Bruins Begin Second Round vs. the Hurricanes or Whalers?

This coming Friday, May 1, the Boston Bruins will commence the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This Eastern Conference Semifinal marks the first time the Bruins have made it to the second round in 10 years. Yes, I said 10 years -- much to my chagrin. I suppose rather than dwell on that, we should all be excited because this team is legit.

So, with the Carolina Hurricanes coming to town, the Bruins will look to get to the Conference Finals since the 90-91 season. The year before that, my beloved Black N’ Gold lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Edmonton Oilers. For me personally, I was playing youth hockey for Mid-State scoring loads of goals and watching a highlight video of that Bruins season entitled “Reach for the Stars.” A pre-Parkinson’s Michael J Fox narrated and Mike Millbury was the team’s head coach. I swear to god I watched that movie over 100 times. I can still quote it 17 years later. Pathetic? Oh I would say so! But at least it legitimizes me as a true fan rather than be labeled as a bandwagoner as the Bruins re-mark their territory in the Hub of Hockey.

Before I preview this year’s showdown, please bear with me and let me revel in a little more history. That year the Boston made it to the finals, their path to the silver chalice was the Hartford Whalers in Round 1, the Montreal Canadiens in Round 2, the Washington Capitals in Round 3 and then the Edmonton Oilers in the Finals. Do you any of you see a pattern here? I do, if you flip-flop the first and second round opponents this just may be the exact road the 2009 Boston Bruins take the Stanley Cup Finals.

Ok who’s scratching their head? Today’s Carolina Hurricanes are formerly the Hartford Whalers. Cue Brass Bonanza. The old Whale skated in Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center, which is now called the XL Center, home to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. I saw two Bruins games in Connecticut against the Whalers -- one with my mom and one with my brother. It was a great place to catch a game and I really wish they would bring back the Whale.

So now that I have just rambled on and on about the History of the Bruins and the second round, I think I’ll give my short take on this coming series and then give a more in depth preview tomorrow. I can also preview the other playoff match-ups as well.

So the Bruins enter the series owning the regular season series 4-0. Throw it out the window folks. Paul Maurice’s Cardiac Canes are playing much better than when the season series concluded. Goalie Cam Ward is playing well, real well. Boston also outscored Carolina 18-6 throughout the season.

We all now about season series and then playoffs by looking at last year’s series vs. Montreal. With that being said, I still think the Bruins take this in six games. They’re big, tough, fast and have this season’s soon-to-be Vezina Trophy winner in Timmy Thomas. All things being equal though, the Bruins are too deep for the Hurricanes. To be more concise, the intrepid scribe believes that the B’s are the deepest team to come out of the East. I will be shocked if they don’t prove it. I really like Boston’s chances to go to the Cup Finals.

ESPN Analyst and recently shit-canned Tampa Bay Lightning Head Coach Barry Melrose picked the Hurricanes. That makes me feel even better because that guy may be animated, but he’s moron. Or better yet, a Don Cherry wannabe.

Be back tomorrow for less history and more fact so you can make your own prediction to the Bruins/ Canes series as well as the other games.

WOW, Jerry Remy just said Bruins in six during the Red Sox game. Well, the baseball guru agrees with me… do you? Bruins in six baby.

Bruins Sweep, Off to First Second Round Appearance in 10 Years

Well, here I am ready to talk about the win from last night and the series sweep and at this point its probably old news. Last night I was trying to enjoy the game and do a few other things so I didn’t have a chance to write.

Tonight, I have my own game, a tournament I might add that will go on through the weekend, so as I wait for that, now is a great time to talk about the Bruins.

The Bruins did exactly what I said they would do in my prior post. They came into the Bell Centre and steam-rolled those French …. Errr guys. As you can tell, I’m really not impressed by the Canadiens and never will be. It’s like a die-hard Red Sox fan liking anything to do with the Yankees. Of course I do not like the Yanks either, but you catch my drift.

Pacing the Bruins for the second game in a row was former member of the hated Canadiens, Newfie Michael Ryder. Ryder scored the equalizer in the first after the Habs took a quick 1-0 lead. Following his first of the game, he set up linemate David Krejci for eventual game-winner and then later added another. I believe that gave the sharp-shooting winger four goals in the series. I don’t feel like looking it up, but take my word for it because I’m very rarely wrong.

