I haven't posted here since June because of the lockout. A lot has happened since then (probably about 30 posts worth). There were times in the last few months when I was so mad at the NHL owners that I considered vowing to not spend a dime on the NHL in 2013. Even before the lockout I almost decided to quit this blog. I almost canceled Center Ice. It's been tough. Since the last lockout ended I have seen nearly every Bruins game. That's a lot of games. Some of them really sucked, but the 2011 playoffs made it all worthwhile. I have to admit though, that after finally winning the cup it was getting a bit old.
Then the inevitable happened. It was windy and biting cold and I was on an outdoor ice rink with my stick and a puck, wearing my Bruins hat; that's when I remembered just how much I love this game. A few days later the lockout ended, and, well, here I am again.
Before we get to the long and the short of the upcoming 2013 season, I need to address Tim Thomas. I doubt anyone reading this isn't up on the story. Thomas decided to take the season off to spend time with family and faith blah blah blah. I get that. I get that he wants to start for the US Olympic team. I get that his father has cancer. I get that he may have realized that the fire wasn't there anymore for him. I get that his snub of the President caused a lot of bad feelings and that he probably felt a bit of a pariah. I get that after so many years as a pawn it must have felt good to take control of his own career for once. And I get that he probably realized that he'd end up playing the season for some team out west, maybe Anaheim or Vancouver (ugh). Toss in a likely lockout and, like I said, I get it.
But he didn't need to be such a classless jerk about it.
Tim Thomas should have been a man about it. He should have called a press conference and read his little statement about family and faith. Then he should have told everyone how being a Bruin was the best thing that ever happened to him, that he'd miss the city, the fans, and his teammates. He should have stood tall and answered the questions from the press. People still would have been mad at him, but it least it would have been for the right reasons. The only good to come of his cowardly posting to Facebook and then slinking off to Colorado is that I am sure professional athletes all over the continent have taken note not to make a fool of themselves like he did.
And the politics! Don't get me started. He's a professional athlete in the public eye. He built his career on the ice and there is no place for politics on the ice. He should have donated to his causes and kept his opinions to himself. His hubris was astounding; it boggles the mind that he believed for a minute that his speaking out would make enough difference to make it worthwhile. But the same can be said of the people who have posted hateful things about him. They are making the exact same mistake by allowing their disdain for his politics to cloud their view of what he did on the ice. He won us a Stanley Cup for God's sakes! I read one blog over the summer that made it sound like the Bruins won the Cup in spite of Thomas, not because of him. I suggest people with such opinions go back and watch the 2011 playoff games for a dose of reality. Going into game 5 of the Cup Final the Bruins were facing elimination. Tim Thomas would allow only three goals in the next three games, against a team that had scored 242 goals in the regular season--an average of three goals per game.
Getting back to Tim Thomas on the ice, how does his decision to sit out the season affect the Bruins most? Some have complained bitterly about his 5 million dollar cap hit. Despite giving up his 6 million dollar salary, 5 million dollars will count against the salary cap for this season. Fortunately the Bruins are more or less under the cap and they have the option of putting Marc Savard on IR, which would cancel things out, leaving them with room to add a free agent should they need to. Others have suggested that he denied the team his value in trading him and that he was being selfish. But loyalty goes both ways. How much loyalty does he owe a management that wants to trade him? I say giving them a Stanley Cup should be enough "value."
The real loss for the Bruins is the one everyone seems too angry to acknowledge. Tim Thomas gave the team a chance to win games night in and night out. Sure, Tuukka Rask is a very good goaltender. But there is a key difference between a good goaltender and one of the all-time greats. It is in when the goals are allowed, not how many. A great goaltender rises to the occasion. The bigger the stakes, the more stingy he plays. There is a reason Thomas started most of the games over the last two seasons, and it's not some sort of misguided deference to the more experienced goaltender. When it's late in the 3rd and the Bs are down by a goal and Tukka lets one in--that's when we will miss Thomas. Or when the Bs are up by one late and the other team ties it up. No matter how well Rask plays, at some point the guys are going to look back there and think of what Thomas did for them night in and night out and they will miss it. I was about to write that they don't have a stat for that, but in fact they do.
