Sure they've been in every game, and blown most of 'em. Another wasted effort last night. This has gotta end sometime. Right?

They have been outplayed at the end of the games by every team they've played, though. This has been a pattern for them; they lose their legs in the 3rd period because they're an old team fundamentally maladjusted to the new NHL style.

Leech was worth the price.

Leetch has been quite good this season; he's not the problem. It's Gill (as expected) and Moran who've been awful; Moran played less than 1 minute last night however so I guess he can't be fully blamed for the loss. Dallman seemed to struggle as well. Boynton has not come into form yet either.

The Bruins have scored more goals than just about every other team in the league. That's a good sign. Only Colorado, Toronto, and Detroit have scored more.
Our PP% is around 19%, which is strong.

Conversely, only Washington and Pittsburgh have allowed more goals than the B's.
Our SH% is 81%, which is not strong.

This team is going to be ok IMO. Our defense is pretty bad right now but it's going to come around. I think it's just a matter of time before we see O'Connell make a trade for a defenseman. Anyone need an Andy Hilbert? Anyone? Anyone?

You must have missed the three games where Leetch was on the ice for 11 of 13 goals against, and Gill & Moran were not.

Although I agree that Leetch isn't the problem, the way he is being used is the problem.

I didn't miss them, but to me Leetch doesn't look slow or look lost out there. He's never been a great defensive defenseman. He's still a mobile puck mover.

WEEI: Raycroft pulled hammy. Out indefinatly. Hannu starting goalie. Jordan Sigalet called up from Providence.

$100 says this came when he had to stretch out for the Cole save. This is where Hannu can prove he's ready for the NHL - he's been pretty good so far, and was great in relief of Raycroft the other night. I'm also interested to see how Sigalet fares.

Strange that they called up Sigalet and not Thomas. Wonder if Thomas is regretting coming back from Finland right about now.

More bad news:

P-Bruins Girard considers retirement

pretty smart for him IMO, if he can't get healthy and get back to a good level of play. his insurance policy is tax free.

It's also not necessarily the end of the road for him if he does retire. Bryan Berard had a similar insurance settlement when he retired, and he negotiated something with his insurance company to allow him to play again.

Whenever Bill McCreary makes a penalty call, I just cannot stop laughing.

McCreary:



Ben Stiller in Happy Gilmore:

Bruins win! Hannnnnnnnuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!! 36 saves and a Tom Fitzgerald brain cramp away from a shutout.

Andrew who?

This guy looks a little better than Potvin and will probably do a good enough job in Raycroft's stead. Now, if the Bruins can improve their penalty killing, they might win some of those games where they score 3+ goals...and don't play Pittsburgh.

That settlement with the insurance company to play again pretty much consisted of giving back the insurance company all of the money they paid him.

Raycroft to Vancouver for Mattias Ohlund.

Git 'r Done O'C.

But did he give it all back immediately in the hope that he would be able to earn it again, or did he pay it back gradually as he earned it?

Girard's settlement is $3 million, after taxes, I think. To earn that much in the NHL, he'd probably have to be in the NHL for 4-5 seasons, unless he came back and had a monster year, which isn't likely.

I think he had to give it all back immediately.

According tothis article, he had to give it all back, but not immediately:


I would imagine it would be a no lose situation for Girard and the insurance company to make a similar arrangement, if it is possible for Girard to resume his career.

if you recall i said something about the hf boards pimping hannu to play over raycroft. well, raycroft is very steady, but hannu just looks like he is going to be special between the pipes. his glove is automatic.

jumbo is playing amazing tonight.

Nice of the officials to just let the New Jersey player park in the crease while the Devils make it a one goal game.

AGGGGGH.

Another blown game. Very disappointing once again.

BC connection does in the Bruins. Gionta scores on the shootout, and Clemmenson made the big stop.

While Leetch blows a near empty-netter with less than a minute to go.

well fuck this.

2 goals against on 26 shots the first 2 periods. 2 goals on 7 shots in the 3rd.

way to give them NINE power plays.

Yup, those 4 GA and 2 shootout scores allowed were much better than Raycroft.

Dumb penalties. Bad defense. Losing. It's called tradition. It's called Bruins.

