot, who beats Bryzgalov with the shot. Now that the Bruins have the lead, let's see the intensity and energy remain constant and not drop off as it did on Tuesday.

11:58 - PING! Recchi re-directs Wideman's slap shot off the crossbar and out of play. Recchi's had two clear-cut scoring chances in three shifts on the ice. You can tell he's definitely excited and energized to be on this team.

10:32 - Brick talking about Wheeler facing his old team, despite never suiting up for the Coyotes and how there's "money on the board" for him to do well and score. Brick sounds serious about this. Gambling? Sounds sketchy.

10:00 - "Wing to wing." Mark it.

Ooh tempers flaring as Chara crushes Prucha into the boards. Looked like a completely clean hit. Appears to be a penalty, as Jack says "because he's 6'9"." Well it's called interference. Chara pretty much steamrolls through him. It's a bit of a wishy-washy call. Julien certainly does not agree.

7:59 PPG 1-1 - Scottie Upshall loves playing the Bruins! Wideman turns it over at the halfwall, it's flipped into the slot by Lindstrom and Upshall backhands it past Timmy Thomas.

It was Upshall who tied the game at one on Tuesday night as well...

6:04 - Shane Doan going in for hooking. Bruins have responded to the Coyotes goal favorably. Let's see if that can continue here. Brick thinks the B's will run the overload toward Savard.

5:31 - Recchi misses another chance right at the post, Ryder comes from behind and whiffs on it. I think Rex has a goal in him tonight.

4:04 - Coyotes kill the penalty.

1:40 - Wideman with a dangerous turnover that immediately got a pass to Prucha in front of the net, he couldn't put it over Thomas though. Not surprisingly, the Coyotes coming on a bit stronger after they tied it up and the Bruins seem to let them in it.

Need to play smarter.

After one, the Bruins certainly came out as the better of the clubs, but seem to fall into a comfort zone and get complacent once they achieve the lead. Phoenix clawed back with the power play goal and from then on the Bruins seem to look flat and they lacked some luster.

Let's hope Claude gets them hyped back up in the dressing room.

It's obvious that the Bruins have a clear advantage of Phoenix's youthful defencemen and they need to capitalize on the chances they're given in the offensive zone. Pull the trigger and shoot the puck. If you pepper Bryzgalov enough good things will happen.

Barry says the B's are the best 5-on-5 team in the NHL. Detroit or San Jose anyone? And by the way Calgary is ripping apart the Flyers (4-0 after one) they may have something to say as well.

Interesting. Aaron Ward and Blake Wheeler were both drafted #5 overall by the WIN/PHO organization, but neither actually played for them at the NHL level.

Second Period

19:36 - Phoenix has 5 power play shots and 1 full strength shot. Ouch.

17:15 - Upshall "spoons it" into the corner. X it.

15:23 - Bruins have done an excellent job stalling Phoenix at the blue line and causing a good number of offside calls.

14:08 - Some of the passes Savard has made lately are concerning. Luckily there was no one near it, but Savard shoveled one back for Montador and was a good 5 or 6 feet off on his aim.

12:08 GOAL 2-1 Coyotes - Steve Reinprecht! Nigel Dawes skates in down the right side, feeds it across the zone to Reinprecht who tips it up and over Thomas.

Shades of the Flyers game here...

11:50 - Thomas "fungos" it out of the air. Mark an X.

8:52 - Tempers flare. Thornton and Montador along with Klee all shoving each other around a bit.

7:46 - Chara pushing Lindstrom down. Getting chippy here.

Where's the crisp passing from the Bruins? Everything's skipping or long, or intercepted in the neutral zone. Not taking care of the puck particularly well at all.

7:00 - B's 30 seconds into a power play, Klee was called for interference.

6:42 - Savard all alone can't pick the corner, shoots it wide.

5:55 - Bruins moving the puck quickly, but a lot of wide shots from the point in a disappointing effort.

5:29 - Ference trips Klee out of the box and it's another 'Yotes power play. Five shots on the first.

4:16 - Coyotes moving the puck really well, Thomas is able to pounce on the puck beside the net for a cover.

3:28 - Two pucks slid just past the post on that power play. Bruins are fortunate to kill it off. Where's the energy, where's the intensity? For the second straight game the Bruins are failing to follow their usual game plan and now a younger, less experienced club is taking advantage.

1:00 - Showing a bit more fire in these last couple of minutes. Can it carry over?

:10 - Bruins almost level it before the end of the period. Montador takes a terrific rip from the point that goes wide. Wideman gets it and takes a huge rip, Savard gets it and takes an impossible angle shot that flies toward the blue line.