It's called the Playoff MVP. In the years since the Conn Smythe Trophy was first awarded in 1965 only two Bruins have won it. Tim Thomas and Bobby Orr. So don't try to tell me the Bruins won't miss Thomas.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Time For a New Trophy for Defensemen
The NHL awards the James Norris Memorial Trophy to the league's top "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position".
Unfortunately the voters from the professional hockey writer's association give so much weight to scoring in their voting that the winner isn't always the best defenseman. The winner in 2012, the young Erik Karlsson, has once again brought this issue to the forefront. It is clear to just about everyone that Karlsson is nowhere near the best all around defenseman in the NHL. His role with the team was limited and unlike the other nominees he was not called upon to regularly shut down the NHL's top players. What he did do was score a lot of goals, particularly on the power play. It's an obvious travesty that goal scoring is considered the hallmark of the best defensive player.
It's time we had two trophies, one for best defenseman and one for the best offensive defenseman. Name the best offensive defenseman trophy in honor of Bobby Orr (for obvious reasons).
Unfortunately the voters from the professional hockey writer's association give so much weight to scoring in their voting that the winner isn't always the best defenseman. The winner in 2012, the young Erik Karlsson, has once again brought this issue to the forefront. It is clear to just about everyone that Karlsson is nowhere near the best all around defenseman in the NHL. His role with the team was limited and unlike the other nominees he was not called upon to regularly shut down the NHL's top players. What he did do was score a lot of goals, particularly on the power play. It's an obvious travesty that goal scoring is considered the hallmark of the best defensive player.
It's time we had two trophies, one for best defenseman and one for the best offensive defenseman. Name the best offensive defenseman trophy in honor of Bobby Orr (for obvious reasons).
Friday, May 4, 2012
The Really Tough Question: Milan Lucic
The press is all abuzz about the "big" question facing the Bruins regarding their two goaltenders. Even though the Bruins have indicated that they are happy with keeping Tim Thomas and Tukka Rask for next year, they keep stirring the pot about trading Thomas. When you read this stuff long enough it becomes pretty clear that their reasons for writing these articles are about writing headlines that get people's attention. The rest is just filler they can arrange their advertisements around.
Writers like Stephen Harris can write snide articles about how Thomas wasn't "great" this year all they want, but it doesn't change the fact that he's the most consistently good goaltender in the NHL today (where was Ryan Miller this year? Luongo? Lundquist last year?). The fact is that there would have been no cup without Thomas and there is little likelihood there will be another without him either. A goaltender like Thomas is a once in a lifetime thing.
On Thursday the media had the opportunity to ask Cam Neely anything they wanted. They of course asked their "tough" question about Thomas. But they didn't ask the question I would have asked: "Mr. Neely, what did you think of Milan Lucic's play in game seven?"
Lucic is a sort of project of Neely's. It was a phone call from Neely that persuaded Lucic to come to the Bruins in the first place. I have always wondered what Neely promised him. It seemed clear in the years that followed that Lucic was being groomed to play a certain role for the team. What began to play out was like a movie script. He spent his entire first season fighting everyone who would go with him, including the toughest fighters in the league. Neely personally took him under his wing, even going out on the ice during practice to give him tips. Having won over the Boston fans with his fighting, Lucic began the transition to modern power forward. It was a bit rocky at times, and many wondered if he could make it as a top line winger.
In a way, Lucic reminds me of one of my childhood Bruins heroes, Phil Esposito. Phil was not the fastest skater, but he was big and strong and he knew how to use those assets. If Gretzky's "office" was behind the net, Espo's was in front. He'd just stand there defiantly, challenging someone from the other team to move him, and when there was a rebound he'd pounce on it.
We've all watched Lucic's slow and awkward skating, followed by a critical goal on a drive to the net that nobody could stop. I vividly recall a game late this last season where he was just floating around in the offensive zone, being completely ineffective. It was so bad that I started yelling at him on the TV to get his feet moving and make something happen. Just then a linemate forced a turnover in the corner and the puck popped right to Lucic's stick. He had some room and drove straight to the net and scored. I just stood there shaking my head, not sure what to make of it. After all, I had just been yelling at him to get in the damned game.