This team sucks after 3 periods. They've perfected losing early on in this season, allowing teams to come back from just about any defecit and tie the game late in regulation, sucking in OT, and pinpointing the crossbar and the posts in shootout attempts instead of the space below and between them.

Oh, and Nick Boynton: you have NO right to be angry about the other team tying the game on a penalty when you spent the first few games of the season sitting on your ass holding your hand out. Douchebag.

Toivonen, Raycroft...it doesn't matter. If the O doesn't score at least 5 goals, they lose. I think I'm going to start turning the TV off if they let the other team tie it up late, because they just can't get it done in OT or in the SO.

Ugh. Add 5 more minutes to OT, I say. I also say scrap the shootout and let 'em play until someone wins. Losing to a shootout is almost worse than a tie; at least in a tie, the team gets a point.

Yup. And Brickley and Dale Arnold never mentioned a word about it, except to say that Clemenson made a great play. Wrong. Hell, I could have stopped that one, it was right at the goalie and right along the ice.

Breaking news...

It's easy to bitch after the game, but letting them play 5 on 4 all night isn't going to be good for God let alone a goalie. One goal was on him when he tried to clear it but whiffed, but he kept them in the game the first two periods.

Oh well, our D is pathetic. When they hold the puck in your zone for the full 2 minutes wihtout a clear more than once you are in trouble.

Ah, they still get a point. B's have now earned at least one point in five straight games (2-0-3).

They are right at .500.

When is Sullivan going to learn that Leetch sucks at the end of games if he gets too many minutes? Or that Brad Boyes is good?

Brad Boyes, Brad Boyes, what you gonna do? What you gonna do when they come for you? Brad Boyes, Brad Boyes....

Wow. And I thought the worst Brad Boyes name joke that would be made would refer to Michael Jackson's favorite hockey player.

2-2 after 2 Periods... with about 3 minutes left in the 2nd, Leetch went in to dive for a puck and took all of a player (I believe it was Jason Blake)'s weight in his right knee. Was able to skate off and across the ice to go to the dressing room, but it looks bad.

edit: Shit. Leetch has a sprained knee and Isbister has a groin problem.

And now it's over.

Sucking...it's called Bruins.

Edit: Tie game! Might go to OT! Which means another loss! Woohoo!

So this is what its like when the other team suffers a blown lead. Huh. I wonder what it's like to win in OT.

I don't know. Neither do the Bruins. More proof the B's can't win without 5 guys on the ice.

Ended with less than a minute to go in OT by Shawn fucking Bates. Our defense is nothing short of atrocious, and without Leetch, we could suck more.

Keep wondering.

Save percentage for Hannu last night was .800.

The Bruins have lost 7 of 9.

And the goal Hannu gave up in the 3rd was Charmin soft.

Yeah they have lost 7 of 9, but they have 8 points in those 9 games

The Bruins have been absolutely abysmal, and have lost 7 one goal games so far this year. they have been hampered badly by injuries and the Boynton holdout. Everything has just been awful. Yet they are sitting there 3rd in the division and 9th in the conference.

This is a good news bad news situation. they can and they will play better.

They looked awful last night versus the Isles.

So much of the passing was sloppy and forced. When a good skating team like NY starts cycling in the offensive end, this Bruins' defense corps becomes seemingly disoriented. Everyone starts skating out of position and these amazing offensive opportunities start opening up.

The Bruins losing Leetch for any amount of time is a huge hit to this team. Earlier in the game, I actually started thinking that I liked the Slegr/Leetch pairing on the blueline. Both guys have good scoring/playmaking skills. Slegr jumped into the fray quite a few times and created opportunities.

Watching this team allow the first goal, lose in OT and blow leads is becoming a bit like Groundhog Day. If Leetch is out for an extended period of time, I almost think O'Connell has to make a move to get a defenseman.

This sums it up.

Then we ought to bring her back.

Leetch out for a month.

Link

why would Glen Murray be one of the players taking a shot during a shootout? are they allowed one-timers during the shootout, does he actually have any stick handling ability beyond taking the one-timer? not trying to rip on Glen, he's doing a good job and all but these OT losses are killing me, especially the shootouts...

I'd put the shootout order as follows:

Samsonov
Axelsson
Thornton

I just think PJ has the puckhandling ability and quickness to deke a goalie in a 1 v 1 situation.

how has the d been tonight? just got in.