The Beat Goes On

Some random thoughts about last night's game against the Habs and the Bruins this season in general:

I hope somebody got a really good picture of the six Bruins in the penalty box. I would love to have it as a poster or desktop wallpaper. Hell, they should put it on a billboard come the playoffs.

I recently posted that the Bruins players didn't really seem to get the rivalry with the Habs. I think it's safe to say they do now!

What was up with that TSN Bruins love fest carried on Versus? Strange broadcast.

Somebody should ask Cherry and Milbury about their claim that the remarks made by Ference with regard to the Paille hit were going to be poison for the room.

It was very entertaining to read the Montreal paper's version of last night's game. The Montreal press draws a picture of a wild high scoring affair that the Habs were in until the very end that also had a few "brawls" in it. No mention is made of what those who watched the game saw: a serious beatdown by the Bruins.

If you want to win against the Bruins the last thing you want to do is to go into their own building and try to push them around. As the Avs have discovered twice now (slow learners) and the Habs found out last night, the Bruins will beat the crap out of you AND you will lose the game.

Espo told a story in his book about his first shift in the NHL. He lined up against his childhood idol Gordie Howe. At the drop of the puck Howe smacks Espo in the face, splitting his lip. Espo asked him later what that was all about and Howe said something to the effect that had Espo not stood up to him Howe would have owned Espo for the rest of his career. While it can't be said that the Habs backed down last night they did come out on the losing end in most every way. I feel confident that should these two teams meet come playoff time the B's will own them.

That mental aspect of the game is so important. A team can win by reputation alone before the game even starts. I'd put the recent B's game against the Sharks in that category. I swear the way they played the Bruins made the Sharks look BIGGER. And I swear the Sharks have something going on with those white jerseys that just make them look big. Another team the B's seemed a little awed by was the Kings. Should fate bring the B's against either of these teams in the Cup Final it could be interesting. Maybe too interesting.