During another late season game he was carrying the puck up the wing just as we'd seen him do again and again. Usually he'd run into a defenseman who'd stop him along the boards and he'd just stand there watching the puck slide into the corner. It was infuriating to watch. This time he ran into two players who squeezed him off, but they bounced awkwardly off each other and Lucic broke through. There was a moment of hesitation, like he was truly surprised, and then he drove straight to the net and scored. How do you figure a player like that?
Nobody in the media is talking about it, but in game seven Lucic literally stood around on the ice. You hear coaches talk about how players need to keep their feet moving, but what they mean is that they shouldn't be gliding around. The idea of just standing out there by yourself, motionless, is unimaginable. Yet several times during that pivotal game, Lucic just stood there. He looked beaten, like a man who knew he'd met his match and he had simply given up. I couldn't understand why the coach kept putting him back out on the ice, except that in the past, just when I'd counted him out he'd always come through. Only this time he didn't.
There was more to Espo's game than size and strength. He played with enormous heart. His competitive spirit was off the charts. In the end, it was that desire to get to that puck and score that made him one of the biggest stars of his day and the Bruins likely would not have won either of their two cups of that era without him. Yet, in their second cup victory over the Rangers, Esposito was a non factor. The Rangers countered Espo with a big center named Walt Tkaczuk, who pretty much shut Espo down. But that didn't stop Espo from trying, and even though he didn't score any goals, that battle in front of the net proved to be important to their winning the series. Imagine the effect on the rest of the team if Espo had just given up.
On the one hand, Lucic made himself felt throughout the series by always finishing his checks, something the rest of the team could have done a better job at. I ticked them off in my head, one after another. That sort of thing should wear another team down with time, but it seemed that it was Lucic who wore down instead. When it came to game seven, instead of making that really big hit that wakes up the team, or simply taking the puck to the net, he never truly made the effort. I wanted to see him at least try.
I'm not ready to give up on Lucic and call for him to be traded. But I think he needs to be called out. I don't ask for a Cup every year from my team. I only ask for them to battle to the end and to play with heart. I don't feel let down by the Bruins even though they didn't make it past the first round. But I do feel let down by Lucic. I would love to know what Neely thinks about his protege right now. I'd love to know what message Neely is sending him, either directly or through the coaching staff. It would not shock me to see him traded over the summer. But if Lucic comes back, there is little question in my mind that how he responds on the ice next season will determine his future with the team.
Writers like Stephen Harris can write snide articles about how Thomas wasn't "great" this year all they want, but it doesn't change the fact that he's the most consistently good goaltender in the NHL today (where was Ryan Miller this year? Luongo? Lundquist last year?). The fact is that there would have been no cup without Thomas and there is little likelihood there will be another without him either. A goaltender like Thomas is a once in a lifetime thing.
On Thursday the media had the opportunity to ask Cam Neely anything they wanted. They of course asked their "tough" question about Thomas. But they didn't ask the question I would have asked: "Mr. Neely, what did you think of Milan Lucic's play in game seven?"
Lucic is a sort of project of Neely's. It was a phone call from Neely that persuaded Lucic to come to the Bruins in the first place. I have always wondered what Neely promised him. It seemed clear in the years that followed that Lucic was being groomed to play a certain role for the team. What began to play out was like a movie script. He spent his entire first season fighting everyone who would go with him, including the toughest fighters in the league. Neely personally took him under his wing, even going out on the ice during practice to give him tips. Having won over the Boston fans with his fighting, Lucic began the transition to modern power forward. It was a bit rocky at times, and many wondered if he could make it as a top line winger.
In a way, Lucic reminds me of one of my childhood Bruins heroes, Phil Esposito. Phil was not the fastest skater, but he was big and strong and he knew how to use those assets. If Gretzky's "office" was behind the net, Espo's was in front. He'd just stand there defiantly, challenging someone from the other team to move him, and when there was a rebound he'd pounce on it.
We've all watched Lucic's slow and awkward skating, followed by a critical goal on a drive to the net that nobody could stop. I vividly recall a game late this last season where he was just floating around in the offensive zone, being completely ineffective. It was so bad that I started yelling at him on the TV to get his feet moving and make something happen. Just then a linemate forced a turnover in the corner and the puck popped right to Lucic's stick. He had some room and drove straight to the net and scored. I just stood there shaking my head, not sure what to make of it. After all, I had just been yelling at him to get in the damned game.