Bruins down a goal after two. Lucic is hitting well, but he's not being hugely productive on the checking line. There's been a lot of sloppy passing, too many turnovers, not playing well on the forecheck and the tempo isn't high enough.

The Bruins need to pull a 180 to get back in this.

Barry thinks that Ference looks "a lot more confident" at the point on the power play than Bergeron does. Does it have anything to do with Andy being a defencemen? Seriously. What kind of commentary is that?

And now I listen to Barry tell me everything I just typed into the post five minutes ago. Yawn.

An unrelated exchange through AIM...

Casey: GILL LAYS DOWN AND BLOCKS A SHOT
Justin: take him off the ice!

Looking at Jack Bingo on NESN, I have missed Juicy Rebound, He Bangs Him, Save By Thomas and Stick a Fork in It... I am X'ing those off.

Third Period

18:58 - Bruins 2nd in the NHL with 76 third period goals. Also have the best 3rd period defense.

18:15 - Lucic is with Savard and Kessel. Someone heard me.

15:00 - It's getting tough to watch the Bruins miss pass after pass after pass.

12:32 - Not a whole lot.. brewin right now. B's got an icing, but couldn't win the face off.

11:00 - Here's the pressure and energy we've been looking for. Kessel walks in and snaps it wide. Bruins skating a lot harder. Lucic sends Michalek down like a... sack of flour? Thank you, Jack.

8:39 - Boston finally dominating physically here. Throwing bodies around with reckless abandon. Bryzgalov is getting a lot of work but he's holding the fort down. Terrific energy from the B's, but they need a result from this.

6:51 - Lucic comes in on Bryzgalov 2 on 1 and can't control the puck. Oh woe is the Bruins.

6:11 - Krejci has certainly been one of the best Bruins on the ice tonight. Seems to be playing his heart out, trying to make things happen. Give the kid a little help, please.

3:35 - Urgent, urgent... emergency. Yes. Foreigner completely sums up the Bruins style of play right now.

3:11 - Bryzgalov is huge again! Slid across from Lucic to Ryder who tries to force it by Ilya, but the 'Yotes goalie makes another fantastic save. The desperate Bruins can feel this one slipping away.

1:38 - Tikhonov throws a big elbow into Montador's head. Bruins on the power play for the rest of this game. Surprisingly Thomas is still in net... for now.

:35.4 - A scrum in front of the net at the beginning of the power play, but nothing doing. Ference is on for Thomas, Chara moves to the front of the net. Fantastic game from Ilya Bryzgalov tonight.

And the Phoenix Coyotes have beaten the Brins 2-1. With a ton of new faces and an incredible performance from, Bryzgalov the Coyotes deserved their win. However, the Bruins once against came out complacent and stayed that way for 40 minutes. The urgency shown in the third period is something they need to come out with from the start and stick with for 60 minutes.

After scoring 12 goals in the first two games of this homestand, the Bruins have now scored 6 in the last three, all losses.

I've said it once and I'll say it again, the Bruins won't make it out of the first round of the playoffs if they continue to give this sort of effort.

Jack Bingo fails to deliver once again tonight, but Jack put forth a strong effort to get us closer...


So with the Blackhawks on tap, Claude and company are going to have to once again look to motivate these Bruins for a full sixty minutes. I'm starting to wonder if they're running out of steam after such a torrid start to the season. The opponents that come from here on out are odds on to be better teams than the Coyotes, so hopefully this game can snap the Bruins back out of it.

B's Lose in OT, Pronger and More

After opening the six game home stand at T.D. Banknorth Garden with a pair of six-goal outings, the Bruins fell in overtime yesterday 4-3 to the Capitals and Alexander Semin's 80 foot shot. Unfortunately, I was at work and missed the game, so my comments on it will be brief. From what I've read and watched from highlights, the game reminds me of the encounter with Tampa last week. Constantly playing catch up. The Bruins should be content, though not pleased to come away from this one with a point.

I feel like the Caps and all of their weapons would be a tough match for the Bruins in the playoffs, aside from Ovechkin being a monster, they're got a very strong team that can move the puck around quickly and make things happen. Now I'm not saying the Bruins can't do the same, they can, but I've got a feeling about the Capitals. Then again, it would be the playoffs and anything could happen.

The B's once again led the way in shots 37-32, but the Bruins surrendered two power play goals. Marc Savard had three assists, but could be the culprit for the first goal when he was sent to the box for hooking. Matt Hunwick, getting some serious ice time the past two games has responded extremely well, with two goals and an assist.

