Two U's, Two K's, Two Points.

                                                  Bruins 3 - Oilers 2

For the first time this season, we have been able to celebrate "Tuukka Time" in three straight games in which Tuukka Rask has started. The B's were able to take care of business last night in Edmonton while on upset alert. It looked like the Bruins were primed for a let down early on letting in an early Oiler goal, but were reluctant to give in. The Bruins got goals from Michael Ryder (17), Nathan Horton (17) and from Rich Peverley (15, 1st as a Bruin). Despite a third period goal by Gilbert Brule, the Bruins were able to hang on for their 5th straight win (5-0-0 on the trip) on the second night of a back to back which has seen them beat both the best and worst of what the NHL has to offer.

Couple Thoughts from last nights game.....

Rich Peverley is FAST. He brings a set of wheels that the Bruins need to force pressure and make the dump and chase an effective tool for this team (RMC take note).

If Brad Marchand was not on this Bruins squad, I think I would hate him. Hes scrappy, and he irritates the hell out of opposing teams, must be the French in him. (Credit Brady Kain for pointing this out to me)

Who gave Milan Lucic a mean pill? The guy is on fire offensively and he actually fought for the first time in fucking forever last night.

Who knew winning faceoffs would be such a huge addition to this team? Chris Kelly has brought some skill at the faceoff dot. Gaining possession off the draw takes alot of pressure off this team. (Cam Scola take note)

AND....Latitude's Buffalo Chicken Wings are delicious.

With this win, the Bruins total 79 points and increased their lead in the Northeast Division to 6 points over Montreal with 1 game in hand. They look to sweep their 6 game road trip in Ottawa on Tuesday. Anything short of a Heart Attack will not prevent me from watching this game. Go Bruins!

Statement Made.....Bruins vs. Oilers 8 p.m. @ Rexall Place

                     
                                    Bruins 3 - Canucks 1

Yup. Thats right. The Boston Bruins have officially put the rest of the NHL on notice. They are contenders. In, arguably, the biggest game of the season, the Black and Gold never gave up and kept working for every inch of ice. Proving victorious against the NHL's best team....in their barn, no less. At the end of the first period, the Bruins found themselves in a 1-0 hole. Cause for concern? Not for this team. The Bruins responded with three unanswered goals by Nathan Horton (16), Milan Lucic (27) and an empty netter by Patrice Bergeron (21).  Tim Thomas once again played like an MVP giving the Bruins the confidence they needed to come back from a 1 goal deficit and win their 4th straight game on this 6 game road trip.

Wish I could say more about this game, but trying to watch a Bruins game while drinking several pitchers of beer, hanging with mary, playing "Would You Rather" and watching females play "Dirty Scrabble" at the Brewery is not really conducive to an in depth analysis. My sincerest apologies.

But with the win, the Bruins kept their lead in the Northeast Division at 4 points as Montreal eked out a 4-3 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins head to Edmonton tonight to take on the league-worst Oilers at Rexall Place. TRAP GAME ALERT! For real folks, beating the best team in the league on Saturday and having to play the worst team in the league on Sunday has let down written all over it. If the Bruins can keep focus, and bring their game tonight, it should be an easy 2 points. Bet your wife and kids that Tuukka gets the start tonight in Oil Country.

Prediciton: After last nights huge W, the Bruins take care of business. Seguin out duels fellow draftee Taylor Hall. Bruins 4 - Oilers 2.

"SALAH-BRATION" ...... Part Deux

                                     Wesleyan 5 - Hamilton 2

In what may be billed as the biggest game to date in Wesleyan Hockey history, Captain Thomas Jason Salah fueled the Cardinals to victory. In the first round of the NESCAC tournament, #8 Wesleyan was pitted against #1 seed Hamilton Continentals. In the schools history, Wesleyan had never won a tournament game. But that was about to change.

A Former GHS standout, widely known for his glorious overtime goal to win the MIAA State Championship in 2006, Salah scored two goals in this contest, including the eventual game winner at 12:01 of the second period. Salah and his teammates join the Men's Lacrosse team as the only two teams in NESCAC tournament history to prove victorious versus a #1 seed as the  #8 seed.