During another late season game he was carrying the puck up the wing just as we'd seen him do again and again. Usually he'd run into a defenseman who'd stop him along the boards and he'd just stand there watching the puck slide into the corner. It was infuriating to watch. This time he ran into two players who squeezed him off, but they bounced awkwardly off each other and Lucic broke through. There was a moment of hesitation, like he was truly surprised, and then he drove straight to the net and scored. How do you figure a player like that?
Nobody in the media is talking about it, but in game seven Lucic literally stood around on the ice. You hear coaches talk about how players need to keep their feet moving, but what they mean is that they shouldn't be gliding around. The idea of just standing out there by yourself, motionless, is unimaginable. Yet several times during that pivotal game, Lucic just stood there. He looked beaten, like a man who knew he'd met his match and he had simply given up. I couldn't understand why the coach kept putting him back out on the ice, except that in the past, just when I'd counted him out he'd always come through. Only this time he didn't.
There was more to Espo's game than size and strength. He played with enormous heart. His competitive spirit was off the charts. In the end, it was that desire to get to that puck and score that made him one of the biggest stars of his day and the Bruins likely would not have won either of their two cups of that era without him. Yet, in their second cup victory over the Rangers, Esposito was a non factor. The Rangers countered Espo with a big center named Walt Tkaczuk, who pretty much shut Espo down. But that didn't stop Espo from trying, and even though he didn't score any goals, that battle in front of the net proved to be important to their winning the series. Imagine the effect on the rest of the team if Espo had just given up.
On the one hand, Lucic made himself felt throughout the series by always finishing his checks, something the rest of the team could have done a better job at. I ticked them off in my head, one after another. That sort of thing should wear another team down with time, but it seemed that it was Lucic who wore down instead. When it came to game seven, instead of making that really big hit that wakes up the team, or simply taking the puck to the net, he never truly made the effort. I wanted to see him at least try.
I'm not ready to give up on Lucic and call for him to be traded. But I think he needs to be called out. I don't ask for a Cup every year from my team. I only ask for them to battle to the end and to play with heart. I don't feel let down by the Bruins even though they didn't make it past the first round. But I do feel let down by Lucic. I would love to know what Neely thinks about his protege right now. I'd love to know what message Neely is sending him, either directly or through the coaching staff. It would not shock me to see him traded over the summer. But if Lucic comes back, there is little question in my mind that how he responds on the ice next season will determine his future with the team.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The End Comes Early
The end comes early to all but one team out of thirty. That is the bitter truth. All else being even, the odds of winning the cup at the start of the season are 30:1. Bruins fans should remember that what is truly out of the ordinary is to be the last team standing, not the abrupt end of a season.
Why did the Bruins lose to the Caps? You can run down your fingers making an impressive list of reasons, including injuries (Bergeron, Horton, McQuaid), inconsistent officiating, and less than stellar play from some key players, or simply pick one star player to dump all your anger onto because he never got up to speed or had a less than perfect game along the way (Lucic, Krejci, Thomas, or even Marchand).
Me? I personally blame one man, and one man alone, for the Bruins loss in this series: Dale Hunter. I knew from about half way through the first game that this series was going to be a tough one to win. Because Hunter, the Caps coach, designed a defensive system that would keep the Bruins off the board and frustrate their forwards. It was as if the Bruins were playing themselves at their defensive best. When it came right down to it, the two teams were a near perfect match. What we witnessed was the closest playoff series in NHL history, the first with six one goal games, and it eventually went to seven, only to end in overtime. When it comes right down to it, they could have skipped playing and simply flipped a coin.
When the playoffs started I did what I always do. I set my own personal goals for the team; I set the bar. Only if they didn't make the bar would I be bitterly disappointed, upset, or angry. My realistic expectations were simple: play hard and don't lose a series in less than seven games. Looking around, there are a lot of teams out there that could have been expected to achieve that goal, and didn't: Vancouver, San Jose, Detroit, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Bruins fans: if you think it was painful to lose in OT in game seven, consider how it would feel to be dominated by the Kings, winning only a single playoff game.