Bruins fans will certainly hope that the club can bounce back from this with a win, because they know that Jersey and Washington are becoming hot on their heels as the season begins to wind down through the last 20 or so games.

Highlights courtesy of our good friends at NHL.com


Also last night, Yahoo Sports and the Sporting News had an article that Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger to Boston talk was picking up steam. One potential deal I've read is Pronger and Travis Moen to Boston in exchange for Mark Stuart, Chuck Kobasew, Joe Colborne and a 2009 2nd round pick.

From the outset I don't like this deal for Boston for a few reasons.

1. Pronger makes $6.25M. Yes the deal would only include the last 20ish games of the season, so that salary will be pro-rated and easier to swallow, but the B's are just $1.43M under the cap. Pronger is owed about $1.5M the rest of this year if my math is correct.

2. Mark Stuart is a poor man's Pronger. They play a similar style of play, sure Stuart doesn't have the size, or quite the same talent level, but he's younger, cheaper and has been effective for the Bruins this year.

3. Kobasew is a good piece to have around. He's a hard worker, a team player, can work on the power play, can score a goal and has definitely endeared himself to the Boston fans this year. I definitely see Chuck as a trading chip potentially in the future though.

4. Pronger is due $6.5M next year, the final year of his contract. The Bruins also will have expiring contracts in Tim Thomas, David Krejci and Phil Kessel. Where does Pronger fit under the cap in these circumstances? Which player doesn't return? How long would the B's really have Pronger for? Would he be an 18 month rental and out the door?

The Ducks are retooling, but they don't need help from the Bruins. I'd like to believe that B's GM Peter Chiarelli is more interested in finding a winger to help out in Marco Sturm's absence to get a little more oomph at the offensive end of the ice.

Other rumored targets for the B's are Keith Tkachuk (Mass. native), Jordon Leopold and of course, the oft-mentioned Erik Cole.

I would be okay with a player like Keith, he'd be a blessing on the power play, his big body in front of the net for screens and generally being a nuisance to the opposing goalie. Leopold would be a decent second-tier defenseman, but I don't see where he fits in right now. Chara/Ward, Hunwick/Wideman and Hnidy/Stuart are a good six-some, but unless Hunwick gets sent back to Providence (would be a bad move), I can't see Leopold being a B.

I think I've done the Erik Cole thing to death.

Would I like to see the Bruins make a move? Yes, but only if it supplements what is already at the club, Chiarelli has been quoted as saying that he's 50% likely to make a deal. I would put money on prospects and picks being traded over anyone actually on the B's, as long as any deal fits under the cap. Other than that, you could potentially see a Kobasew-type being moved, but I expect the Bruins to stand pat. I just don't see anything that makes a lot of sense right now.

There's three days left until the deadline on Wednesday, so I'm sure we'll be back with more information.

Ducks v. Bruins LIVE!

Okay, so shoot me for completely missing the Bruins/Panthers encounter. I dropped the ball, got a little busy, but things happen. Besides, Bruins fans should see it as a blessing. They haven't had that kind of offensive explosion since I started writing about them. Silver lining perhaps.

Byron Bitz had the fans chanting "We Want Bitz" during the 6-1 thrashing of the Panthers. Yes, he's been solid since coming up and maybe he'll keep his spot when everybody gets healthy, at least I think he should. However, Bitz needs to play at a high level of physical play each and every night out. He's got the body, there's no reason why he can't dominate battles along the boards and behind the net.

Also, nice to see Mr. Ryder back.

Looking at Mike Millbury's pregame plan. Physical play is number one on his list. Shocking. I remember mentioning that about 50,000 times over the past two weeks.

No Aaron Ward, out with an injury. Matt Hunwick has been recalled from Providence. Probably for the better all around.

Let's see if Milan Lucic's physicality cna spur the team on like it did against Florida. Once he started hitting people, everyone else quickly followed suit.

I'm also hoping Bergeron is not on the power play point with Zdeno Chara. Lost hope is good.

Why does Jack Edwards always have to make a reference to "buzzing around" when he mentions the B's? They're Bruins, Jack. They don't buzz. They maul, rip and maim.

I had to add this in, NESN has a Jack Edwards bingo game. You get a spot when he uses some of his oft-uses spaces. I may have to play along with the live blogs. Just for the fun of it.

To prove I'm not joking...


I'm not sure I know what to say with things like He Bangs Him, Blows a Tire and Cocks and Fires on here, but Jack will be Jack. (Not to mention Reaches Around...)