When asked about how the historic victory felt, Salah replied; "It feels good, a year of history." According to Salah, there were 3 regular season firsts, including beating nationally ranked #3 Norwich University. In response to whether this victory was bigger than the original "Salah-Bration," he replied...."No, but yes." A unique answer from a unique individual.

Wesleyan will now take on the Williams Ephs in the second round of tournament play. In this win or go home atmosphere, You can bet your ass Salah will be ready.

Bruins vs. Canucks 10 p.m. @ Rogers Arena

The Boston Bruins continue their Western Canadian road trip tonight in the beautiful city of Vancouver, home of the NHL-best Canucks. Roberto Luongo and co. have been tough as nails throughout the entire season. With 87 points, they lead the Philadelphia Flyers by one point in the race for the Presidents Trophy (Best Record). The Canucks are coming off a 3-2 victory over the floundering St. Louis Blues. The Sedin twins (Daniel and Henrik) are having another successful season combining for a silly 153 points thus far.

This is the only meeting between the two clubs during the '10/'11 regular season.

The Bruins, on the other hand, are third in the Eastern Conference with 75 points, comfortably leading the Northeast Division by 4 points over Montreal with two games in hand. Like it or not, this is a HUGE game for the B's. Coming off a 3-1 victory over Calgary on Tuesday (solid all around effort), the Bruins need to prove to their fans, but most of all themselves, that they can bring a solid, physical game every game night. Because in the playoffs, if you do not bring it every night, spending a day with Lord Stanley's Cup will have to wait another year.

Prediction: The Bruins FINALLY bring a solid effort in back to back big games. Milan Lucic continues his stellar season in a homecoming of sorts. But ultimately, goaltending is key. Bruins 3 - Canucks 2

Makin' Moves.

The Boston Celtics made some interesting, and in some eyes confusing trades during the last hour of the NBA trade deadline. Let's break it down. The C's sent Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Thunder for big men Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. The Celtics also received the Los Angeles Clipper's first round pick in 2012, owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder. In addition, Marques Daniels has been sent to Sacramento for "straight cash homie." Were not done yet. Semih Erden and Luke Harangody have been moved to Cleveland in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2013.

A lot of people are upset about Perkins making the transition out west. One must understand his current contract expires at the end of this season. In addition, Perk is injury prone. At the same time, Kendrick was a key part of that great interior D. In my opinion, this might bite Boston in the ass come playoff time because of his playoff experience what he brings to the table in terms of team chemistry. On another note, as much as I liked Daniels, his departure is understandable. He is currently injured and will probably miss the rest of the season. So recieving cash for other options is a smart play at this juncture in the season.

So now some real interesting moves will be made. The Celtics have three open roster spots, and I'm sure they are waiting until players are waived and then they'll add some pieces to strengthen their bench. Insiders say Troy Murphy will be in Boston soon, with TJ Ford a likely second choice. Let's not get pissed off just yet. Let's see what else Celtic's General Manager Danny Ainge has up his sleeve before we give these shenanigans he calls trades a thumbs down.

- Zeke

Road Warriors

              
                                            Bruins 3 - Flames 1

The Bruins continued their solid play on the road with a workman-like win over the red-hot Calgary Flames last night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. All the while, the Bruins extended their win streak to three games as they have started their longest road trip of the season 3-0-0. Milan Lucic (26-16-42) scored twice for the B's, including a beautiful tip-in driving hard to the net on a solid slap pass from David Krejci. Catching the Flames in a change, Looch drove hard to the net to beat the defenseman and grabbed the goal less than 1 minute into the contest. The game remained 1-0 until 6 minutes had gone by in the third frame when Brad Marchand executed on a wide open net off a re-direct from Patrice Bergeron, giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead. It was "Marshmonts" (see: 98.5 The Sports Hub) 19th of the season. Curtis Glencross made it interesting at 2-1 in the waning minutes on a power play but the Bruins were able to add an ENG to seal the win and 2 points.

