Tag: NHL

What the Hell, Tuukka?

Last year the Bruins needed to win their last game to have a shot at making the playoffs.  Their #1 goalie, Tuukka Rask, however was sick that day and couldn’t play.  They lost that last game and didn’t qualify for the playoffs.

This year the Bruins had already qualified for the playoffs but needed a win in their last game to avoid getting stuck with a first round match up against the #1 seeded Washington Capitals.  Tuukka didn’t call in sick this time, but the team did give him the day off.  The Bruins lost, the Maple Leafs won, the Bruins dropped to the bottom seed in the Eastern Conference and will now face Washington in the first round.

Awesome.

I don’t really blame Tuukka, but what the hell, Tuukka?!  When we are down three games to none against the Caps are you going to take a day off for game four too?

 

ADDENDUM:

Okay, I guess there still is one way that the Bruins could jump back up to third in the division and not have to face Washington.  Something along the lines of Toronto losing today in regulation.  I guess that would make us even in the first tie breaker, which Toronto currently wins, and the Bruins have the second tie breaker.  Something stupid like that.  It doesn’t matter.  They still gave Tuukka the day off for a must win game, and Tuukka still accepted it.  Dude should have gone to the coach and said screw you, I’m playing.

Bruins – Deja Vu All Over Again?

The Bruins have nine games left.  They are the third seed in the Atlantic division with 82 points.  Toronto is in fourth with 81 points and they are sitting in the second Eastern wild card spot with 11 games left.

Or, that was the case before play started tonight.  Toronto just beat Columbus.

So now the Bruins are out of the Atlantic playoff spots and are sitting in the second wild card spot.  The Islanders are four points back with 11 games left.

Why do I feel like I’ve seen this movie before?

Each of the last two years the Bruins have collapsed in the last days of the regular season and dropped out of the playoffs at the last second.  Am I wrong in fearing that we’re being set up for the same fall this year?  They’ve already lost three in a row.  Is the collapse under way?  I don’t want to believe it, but damn it the evidence is clearly stacking up.  Three final stretch chokes in a row?

It can’t happen again…

Can it?

The Bruins Win The Season Opener

The Boston Bruins opened the 2016–17 season last night with a win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Everyone who is happy that they kicked off the new year with a win, raise your hand.

(Robert raises his hand)

Everyone who walked out to the middle of the Tobin Bridge when Tuukka Rask let in a goal on the very first shot he saw this season, raise your hand.

(Robert raises his hand)

I am so glad hockey is back (especially after the pathetic way the Red Sox season ended) but I know full well that it’s going to be a long year.

Winter Classic

The Bruins are in the Winter Classic this year.  New Years Day against the Canadiens at Gillette Stadium.  I’ve still never been to Gillette.  New Years Day runs the risk of brutally cold weather, and that’s the main reason I didn’t look at tickets when they first became available.

Today though, I just looked at stubhub.  The cheapest tickets they have are running about $220 each.  The seats themselves though… I think they are closer to Rhode Island than to the actual ice.

Still… no, I can’t… but still….

Does Don Sweeney Deserve a Honeymoon Period?

Question for Boston Bruins fans:

Does new GM Don Sweeney deserve a honeymoon period where we lay off the major criticism for a while?

For me?  No.  He doesn’t.  In fact, I already have him on the hot seat.  Doug Hamilton, gone and not replaced.  Not even close.  Milan Lucic, gone and not quite replaced.  We’ve got some new forwards to try and fill his skates, but does anyone really believe we won’t look at that trade and wonder what could have been?  And what did we get in return?  Three first round picks (yay!), none of whom passed the conditioning test on the opening day of training camp (boo!).  Also, Zac Rinaldo… because what the team that can’t score or play defense really needs is a goon.

Remember the start of the baseball season when Red Sox Manager John Farrell tried to tell us that the Sox had five aces when everyone with even the smallest brain could see that we actually had five fifth starters?  Was I the only one who kept thinking of that statement as I watched the Bruins roll out six sixth defensemen last night?  When Torey Krug is getting 20+ minutes of ice time, something is seriously wrong.  Now I know we’ve lost two legitimate top pairing guys to injuries, but the depth is clearly terrible.  Isn’t it then the GM’s job to build up that depth and replace the missing pieces?  How did Sweeney react to the Siedenberg and Chara injuries?  Well, he didn’t.  He failed to supply a roster that could compete in an NHL game.

I suspect we’re going to see a lot of games like last night’s over the course of this season.  Even after Chara and Siedenberg (I’m spelling that wrong, aren’t I) come back.  I suspect Tuukka Rask is going to set a new league record for most shots against in a season.  Is he good enough to be the only line of defense on the ice?  Not nearly.  No one is.

I know last night was only game #1 of the Sweeney regime, but given the performance so far, I can’t imagine his job isn’t in jeopardy already.

Game Six

I really don’t want the Stanley Cup Finals to end tonight. I haven’t watched very much, but I’ve been following everything. Chicago is up three games to two and I hate the Blackhawks after they beat us in the finals a few years ago.

Tampa Bay in seven. Please.

Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

Don Sweeney

The Bruins named Don Sweeney as their new General Manager today.  This may be the first time a player I regularly used while playing EA Sports NHL games on play station has become a GM, but maybe not.  I do expect, however, that he is now the NHL GM with the highest voice.  Finally a soprano sits in the big chair.

All kidding aside, Donny.  Let’s bring my team back to glory, okay?

Rules for Predicting NHL Playoff Results

For years I have been following one rule when making my NHL playoff predictions. That rule is: Never Pick San Jose after the 2nd round. Time after time I picked them to either win the West or win the Cup and they always, always, always choked. I can pick them in the 1st. I can even pick them in the 2nd. Never, though, can I pick them after that. That is rule number one.

After yesterday I now have a rule number two: Never pick St Louis in the first round. They are incapable of winning a first round series so I don’t have to worry about any other round. Three years in a row they go out in one when they should have advanced. My days of picking the St Louis Blues have officially come to an end.

NHL Thoughts

I had a couple of stray, random thoughts while following* the first night of the NHL playoffs.

  • No Bruins… I have a grand total of zero craps to give about everyone else.
  • Oh sure, Ottawa… Now you fricken lose! Jackasses!

And that is about it.

*When I say “following” I mean that I checked the scores at about 8:30, and then again around 10:00. I saw that the Ottawa/Montreal game was close and almost over so I listened to the last couple of minutes. Friggen Ottawa.