First Period
And we're underway...

18:50 - Savard breaks into the zone with Kessel, 2 on 0, couple of slick passes between them, but Bret Hedican recovers well to break up a pontential shot.

16:20 - Getzlaf makes a brilliant pass ahead to Perry who's wrister from the right is saved by Timmy Thomas. Good flow so far, Bruins dominating the neutral zone and generally looking livelier.

13:36 - Things moving fast but not really a lot to comment on. Thomas makes a nice save and there will be a face off to his right.

13:11 - Bruins Seventh Player voting for fans is back. How can Tim Thomas not win this award?

11:56 - Lucic has Selanne lined up for a hit and whiffs into the Ducks bench. Good stuff. However, Lucic is looking to hit people here and he has caused a couple of turnovers.

10:50 - Mark Stuart's slapper, headed for J.S. Giguere, careens off Bitz's skate. Tough luck shot there for the B's.

10:12 - Delayed call on the Ducks, Yelle has a tough angle shot and rings through the post! Penalty call is slashing on Sheldon Brookbank.

Video Highlights Courtesy Of NHL.com


9:30 - You'd swear the Ducks are on the power play here...

8:20 - Bruins have a couple of chances, Wideman drifted into the slot and had the puck on the tape. Giguere saved the slap shot high off his forearm. Krejci then can't handle a cross-seam pass and the Ducks kill the penalty.

6:45 - Savard sets up in... Gretzky's Office. Ugh.

5:00 - High stick on David Krejci as he crushes Perry in the glass. Maybe not a penalty, hard to tell if the stick made contact. Bruins boo birds are out on the call. Rightly so lads.

2:28 - Bruins kill the penalty, Stephane Yelle made a ballsy move to block the puck off his hip early on in it.

2:06 GOAL! 1-0 Bruins - And it's Matt Hunwick! Recalled from Providence and he makes it happen! Krejci forces a turnover in the neutral zone, passes it to Ryder, kicks it off his skate to himself, backhands it across the seam, Wheeler has a good screen on and Hunwick is to follow it through to goal.

0:00 - Yelle down in the wall throws the puck in front and it just gets by an outstretched Bitz. Giguere's glove side was wiiiiiiiiiide open if Bitz had gotten a stick on it.

To quote Jack Edwards, after the first period, the B's are buzzing. Bzzzz.

A lot of scoring chances for the Bruins, against a lesser goalie they'd probably have a couple in the back of the net at the first intermission.

Second Period

18:33 - Bruins layering extremely well at the defensive end. They denied Selanne on a wrap around chance and ended with their own scoring chance at the other end.

18:01 GOAL 2-0 Bruins - Michael Ryder with this one! Hnidy waits it out in the back, gets it to Wheeler who finds Krejci, skates into the zone, finds Ryder in stride on the tape, drags a snapper and the Ducks look to be sitting. (Har.)

16:38 - Gotta love the effort Shawn Thornton puts in night in night out. It's too bad his talent doesn't match his effort.

16:17 GOAL 3-0 Bruins - Chuck Kobasew and birthday boy PJ Axelsson have a 2 on 1. Kobasew smartly keeps it himself and rips a snap shot past Giguere.

JS Giguere has been pulled from the game, Jonas Hiller will take his place.

Bruins have three goals on just eight shots.

14:20 - Bruins smell blood. Wheeler is called for tripping and the Ducks need to score a goal here.

11:40 - Shawn Thornton and George Parros! Two heavyweights banging lefts and rights. Parros has Thornton manhandled, but Thornton fights and fights and gets the takedown! Score one for Shawn Thornton! It started when Parros laid a huge hit into Marc Savard, it was clean, but Thornton felt the need to stick up for his teammate.

10:00 - I feel like I'm watching a completely different hockey team from the one I saw on the road trip.

6:05 - It's been a dull four minutes, though I have been amusing myself with Jack Edwards bingo. So far I've got Off Glass, In Gretzky's Office, D to D, Wing to Wing and Mid-Air Fungo Job. Nothing close to giving me the ole Jack Bingo though.

5:38 - Huge save from Thomas as he stops Parros and squeezes the puck between his legs. A near melee ensues before the ref points to the dot for a face off.

Parros has an epic mustache/soul patch combination. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

5:11 - Mike Brown sucker punches Milan Lucic and that is the end of his world. Lucic unleashes right handed barrels on Brown, knocks him to the ice and continues to wail on him.

Sheldon Brookbank has been ejected for going after Lucic had taken care of business.