7 full days of rest was just what the doctor ordered for #1 netminder Tim Thomas. Serving as the back up for the past two contests helped Timmy get the rest he needed to get back on his Vezina-esque game. Coming up with timely stops, while having a goalies best friend (the post) bail him out a few times, he kept the Bruins in the lead for good. Per-usual, the Bruins defense had a couple lapses and only one proved costly as Timmy was able to challenge the shooters. 3 more days of rest will help keep Thomas sharp heading into Vancouver on Saturday.

It seems that new comers Rich Peverley and Chris Kelley have provided a spark in the forward corps as the front 12 brought their forecheck to another level last night. Sticks in passing lanes and solid body contact created numerous turnovers some of which leading to scoring chances. This is the blueprint for success down the line and into the playoffs. Winning individual battles is key in creating scoring chances and winning games. The Bruins showed that willingness to battle last night in an arena that they have not proved victorious in over 13 years until last night.

The importance of last nights win was magnified after the fact because of Montreal's surprising win over the NHL-leading Canucks late last night. They remain 4 points ahead of the Habs and still sit in the third position in the East. A good portion of the B's upcoming schedule is on the road, which has been friendly to them this year as they have amassed a 19-7-4 record away from the Garden. 

All in all, the Bruins showed that they can compete with the best of what the NHL has to offer after they had a few dismal performances against Detroit. The question of consistency will come into play before a HUGE tilt vs. Vancouver on Saturday. If the Bruins can bring the same effort showed last night, every night, there is a very good chance our boys in the Black and Gold can make a deep run into Lord Stanley's playoffs. GO BRUINS!

Bruins vs. Flames 9 p.m. @ Scotiabank Saddledome

The Bruins continue their 6 game roadtrip in Calgary, Alberta as they take on the upstart Calgary Flames. After a dismal start had most pundits writing off the Flames this season, Jarome Iginla and co. have stepped up their game. Calgary is 7-1-2 in their last 10 games, including a 4-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens in the Heritage classic at frigid McMahon Stadium on Sunday. They sit in 6th place in the Western Conference with 70 points.

The Bruins still sit in 3rd place in the East with 73 points. Having won 2 in a row against cream puff teams has not completely answered the questions regarding the dismal 3 game losing streak a week ago. Rich Peverley makes his Bruins debut wearing # 49 following his trade from the Atlanta Thrashers. The Bruin's Power Play, even without the specialist Tomas Kaberle, has produced at least one goal in each of the last 6 games. Continued production from special teams play will be key for the Black and Gold to have a successful stretch run. Tuukka Rask has played solid the past two games giving Tim Thomas a rest to keep his game sharp.

Securing a W in tonight's contest is crucial as the road trip does not get any easier with 2 more games in Western Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton) with another game against Ottawa thereafter.

Prediction: The Bruins are still working on the chemistry of their new look squad but are able to eek out an overtime victory. Bruins 3 - Flames 2 O/T

NESN Sweats Kaberle's Nuts

                                         Bruins 4 - Senators 2

Tomas Kaberle arrived at ScotiaBank Place no more than 20 minutes before the game warm-ups were set to take place. Walking through the teams pregame soccer ball circle shaking each and every new teammates hand as he made his way down the line. Donning the number 12 jersey because his number 15 has been retired by the Bruins thanks to franchise great Milt Schmidt.

No sooner had the game started, Kaberle was paired with fellow defenceman Dennis Sidenberg. He was thrown into the mix on the first power play, and although unsuccessful, fan favorite play by play man Jack Edwards was quick to suggest that the Bruins power play was light years better due to Kaberle's puck movement skills.

The game started off slow, maybe due to the fact of having new faces Kaberle and Chris Kelly being thrown into the mix, or because it was the second game of back to back nights. But none the less, the Bruins found themselves down 1-0 midway thru the second period. Brad Marchand provided the equalizer with a snip from the top of the right circle. Then halfway thru the third period Nathan Horton broke the tie with a hard wrister from the top of the left dot. Sidenberg and Marchand added insurance goals 30 seconds apart in the waning moments of the final frame.

