What a tale of different periods man. The Bruins came out of the gate flying, like the Mighty Ducks vs Trinidad and Tobago and then throughout the rest of the game played like the Mighty Ducks vs. Iceland (the first game). Now I know it was Team USA, but let's call a spade a spade here – it was the Mighty Ducks. Also, Mighty Ducks 3? Complete and utter horseshit.
I'm not really sure what to make of this team right now. I'm a little worried about Tuukka Rask, to be honest with you. If we go back to his 5-0 shutout over the Ottawa Senators on 12/27, the numbers after aren't great.
| Goals Against | Shots Against | Save Percentage | Shutouts | |
| at Ottawa | 3 | 12 | .750 | 0 |
| vs NYI | 5 | 31 | .839 | 0 |
| vs. WPG | 1 | 37 | .973 | 0 |
| at ANA | 5 | 20 | .750 | 0 |
We are looking at a goaltender who has almost hit his career high (39) in starts (34 as of last night) with a little less than half the season left. And while I may be making a mountain out of a mole hill, this goal worried me:
Rask moving after the puck was already in the back of the net is a little worrisome. It could be nothing, it could be that Rask couldn't see the puck between Bartkowski and Patrick Maroon but if you watch the gif, I don't know if that's the case.
There's only one way to describe his play lately.
But I don't want to hang this all on Rask, that's just a concern going forward. Last night's first period was pretty great. The Bruins were flying high, hanging with Anaheim stride for stride and really making Hiller work for his money. Hiller, of course, was bailing the Ducks out left and right with glove saves so dressed up Braden Holtby thought they were his from the 2011-2012 first round of the playoffs.
Also, what the fuck is going on with the fans down there. Look at these clowns.
Do you even body bump glass bro?
After the jump, the rest of the recap…
– Dan Paille on the first line held his weight last night. While not a first line player every night, Paille has shown that he is versatile and can play where need be. Last night he played on the first line, on the fourth line, scored a goal and logged 17:30 TOI. This coming from a player who normally plays about 10 minutes a game.
– Dougie Hamilton scored the other goal for the Bruins last night. It was a shit show of a goal, with the puck bouncing and bodies upon bodies stacked on Hiller, but they don't ask how. I couldn't believe Dougie could fit it in there to be honest.
This guy is smooth. Like Gary Coleman.
Gregory Campbell should receive something for this clear elbow. I don't know what he was thinking, but holy shit that's not the smartest play to make out there. I'm not one to suspend someone based on injury, I believe you should suspend on action. An elbow to the head of a guy that concusses someone should be punished the same as an elbow to the head of someone who doesn't get concussed.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=afn0f1-2CVA
Yeah, Mathieu Perreault didn't get hurt or leave the game, but shit like that shouldn't be in hockey.
The Bruins…
Penalty Kill…
Blew.
For a team that is known for it's penalty kill, Boston allowed Anaheim to go 3/3 on the power play. It wasn't even that Boston couldn't kill a penalty, it's that Anaheim scored with relative ease on all of them. I mean, look at Nick Bonino's goal. Gregory Campbell is lunging for him because both he and Adam McQuaid have no idea that Bonino is making a sub in the slot.
It was pathetic last night.
– Which Tuukka Rask shows up Thursday in Los Angeles?
– Will Jack Edwards make scary faces on TV again?
– Why the hell was Marchand dancing?
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