Lucic has some bloody knuckles. Well worth the effort I'm inclined to think.

Jack is speculating that Lucic meant to go after Brookbank, but Brown happened to be in the wrong place and the right time.

And there's a Bruins power play after an instigating call. I guess it worked out pretty well for all involved.

4:27 - Savard and Scott Neidermayer jousting for position along the blue line. Savard takes exception, off comes the gloves and Neidermayer plants him to the ice. Say hello to Milan for me, Marc.

3:35 - Montador called for a leg trip on David Krejci. Things are getting extremely chippy here toward the end of the second. Bruins have a 5 on 3 for... well they screwed up on the scoreboard, so nobody is quite sure of how long.

1:59 GOAL 4-0 Bruins - It's a power play goal for Phil Kessel! Thomas turns it cross eyes, gets Ryder onside, drags it across the left circle and the shot bounces off Kessel's skate! Timmy Thomas pitching a shut out and adds an assist to his sheet.

:52.7 - George Parros is angry as he's called for a hold on Chara. No reason to be upset, it's very obvious. Parros jaws with the ref and is lucky it's only a two minute penalty.

:15.6 GOAL 5-0 Bruins - It's a power play goal for Chuck Kobasew! Chuck's second goal comes from the umbrella, Wideman gets it over to Kobasew who slots it past Hiller on the short side. The Bruins are on a feeding frenzy.

At the end of two and the Bruins have scored four goals, have gotten into a couple of scraps and are firing on absolutely every single cylinder. With the Ducks having little to play for in the third I could see some fisticuffs as things get tenser than they were in this period.

All I know is that I'm excited for it. I'm also sick of hearing Zombie Nation, so the B's can stop scoring any time.

Third Period

19:20 - I think Chara has put Corey Perry on the ice about 15 times tonight.

15:37 - Thomas robs Bobby Ryan! What a save.

Bruins have 19 players who have registered a point between tonight and the Florida game.

13:15 - Mark Stuart to the box for cross-checking. Can the Ducks claw their way back!?

11:33 - And Bitz "Pounds it down the river." Mark it off on your bingo scorecards, kids.

The Bruins are 3/3 killing the penalty tonight.

10:12 - Kessel skates through and glides across the zone, takes a nice shot that's covered by Hiller.

Won't it be pathetic when we're looking at Bingo cards and hoping Jack says one of his ridiculous phrases? Oh NESN! You've sucked us in!

6:19 GOAL 6-0 Bruins - It's Byron Bitz! Ference makes a long pass to Bitz, uses his strength to beat the skater, Neidermayer's poke check is avoided and he wrists it past Hiller.

3:40 - Jack just made a good point. Chara will be in studio for an interview with Shoe-Bangin' Millbury after the game and Jack goes "the man who traded Chara from the Isles." Wonder if that's why Mike's got a cushy NESN job these days.

And in 62 games this year the Bruins have won 42 games. They won 41 all of last season.

The B's were confident, intense, physical, everything you could have wanted from them tonight. They executed the game plan, the defense stepped up huge in the offensive aspect of the game.

Michael Ryder has 5 points in his first two games back, you've got to think that is huge for the Bruins who will need all the confidence they can get with the Capitals coming to town on Saturday afternoon.

Twelve goals and two games, let's see if the tempo remains on Saturday...

Bruins Notes

As I mentioned last night, Michael Ryder is expected to miss between two and three weeks after having surgery to repair a fractured orbital bone. Ryder had some plates and screws inserted which really sounds pretty comfortable when you think about it. Bruins coach Claude Julien didn't seem too worried about the loss of Ryder, and considering the team has been missing Marco Sturm, I can't say I blame him.

However, Ryder's injury was supposed to pave the way for Petteri Nokelainen to earn himself a little more ice time. Petteri had a solid first period last night against the San Jose Sharks, but was the victim of a non-call high stick near the end of the first period. The high stick caught Nokelainen underneath the right eye. "It's an eye injury and I don't think it's looking very good right now," said Julien.

Lastly, Chuck Kobasew picked up a pair of injuries in the Sharks game. Everywhere I've looked online I haven't really been able to find out the status of these injuries, but I'll add more as information becomes available.

So with a two day rest before heading into New Jersey to face the Devils, the Bruins will be looking for a little bit of help. They still have questions to ask of themselves when it comes to finishing games, or even coming out and playing hard past the first period, but Julien is a damn good coach and should be able to fix those wrongs with the two days he does have. With two straight losses after securing a point in nine straight (6-0-3) the Bruins need to come out of New Jersey with something.