Friday, June 10, 2011

First B's Blog For the Season... (All B's Blogs From Rear Admiral)

 

"What we have is not a perfect system."

-Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference on the shootout to determine a 'winner'.

wild west

 

"What we have is not a perfect system."

-Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference on the shootout to determine a 'winner'.

Why is hockey the only one of the four major leagues that ends its sister-kissing contests with a post game skills competition? Seriously, why should teams get fucked out of playoff spots because of individual competitions conducted at the conclusion of team play? Because of the breakaway contest, a team with better hands has an advantage over a team with better snipers. That's bullshit. Bring back the tie or change the points system.

In a completely unrelated matter, the Bruins season got underway recently with the squad nabbing points in five of its first six games with only one traditional loss thus far. Boston's title virgins of the new century outplayed the Wales champion Pens and the Ryan Miller-led Sabres in their last two games but have only two points to show for it.

On Monday, only the on-fire Phil Kessel could solve Pittsburgh back-up Dany Sabourin, though the Bs limited Sid the Kid to just one secondary assist, eventually "losing" 2-1 via the gimmick. Tuesday night in a city famous only for its chicken wings, Super Bowl futility, and miserly hockey team owners that specialize in awful concessions, the squad "lost" again after 65 minutes of regulation team play ended in a 2-2 knot. Without top goalie Miller on his game, this game would have been over after two (of course, without my package, I'd be a eunuch). But Miller had several phenomenal saves to keep the swords in the game.

Down the other end, Boston's Manny Fernandez, slowly working his way back into game shape, made 28 saves but looked like he might need one of those C3PO oil baths after the game. He looked a tad statuary on the second goal and I've seen fat broads on a water bed go from side-to-side quicker than Fernandez did a couple of times Tuesday. He did make a few nice saves but didn't look 100% confident. Hopefully, it's just a little rust (physical and
mental) that a few more games will work off. Otherwise, Fernandez may be one of Chiarelli's few true busts. If Manny has another two shaky outings like he did in Minnesota in the second game, look for Tank Thomas to grab the #1 spot by the balls.

On the offensive front, Kessel is 2nd in the league with his six goals.
Since getting the hook for three postseason games last season from Coach Clode, Kessel has been a different, more dynamic player. If he can maintain his consistency, he might be good for 40 tallies this year. Marc Savard is 3rd in points with his nine (Tuesday night was his first scoreless game) and 100 points is well within reason barring injury. David Krejci is picking up where he left off but is shooting more this year, a good thing seeing as he has quite a shot. And despite being a bit snakebitten thus far, Patty Bergeron looks like the same talented, passionate heart-n-soul player he was before the concussion. Collectively, the forwards have looked good. It's only six games in, but goals don't look like they'll be in short supply like they were last year. Though they only have three in the last two games, there have been no shortage of opportunities. With a little more time comes more offensive cohesion. The goals should follow.

On the defensive end, Andy Ference has played his best hockey since arriving from Calgary. Big Z has been good but not spectacular. Wideman plays like a $4M defenseman most of the time but not always (that penalty in Montreal was just plain dumb with the ref right on top of him). Ward, Hnidy, and Stuart have provided the requisite bump 'n snarl in their zone to bedrock the D. The front office felt good enough about the top six and immediate help on the farm that it shipped the never-quite-fully-blossomed Andrew Alberts to Philly for a draftie and cap relief.

I think it's safe to say that Alberts isn't going to morph into the Chisox version of Pudge Fisk. Come to think of it, how many Bruins exiles (and there are plenty to choose from) actually came back and haunted the Bruins quite to the extent that Fisk did to the Red Sox after they, um, were late mailing his contract?

A few more season-christening buds for your bowl (dry though, ain't it?)...

*On the street, I'm hearing the usual "those guys suck" becoming "they look alright" from guys who refuse to set foot in the Fake Garden because of Jacobs, among other reasons. But even the biggest detractors are starting to realize that the ship has been righted and that this is a good, likable team. Yes, for awhile the Bruins cared more about the state of the NHL than the state of theirteam. That is no longer true. The Bruins have move forward and moved on. Others should do the same.

*Watching Edmonton over the weekend, I noticed a giant "30" at center ice commemorating both the Oilers anniversary an an NHL team in Edmonton and my status as on old fuck. I remember having the hockey card introducing the four WHA refugees and trying to remember each team and logo. I was shocked when I saw how you really spelled Nawdeeks. That was my first childhood clue that the French were a little 'funny'. The other three teams have all recently celebrated decade-long anniversaries in Phoenix, Carolina, and Colorado.

*After the Maple Queefs and Thrashers visit tonight and Saturday respectively, the busy October schedule takes the Bs to western Canada for three games in four nights then back home for a three game home stand. If they play good, simple road hockey in Alberta and B.C., there's no reason they should return with less than four points. October and November also present an early, tightly condensed, pretty important stretch of games that gives the Bs an opportunity to stockpile some essential points toward a playoff berth. Or they could take a page out of the Flyers book and put themselves behind the 8-ball before Halloween. The betting here is they'll be fine, provided Thomas doesn't pull, pop, or tweak something. Fernandez needs a few more games to round into form but has yet to look like a #1 in his three starts. I'm pulling for him but he just doesn't look the part yet.
But if he finds his game (circa the 2003 Wild), the Bs will have a nice two-headed monster between the pipes.