I wish the Caps luck on winning the cup. I have no idea if they can beat any of the other teams remaining in the playoffs or if they were just the perfect Bruin killers. We will see. But they played very hard, showed a lot of grit, and didn't whine. For that, I give them a tip of my Bruins cap.
Why did the Bruins lose to the Caps? You can run down your fingers making an impressive list of reasons, including injuries (Bergeron, Horton, McQuaid), inconsistent officiating, and less than stellar play from some key players, or simply pick one star player to dump all your anger onto because he never got up to speed or had a less than perfect game along the way (Lucic, Krejci, Thomas, or even Marchand).
Me? I personally blame one man, and one man alone, for the Bruins loss in this series: Dale Hunter. I knew from about half way through the first game that this series was going to be a tough one to win. Because Hunter, the Caps coach, designed a defensive system that would keep the Bruins off the board and frustrate their forwards. It was as if the Bruins were playing themselves at their defensive best. When it came right down to it, the two teams were a near perfect match. What we witnessed was the closest playoff series in NHL history, the first with six one goal games, and it eventually went to seven, only to end in overtime. When it comes right down to it, they could have skipped playing and simply flipped a coin.
When the playoffs started I did what I always do. I set my own personal goals for the team; I set the bar. Only if they didn't make the bar would I be bitterly disappointed, upset, or angry. My realistic expectations were simple: play hard and don't lose a series in less than seven games. Looking around, there are a lot of teams out there that could have been expected to achieve that goal, and didn't: Vancouver, San Jose, Detroit, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Bruins fans: if you think it was painful to lose in OT in game seven, consider how it would feel to be dominated by the Kings, winning only a single playoff game.
I wish the Caps luck on winning the cup. I have no idea if they can beat any of the other teams remaining in the playoffs or if they were just the perfect Bruin killers. We will see. But they played very hard, showed a lot of grit, and didn't whine. For that, I give them a tip of my Bruins cap.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
How The Mighty Have Fallen
As we await game 7 vs. the Caps, looking around I see a bloodbath in the western conference and the makings of one in the east. All the teams in the west that were picked as favorites to win the cup have fallen: Vancouver in 5 to the Kings (how sweet is that B's fans?), San Jose in 5 to Saint Louis, Chicago in 6 to Phoenix, and Detroit in 5 to Nashville. None of these "great" teams even took it to the full seven games!
In the east, vaunted Pittsburgh has fallen to Philly in 6, and Boston and New York have each had to force a game 7 against Washington and Ottawa, respectively. Does anybody actually care about New Jersey and Florida? Didn't think so.
It is entirely possible that we will soon see every "top" team eliminated from the playoffs, which would leave a bizarre landscape. We already know that the Western Conference Final will be between either Nashville or Phoenix on one side, and either Los Angeles or Saint Louis on the other. Could it end up being either Ottawa or Washington on one side vs. New Jersey or Philadelphia on the other in the Eastern Conference Final? Or will one or both pre-playoff favorites (Boston and New York) survive?
Frankly, it is difficult for me to imagine Ottawa beating anybody in the playoffs. The one thing I knew for certain going in was that, should the Bruins play the Sens, the Bruins would win that series easily. To see the Rangers struggle against them boggles my mind. It certainly takes some of the edge off the Ranger's reputation.
One possibility is that the Rangers will fall and the Bruins will prevail. It would be tempting to think that the way had been cleared for a second cup with all the other "contenders" eliminated. But of course it doesn't work that way. Imagine the Bruins losing in the Cup Final to the Kings... it could happen!
On the other hand, consider a second round match-up between the Bruins and the Rangers. Now that I'd like to see!
But back to earth for a minute here. The Bruins are playing the Caps tonight in game 7. I was very impressed by the way the Caps battled in game 6. At times it looked like they were the ones facing elimination. Compared to them, the Bruins are hard to figure. The Bs effort level is inconsistent, yet it seems that inconsistency often works in their favor because they can punch it into that higher gear when they need to.