Obviously, after the Bruins took a commanding lead last night, it was important to preserve the win but also to be smart and get injured. Of course you had to know something would happen and why not believe it would be between Milan Lucic and Mike Komisarek.

Didn’t Mike Komisarek learn his lesson the first time the two fought? Lucic nearly destroyed his face and ripped his shoulder out of his socket. Apparently not because “Komi” goaded the Luciamotive into another round of fist-a-cuffs. Except this time, Lucic threw one punch that connected with Komisarek’s face and it the fight was over.

Well, I said that ended the fight, but certainly not the feud. Late in the third the Canadiens defenseman looked to try and decapitate Lucic. Yes, real classy to pull that with minimal time on the clock as well the series all but over. Komisarek cross-checked Lucic so hard it snapped his composite stick in half and cut Lucic on the cheek with a face-washing after. Obviously Lucic was fine, but it got Komisarek a five-minute major and 10-minute misconduct. Thus, ending his season a bit prematurely. See ya Mike!

Now that that’s out of the way, who do the Boys of Black ‘N Gold play next? The guess here is that New York finishes off Washington and plays the Bruins because they have the seventh seed. If Washington win it will come down to if Carolina beats New Jersey. Again, if New Jersey wins, it will become the winner of Philly vs. Pittsburgh series. I truly don’t think Washington will come back because Lundquist is too hot. He is playing some real good hockey.

If the Bruins get the Rags, look for Sean Avery to pull his usual. Of course, look for the Bruins to continue in the discipline factor and get to Lundquist quickly.
During the regular season the Bruins went 2-1-1 against the Rangers and shut them out twice (2-0 and 1-0 respectively).

I leave it at that for now. Ill be back soon to weigh in on some Western Conference thoughts as well as some things in the Eastern Conference I expected and didn’t expect.
As for my tournament tonight, Go Hammers!

PS. The Bruins broke out their Victory dance, did you?

Ryder Pushes Former Team to Brink

The 2009 Boston Bruins, owners of the top spot in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, are for real. As the team’s marketing slogan eloquently states, “We want it.” Truer words cannot be spoken. Game three lived up the hype as the pundits fully expected the game to be a physical affair, especially in front of the Montreal faithful.

From the initial puck drop both teams quickly set the tempo with hard hitting and speed. But it was the Bruins who prevailed with the shear will to want it more. For the first time since the lockout the Bruins marketing team can sit down and have a nice cold beer. They finally got the slogan right, “We Want It.”

There is absolutely no question the Bruins want it more than the Canadiens and any skeptics should watch a replay of Chuck Kobasew’s empty net goal. Granted it was an empty netter, but the loose puck battle he won against Captain Saku Koivu for the empty net was pure beauty. It was the proverbial nail in the coffin for the Habs in game three and as far as my eyes can tell, the series.

The Canadiens are on the brink and their fans are most likely on the ledge after last year’s phenomenal season and this year being the organizations 100th anniversary.

The biggest story of the game has to be Bruins forward Michael Ryder though. After a dismal season last year with the hated Canadiens, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli enticed the hard shooting forward with a four-million dollar pact over three three years to cross enemy lines and come play with his former coach Claude Julien. Ryder took a lot of heat in Montreal last year, but it was he who has the last laugh against his former team. The New Foundland native ripped a one-timer from the right faceoff circle off a Dennis Wideman rebound. The shot beat Carey Price under the cross bar for the Bruins third goal and the eventual game winner. No doubt Ryder was excited to see that one cross the goal line for his new team. His words to the fans who booed him all night? OLE THIS!?!?

So, Wednesday the boys in Black ‘N Gold will look to dispose of their hated rivals in game four for the series sweep. This will unquestionably give the B’s some serious confidence (not like they don’t already have it) heading into the second round of the playoffs. For right now, they just need to concentrate on game four and if there is one team that can do it, its Boston.

A four-game sweep will give the Bruins a nice rest period to heal and prepare for that second round while the rest of the first round completes.

This faithful scribe’s guess: The Bruins come in and steam role Montreal in game four to get ready for the semi final matchup versus either the New York Rangers or the winners the Penguins/ Flyers series.

By the way, helmets off to rookie Byron Bitz. Filling in for the suspended Milan Lucic, played defensively responsible and setup linemate Shawn Thornton for the B’s second goal. Depth continues to be a key factor here for the Bruins successful season. Phil Kessel added the other Boston goal on a beautiful tip past Price in the first period.

As for me, good fight and good night!