Tuukka Rask won his second game in as many nights and he begins to gain confidence while giving starting goaltender Tim Thomas a well needed/deserved rest. A spectacular right pad save in the third period helped keep the Bruins primed for victory. As the "old" saying goes.... Two U's, Two K's, Two Points.

The Black and Gold improved to 33-19-7 with 73 points and a 4 point lead over Montreal in the Northeast Division. 3 days off will prove vital for the new-look club as a date with upstart Calgary awaits at the Pengrowth Saddledome on Tuesday for game 3 of a six game Canadian roadie.

The Kaberle Effect - Bruins vs. Senators 7:30 p.m. @ Scotiabank Place

The Boston Bruins made this Friday, February 18th a busy day. Acquiring power play specialist Tomas Kaberle from Toronto for former first round pick and AHL forward Joe Colborne, a late first round pick in this summers upcoming draft, and a conditional second round pick. In completing this long speculated potential deal, Kaberle offers solid play making at the blue line (especially on the power play) and a strong break out ability which the Bruins have been lacking thus far this season. Kaberle will allow Marc Rechhi to play forward in front of the net on the PP and he will no longer be the play maker on the point (which had been frustrating due to the lack of a slap shot.)

In order to free up cap space to acquire Kaberle, the Bruins had to make a secondary deal. Much maligned forward Blake Wheeler and underachieving defenseman Mark Stuart have been dealt to Atlanta for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik. Peverley has provided quality play thus far this season and will replace Wheeler nicely. Valabik will be sent to AHL Providence. This trade has left a sour taste in some of your mouths due to the fact that Wheeler has "blossomed" recently. Stuart and Wheeler were the 2 players that fit the expendability/cap hit equation in which the Bruins needed to make this trade.

Another con to the Kaberle trade is that he is an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of this season. Giving up a first rounder and a first round player in Colborne is a steep price for a 3 month rental. But what he can provide as an immediate fix is worth it, and if he resigns next season its gravy.

Making an immediate impact, Kaberle will be in uniform tonight as well as newly acquired forward Chris Kelley as the Bruins take on Ottawa. The Senators are in last place in the Eastern Conference and are sellers at this trade deadline. Boston looks to increase its division lead on Montreal to 4 points and try to start their 6 game road trip off right with 2 straight wins over floundering franchises.

Prediction: Unclear how Kaberle will perform in his first game with the B's. But Ottawa sucks and I see the Bruins taking care of business. Bruins 3 - Senators 1.

Three Point Land

Sorry this is a couple days late folks anyway, Walter Ray Allen passes Reggie Miller for the most three pointers made in NBA history. Since 1998 Millers record has held strong, well that changed on ray ray's 6430th 3 point attempt. No, he didn't connect on all of course, but the three point kings 2061st three beat the record. Ray-Ray has the record for most three pointers made in a single season, most threes in a half, in a playoff series, in a playoff game and in a finals game. He's first all time in three pointers made in All-Star Game history as well. Basically he's the 10th wonder of the world.

When you watch the Celtics you cant help but notice all those screens you see set for Ray, but the truth is these screens were even more prevalent In his career while playing with Seattle and Milwaukee. He was the go to guy on those other teams, but not for the Celtics having 4 of there 5 starters all star players. Stats show there are a number of players with higher percentage behind the three point line, but none of them shot the ball as much. Steve Nash and John Stockton are a couple with a higher percentage, but they are point guards and frankly point guards don't score much. Sure, other shooters like Larry Bird and Reggie Miller, who shot high percentages and still carried their offense from shooting, deserve a place in the best gunslinger discussion. As Ray Allen continues to shatter almost every shooting record, he begins to sit on his thrown comfortably at the top.

-Zeke.