I thought the Caps sat back just a bit in the OT in game 6. All it took was one mistake and the Bruins made them pay. The fact that it was Backstrom who made that mistake does not bode well for the Bruins in game 7. He's been their best player in the series and he's going to be looking for redemption. On the other hand, a talented young player like Seguin on a roll can be an unstoppable force. Either team could win this. The biggest wild card is whether nor not the Bruins playoff magic that won them a Stanley Cup will continue.
So far we have seen Seguin step up to be the hero in game 6, Chara in game 3, and Kelly in game 1. Marchand was the Bruins best player in their game 5 loss and he needs to bring that same intensity again. His game has not consistently had the same edge since his bogus suspension. Perhaps it will be Marchand who steps up as the hero tonight. Or maybe it will be Lucic, Krejci, Rolston, or even Campbell. Can't wait to find out!
The one thing that seems certain is that Tim Thomas will be stellar in goal.
In the east, vaunted Pittsburgh has fallen to Philly in 6, and Boston and New York have each had to force a game 7 against Washington and Ottawa, respectively. Does anybody actually care about New Jersey and Florida? Didn't think so.
It is entirely possible that we will soon see every "top" team eliminated from the playoffs, which would leave a bizarre landscape. We already know that the Western Conference Final will be between either Nashville or Phoenix on one side, and either Los Angeles or Saint Louis on the other. Could it end up being either Ottawa or Washington on one side vs. New Jersey or Philadelphia on the other in the Eastern Conference Final? Or will one or both pre-playoff favorites (Boston and New York) survive?
Frankly, it is difficult for me to imagine Ottawa beating anybody in the playoffs. The one thing I knew for certain going in was that, should the Bruins play the Sens, the Bruins would win that series easily. To see the Rangers struggle against them boggles my mind. It certainly takes some of the edge off the Ranger's reputation.
One possibility is that the Rangers will fall and the Bruins will prevail. It would be tempting to think that the way had been cleared for a second cup with all the other "contenders" eliminated. But of course it doesn't work that way. Imagine the Bruins losing in the Cup Final to the Kings... it could happen!
On the other hand, consider a second round match-up between the Bruins and the Rangers. Now that I'd like to see!
But back to earth for a minute here. The Bruins are playing the Caps tonight in game 7. I was very impressed by the way the Caps battled in game 6. At times it looked like they were the ones facing elimination. Compared to them, the Bruins are hard to figure. The Bs effort level is inconsistent, yet it seems that inconsistency often works in their favor because they can punch it into that higher gear when they need to.
I thought the Caps sat back just a bit in the OT in game 6. All it took was one mistake and the Bruins made them pay. The fact that it was Backstrom who made that mistake does not bode well for the Bruins in game 7. He's been their best player in the series and he's going to be looking for redemption. On the other hand, a talented young player like Seguin on a roll can be an unstoppable force. Either team could win this. The biggest wild card is whether nor not the Bruins playoff magic that won them a Stanley Cup will continue.
So far we have seen Seguin step up to be the hero in game 6, Chara in game 3, and Kelly in game 1. Marchand was the Bruins best player in their game 5 loss and he needs to bring that same intensity again. His game has not consistently had the same edge since his bogus suspension. Perhaps it will be Marchand who steps up as the hero tonight. Or maybe it will be Lucic, Krejci, Rolston, or even Campbell. Can't wait to find out!
The one thing that seems certain is that Tim Thomas will be stellar in goal.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Annoyances
As we await the start of game 6, I offer these minor observances.
Pierre Macguire is the guy stuck in the glass box between the benches during NBC coverage of Bruins games.
Here are the top four reasons Pierre Macguire is Annoying:
4. He thinks there is a Bruin named "Greg Kelly"
3. He makes too much of line match-ups. While it is useful to know that Chara isn't out there against Ovechkin, his histrionics when this happens are over the top.
2. He continues to pronounce Chara as "Chaira." Just stop already. Maybe Big Z should skate by, "accidentally" with his elbow out...
1. He goes off on some wild unsupported theory and then never let's go even after it has become obvious to everyone else that he's off his rocker. Example: Lucic loses his temper too easily and the Caps are getting the best of him.
