Well here we are again, game day against the Carolina Hurricanes (8-10-4) for the second time in a week. The Bruins, who are 14-6-2, are looking to rally from the shoot-out loss to the Blues on Thursday.
In the last five days, the Hurricanes have not, in any way, shape or form, changed from the team we saw on Monday. On Thursday they played and managed to keep pace with the well endowed Detroit Red Wings but still took the 4-3 loss in regulation. Interestingly enough, the Hurricanes opted to put Justin Peters in net that game over Cam Ward. This wasn't necessarily a bad choice, since Justin Peters statistically is better than Cam Ward with a 2.49 GAA and .920 SV%. But statistics didn't seem to matter here because they still lost. I'm going to assume that they'll put Ward in net with us today but who knows, they might shake things up.
In the last five days, the Hurricanes have not, in any way, shape or form, changed from the team we saw on Monday. On Thursday they played and managed to keep pace with the well endowed Detroit Red Wings but still took the 4-3 loss in regulation. Interestingly enough, the Hurricanes opted to put Justin Peters in net that game over Cam Ward. This wasn't necessarily a bad choice, since Justin Peters statistically is better than Cam Ward with a 2.49 GAA and .920 SV%. But statistics didn't seem to matter here because they still lost. I'm going to assume that they'll put Ward in net with us today but who knows, they might shake things up.
And shaking things up might be just what the Hurricanes need to keep pace with the Bruins. As we all recall, the Hurricanes offense only managed to score once on 23 shots on goal while the Bruins scored 4 times off of 26 shots on goal. So if they have any hopes of keeping up and posing a challenge, they need to rethink their offensive strategy (because new flash guys, firing into Tuukka's pads is not going to work). They might want to reconsider their defensive strategy too because their defense was basically invisible on Monday. Again, if they want to keep up with us this game, they're going to need to find a way to stop the Bruins' drives to the net and keep the puck in their attacking zone longer.
Now do I think any of these will actually happen for today? No, not really. With Alexander Semin still on the injured list, there isn't much Coach Muller can do. The offensive chemistry has already been thrown off with the loss of two of their biggest offensive forces at one point. It would only get worse if Muller starts changing what remains of the pre-existing lines around. So Muller's hands are basically tied. And unless the 'Canes can find a way to forge that lost chemistry and adjust their strategies accordingly within the next few hours, I doubt we'll see any change from the play we saw on Monday.
Now even if this miracle occurred, I still think the Bruins will come out on top. Granted, this time we're playing without Dennis Seidenberg, who is still out with an undisclosed injury after Tuesday's game against the Rangers. But after watching Kevan Miller play against the Blues, I'm confident he'll do just fine filling in for Seidenberg as long as we need him too.
Now do I think any of these will actually happen for today? No, not really. With Alexander Semin still on the injured list, there isn't much Coach Muller can do. The offensive chemistry has already been thrown off with the loss of two of their biggest offensive forces at one point. It would only get worse if Muller starts changing what remains of the pre-existing lines around. So Muller's hands are basically tied. And unless the 'Canes can find a way to forge that lost chemistry and adjust their strategies accordingly within the next few hours, I doubt we'll see any change from the play we saw on Monday.
Now even if this miracle occurred, I still think the Bruins will come out on top. Granted, this time we're playing without Dennis Seidenberg, who is still out with an undisclosed injury after Tuesday's game against the Rangers. But after watching Kevan Miller play against the Blues, I'm confident he'll do just fine filling in for Seidenberg as long as we need him too.
So really the only thing I can say about what the Bruins need to do to win this game is: do the same thing we did on Monday. That game was absolutely amazing and the Bruins played the type of hockey we always want to see them play: aggressive, energetic, calculated and consistent. We stick with that mentality and maintain it for all 60 minutes, we're golden.
Here are my players to watch today
- Jarome Iginla: I saw some crazy energy out of Iginla during the Blues game, especially during the third period. He was making shots, getting looks and all around proving that, although he was the biggest band wagon fan on earth when he came to Boston, he is in fact a great fit for the team. Iggy is going to take the energy I saw and capitalize on it today.
- Reilly Smith: As I've said time and time again, this kid is doing phenomenally well . He's third on the team in points with 3 goals and 11 assists and he's +4. He is a great play maker and he's going to utilize that skill tonight (maybe to create that beautiful umbrella formation we saw on Monday)
- Daniel Paille: The Merlot line has been working so hard to do exactly what they're meant for: creating energy. But to me Paille stands out because he has been an all around great offensive player. He's been making plays, taking shots and scoring like no other fourth liner I've seen yet. I mean he has 3 goals and 2 assists. After that beautiful snipe against the Rangers, we all see what he's capable of and with the Hurricanes in the state they're in, Paille should have no problem getting around them.
Score Prediction: 4-2 Bruins Win
Until after the game,
Keep calm and Bergeron!
Keep calm and Bergeron!