In a cringe worthy showing of just how screwed Boston may be without Chara and Krug, the Bruins just barely managed to squeak out a meager 3-2 win over the Buffalol Sabres in overtime to better our record to 6-6-0.
Although it is still early in the season, the Bruins performance tonight was more than a little bit troubling. The fact of the matter is that Chara is getting old and unless he suddenly pulls a Jaromir Jagr, will not be with the Bruins forever. The Bruins are going to have no choice but to adapt their playing style to a lack of big Zee or fall into the trenches that are the bottom of the division and the league. From what I saw tonight, it's obvious that we are going to have a very hard time adapting, and rightfully so, but it's gotta happen sooner or later.
The first period didn't necessarily see anything too memorable play wise out of either team, which isn't a surprise considering who the Sabres are. Both teams were missing passes left and right and weren't providing adequate coverage across the ice. It was just sloppy and terrible to watch.
I guess the best part of the period was probably seeing Milan Lucic go beast mode on Chris Stewart. It was a welcome change out of Lucic, who has once again started this season off sluggishly. But the fight did nothing to spark any energy out of either team so the game continued to drag on.The Bruins also saw a penalty from Joe Morrow for holding against none other than Chris Stewart. The team was able to hold their ground though and keep the score tied 0-0 after one.
The second period was where things started to unravel a little bit for the Bruins. The Bruins provided the Sabres with a power play goal early in the second period, ending a terrible power play streak for them. And then, out of absolutely no where, comes glass man himself Adam McQuaid, who buries a shot past Enroth after a kind of pretty effort from Soderberg to free up the puck. This would be McQuaid's first goal of the season. But the momentum from the goal was basically nonexistent and five minutes later the Sabres pulled ahead again off a goal from Tyler Ennis. Yuck.
Although it is still early in the season, the Bruins performance tonight was more than a little bit troubling. The fact of the matter is that Chara is getting old and unless he suddenly pulls a Jaromir Jagr, will not be with the Bruins forever. The Bruins are going to have no choice but to adapt their playing style to a lack of big Zee or fall into the trenches that are the bottom of the division and the league. From what I saw tonight, it's obvious that we are going to have a very hard time adapting, and rightfully so, but it's gotta happen sooner or later.
The first period didn't necessarily see anything too memorable play wise out of either team, which isn't a surprise considering who the Sabres are. Both teams were missing passes left and right and weren't providing adequate coverage across the ice. It was just sloppy and terrible to watch.
I guess the best part of the period was probably seeing Milan Lucic go beast mode on Chris Stewart. It was a welcome change out of Lucic, who has once again started this season off sluggishly. But the fight did nothing to spark any energy out of either team so the game continued to drag on.The Bruins also saw a penalty from Joe Morrow for holding against none other than Chris Stewart. The team was able to hold their ground though and keep the score tied 0-0 after one.
The second period was where things started to unravel a little bit for the Bruins. The Bruins provided the Sabres with a power play goal early in the second period, ending a terrible power play streak for them. And then, out of absolutely no where, comes glass man himself Adam McQuaid, who buries a shot past Enroth after a kind of pretty effort from Soderberg to free up the puck. This would be McQuaid's first goal of the season. But the momentum from the goal was basically nonexistent and five minutes later the Sabres pulled ahead again off a goal from Tyler Ennis. Yuck.
Then comes the third period. The Bruins can't seem to find their scoring groove for the first 11 minutes of the period and things were looking pretty abysmal. We got a few good looks and some chances but not enough to make me jump for joy. Until the little honey badger himself comes back to life and scores with a little over 5 minutes left in the period to tie up the game, which would then force the overtime.
And oh boy was overtime stressful. People were falling all over the place, sticks were going every where, people looked confused. It was a lot happening all at once. But the Bruins, by some stroke of luck or hockey god intervention, were able to keep the Sabres stuck in their own zone for over a minute, which was just long enough for Marchand to rip the puck off the crossbar and past Enroth to end the game and give the Bruins the win. I don't think I've been that stressed out since the last time Dougie tried to get scrappy. Phew.
And oh boy was overtime stressful. People were falling all over the place, sticks were going every where, people looked confused. It was a lot happening all at once. But the Bruins, by some stroke of luck or hockey god intervention, were able to keep the Sabres stuck in their own zone for over a minute, which was just long enough for Marchand to rip the puck off the crossbar and past Enroth to end the game and give the Bruins the win. I don't think I've been that stressed out since the last time Dougie tried to get scrappy. Phew.
Bruins Positives
1. Marchand came alive tonight after what was arguably a very slow start for the scrappy winger. We haven't seen Marchand score two goals in one game, never mind an overtime goal, in quite some time. The Bruins are going to need guys like Marchy to step up offensively to help counterbalance our defensive loss and provide some much needed energy and momentum during games.
2. Adam McQuaid's goal was also pretty impressive all things considered. I'm surprised he didn't break something in the process.
3. Svedberg's stats under normal conditions would usually be considered less than acceptable, but all things considered, he held his own pretty well. I'd prefer to not give up 2 goals on 15 shots to a team like the Sabres, who couldn't even get off 10 shots in a game the last time they played, but I'll take what I can get.
2. Adam McQuaid's goal was also pretty impressive all things considered. I'm surprised he didn't break something in the process.
3. Svedberg's stats under normal conditions would usually be considered less than acceptable, but all things considered, he held his own pretty well. I'd prefer to not give up 2 goals on 15 shots to a team like the Sabres, who couldn't even get off 10 shots in a game the last time they played, but I'll take what I can get.
Bruins Negatives
1. Why is everyone broken?
2. We had to go to overtime against the Buffalol Sabres, the worst team in the Atlantic Division. Like what. That shouldn't even be a thing, especially considering not only did we beat them 4-0 last time we saw them, but also considering IT'S THE SABRES.
3. Those d-pairings honestly make me want to rip my hair out.
4. This isn't Bruins related but I just had to say something. I don't know if anyone else saw it but someone needs to tell Buffalol fans that we're at a hockey game, not a baseball game during the 7th inning stretch and as such the wave is not an acceptable form of bleacher entertainment. You all just look dumb. But then again, if you're a Sabres fan, dumb might be an understatement so that might just justify it.
2. We had to go to overtime against the Buffalol Sabres, the worst team in the Atlantic Division. Like what. That shouldn't even be a thing, especially considering not only did we beat them 4-0 last time we saw them, but also considering IT'S THE SABRES.
3. Those d-pairings honestly make me want to rip my hair out.
4. This isn't Bruins related but I just had to say something. I don't know if anyone else saw it but someone needs to tell Buffalol fans that we're at a hockey game, not a baseball game during the 7th inning stretch and as such the wave is not an acceptable form of bleacher entertainment. You all just look dumb. But then again, if you're a Sabres fan, dumb might be an understatement so that might just justify it.