Other annoyances:
Now that NBC has the rights to every playoff game, NHL Center Ice can no longer carry a single one. They used to be able to carry local broadcasts for the first two rounds. That means no Jack and Brick for the playoffs, which takes a lot of the fun away. I'd call that more tragic than annoying, however. What I find annoying is that I am paying more than ever for Center Ice!
I have not seen a simple tag on the calf called as a slash since the lockout. Since that time it has been about getting the stick up on the hands or arm. So what the hell was that penalty about against the B's at the end of game 5?
How can I be the only person on the planet who sees the Caps constantly grabbing hold of Bruins sticks near their net? Is that not supposed to be a penalty? A Bruin with the puck drives along the wing, passing to the center who is crashing the net. The pass bounces past. Ok, so the defenseman did a great job tying him up. But look more closely and you will often find a hand pulling the Bruin's stick away from the puck. Since when are you allowed to do that? There have been similar instances during rebounds when Bruins are scrambling in front of the net. I think this is the main reason the Bruins haven't scored more goals. I know they allow players to get away with more in front of the net, but this looks like a return to the kind of "clutching and grabbing" we saw prior to the lockout. I for one don't like it.
Pierre Macguire is the guy stuck in the glass box between the benches during NBC coverage of Bruins games.
Here are the top four reasons Pierre Macguire is Annoying:
4. He thinks there is a Bruin named "Greg Kelly"
3. He makes too much of line match-ups. While it is useful to know that Chara isn't out there against Ovechkin, his histrionics when this happens are over the top.
2. He continues to pronounce Chara as "Chaira." Just stop already. Maybe Big Z should skate by, "accidentally" with his elbow out...
1. He goes off on some wild unsupported theory and then never let's go even after it has become obvious to everyone else that he's off his rocker. Example: Lucic loses his temper too easily and the Caps are getting the best of him.
Other annoyances:
Now that NBC has the rights to every playoff game, NHL Center Ice can no longer carry a single one. They used to be able to carry local broadcasts for the first two rounds. That means no Jack and Brick for the playoffs, which takes a lot of the fun away. I'd call that more tragic than annoying, however. What I find annoying is that I am paying more than ever for Center Ice!
I have not seen a simple tag on the calf called as a slash since the lockout. Since that time it has been about getting the stick up on the hands or arm. So what the hell was that penalty about against the B's at the end of game 5?
How can I be the only person on the planet who sees the Caps constantly grabbing hold of Bruins sticks near their net? Is that not supposed to be a penalty? A Bruin with the puck drives along the wing, passing to the center who is crashing the net. The pass bounces past. Ok, so the defenseman did a great job tying him up. But look more closely and you will often find a hand pulling the Bruin's stick away from the puck. Since when are you allowed to do that? There have been similar instances during rebounds when Bruins are scrambling in front of the net. I think this is the main reason the Bruins haven't scored more goals. I know they allow players to get away with more in front of the net, but this looks like a return to the kind of "clutching and grabbing" we saw prior to the lockout. I for one don't like it.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Shock and Anger
Regular readers of this blog know that I am a die-hard fan of Tim Thomas. But I am not blind. My reaction to the winning goal by Washington was shock, followed by anger as time ran out. There is no way to sugar coat it; Tim Thomas let his team down at a critical moment when he failed to make that routine save. I have closely watched Timmy's entire NHL career, and that was easily the worst non-save of his career. One thing that made it so unfortunate was how the rest of the team had once again found it within them to dig deeper once they were down 2 goals in the second period. It was an impresive display of what made them champs last year, only to be thrown away with that goal.
What happens next will determine Thomas' future with the club. As I have written before there are many Thomas doubters out there eager for an excuse to get rid of him. If the Bruins lose the series some people will forget the stellar GAA and the huge game-saving saves he has made, inluding several in this same game.
Hopefully it was just one of those unexplainable mistakes that every human makes from time to time and rather than undermine the team it will only make them all play harder.
What happens next will determine Thomas' future with the club. As I have written before there are many Thomas doubters out there eager for an excuse to get rid of him. If the Bruins lose the series some people will forget the stellar GAA and the huge game-saving saves he has made, inluding several in this same game.
Hopefully it was just one of those unexplainable mistakes that every human makes from time to time and rather than undermine the team it will only make them all play harder.
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