Mario Lemieux......L-7 WEEEENIEEE

Over this past weekend, NHL great Mario Lemieux broke his silence over his thoughts of the leagues disciplinary procedures after his Pittsburgh Penguins lost a 9-3 Laugher/Brawl fest at the hands of the LOWLY New York Islanders. "Hockey is a tough, physical game, and it always should be. But what happened Friday night on Long Island wasn't hockey. It was a travesty, It was painful to watch the game I love turn into a sideshow like that." Now I must admit this much, The Islanders are pathetic and the display they put on in that DUMP of an arena was despicable. But Really Mario, Really? You've got some serious balls to come out and say what you did. Balls that you completely lacked during your playing days, too.

I will tell you what is a "Travesty," Mario. A player on your payroll coming across the ice and giving a blindside elbow to Marc Savard's Temple. Potentially ruining his career. The same player that just got suspended no more than a week ago for one of the dirtiest hits of the season. If you want to get rid of the so called "sideshow" aspect of the NHL, look no further than releasing your very own Matt Cooke. Pathetic. Another thing, how can you possibly complain about fighting in the sport of hockey when YOUR TEAM leads the league in fighting majors and penalties. Now, again, at least 10 of those came at the hands of the Islanders but that still would put the Penguins in the Top 5. Karma is a BITCH.

Mario even complained about the discipline handed down by the NHL. The two players who sparked each brawl, received a cumulative 13 games in suspensions (they wont even be missed). The financially strapped Islanders were also given a 100,000 dollar fine for their antics. Seems pretty fair to me.

"If the events relating to Friday night reflect the state of the [NHL], I need to rethink whether I want to be a part of it." As YA-YA put it so elequently in the family movie "Sandlot"...he is an L-7 Weenie. In harsher terms, Super Mario is a Flaming Pussy with a serious yeast infection. My man and hockey insider Scott Burnside of ESPN.com hit the nail right on the head with his editorial this morning. Mario is a "Delicate Flower." In a little more than a round about way of saying it, Mario is a Spoiled Little Brat that needs to disappear entirely. SHUT THE FUCK UP until you can say that your team is no longer part of this "sideshow."

Video of The Week : "The Little Giants"

A clip from my FAVORITE childhood movie every day this week. This movie is so m-f'ing gangster it makes K.G. look like a poodle. True underdog revenge story. Not to mention the lovable band of losers play for my FAVORITE football team and beat my most HATED rival.

Blame It On The Bait Man

A month ago today, the Gloucester Times ran a story that really rubbed me the wrong way. For those who aren’t aware, Raf the Bait Man was given the boot from his Commercial Street spot in order “to ease congestion in a heavily trafficked part of the city's downtown.”

This is what I refer to as ‘bullshit.’

I find it a bit sickening that Mayor Kirk and the 9 Dwarfs (a.k.a. Gloucester City Council) actually have the balls to tell a man who is trying to earn an honest living selling bait out the back of his van that he can no longer do so. And I’m curious as to how being parked in a parking spot on the side of the road fucks up the vehicular flow in that part of town. I’m sure that the 5-way intersection at Tally’s has nothing to do with the “congestion” on a typical summer day in a city that thrives on beach traffic. Nah. The real scapegoat here is the Bait Man; a genuinely good person who sells reasonably priced fresh herring and fishing tackle in America’s oldest seaport.

I truly believe that Gloucester residents laugh at the leadership of this city just so they don’t cry. Why fix the water mains that are centuries old and break every other week when we can dump millions of dollars into “preserving” City Hall, which could realistically topple over at any moment in time? And why fix the sinkholes around town when we can spend our time running the harmless Bait Man out of town?

Let’s continue to eat away at the local charm of this city until it fails to exist. I bet Smokin’ Jim will be next on the chopping block because the fumes spewing from his grills are too intoxicating to passer-bys.

But there’s a deeper issue here than what’s on the surface. This had nothing to do with traffic; this was about removing someone that our great city leaders deemed as an ‘outsider.’ This man had a permit to set up shop in that spot and conduct business, just like the woman that sells flowers near the rotary, and these morons revoked his permit. So from now on, I guess I’ll head to Winchester’s and pay a dollar per fish that I can’t even use the day I buy it because it’s a frozen block. They can blame it on the Bait Man now, but come summer, who’s the next victim?

-Coon

Red Wings vs. Bruins 7 p.m. @ TD Garden

The Perennial Powerhouse Detroit Red Wings come into town tonight looking to right the ship against the rough and tough Boston Bruins. Boston is third in the East with 69 points coming of a HUGE, fight filled, victory against arch rival Montreal. Detroit is second in the West with 70 points and are starting to get healthy. This is the first leg of a home and home series with the second of the two games being played on Sunday at the Joe (Joe Louis Arena). Bruins need to keep the scoring touch alive and MUST lock down on defense and on the PK as Montreal shredded them on Wednesday. Don't look for a brawl tonight as Detroit is last in the league in fighting majors.

Prediction:  The Bruins still have the swagger from wednesday night and they take down the Red Wings. Bruins 4 - Red Wings 2.

Congratulations Jesus Shuttlesworth

Ray Allen broke the all-time three point field goal record surpassing Reggie Miller. Ray is one of, if not THE purest shooter in the game. Although Basketball is not my thing, madd props to a baller.

El Pres thinks his shout out was awesome. Well it wasn't, "bro". But Wes Welker at :46 is purely comical.

"Fucking Machine took my Quarter" Slapshot Friday

 

"I don't want none of that stinkin Root Beer"

Thursday's installment of SLAP SHOT

 

"Yeah we got alot of them!"

Slapshot Wednesday "Dave's a Mess"

Too Much, Too Soon.

Habs vs. Bruins 7 p.m. @ TD Garden

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate those pussies from the north? Well there you go, I said it. Whenever a Canadien's player falls in their building, the fans want to start a criminal investigation. Also, how come when their fans cheer for a goal, it sounds like a bunch of girls screaming? Must be the French in them. These fuckers Boo the U.S. National Anthem. Makes me want to puke.

But much to my chagrin, I have to admit, however, that the Habs have a solid team this year. They have the Bruins number this season. The Bruins lead the Division over Montreal by 2 points with a game in hand, so tonight's game is HUGE. Need solid offense from the B's or we are fucked.


Prediction: The Home crowd helps the Bruins and they establish a physical presence. Bruins 3 Montreal 2

Slap Shot Week Continues

"I want you to have a heart attack and die."

Slap Shot Cures My Super Bowl Hangover

I feel refreshed already.

Super Bowl 45

No need to preview this game, ESPN has already done that at nauseum. Jerry's World sure will be bumpin' tonight. Big Ben tries to become the same caliber as Tom Brady. Aaron Rodgers tries to shed the shadow left in GB by Brett Favre. Go Pack Go.

Prediction: Aaron Rodgers becomes entrenched in Green Bay football lore as a Super Bowl Champion. Big plays from the defense and steady flow from the offense gets the job done in Dallas.  Packers 27 - Steelers 20

The Bruins Make My Penis Soft

                                                  Sharks 2 - Bruins 0

Seriously, coming off the best game of the NHL season and this is the BULLSHIT they pull. Nothing to say here really. The defense played well, Tim Thomas' stats actually got better, but no offense to speak of. Matinee affairs usually do not treat the Bruins well. So now we have three days to wait on a Red Hot Montreal team, lets hope they show up.

Priapism 101

                                               Bruins 6 - Stars 3

The View from Balcony Section 305 Row 11 Seat 4 could not have been any sweeter between 20:00 and 18:40. Within the first four seconds, the action between these newly acquainted rivals was, to put it lightly, FUCKING INSANE! Gregory Campbell took on "Brave" Steve Ott at 19:59 for the evenings first bout, however, Soupy's face got mangled. After 5 minutes of blood detail at the center dot, Shawn "That's why they pay me 2 million dollars" Thornton regained the momentum by winning the second gentlemanly duel of the young contest vs. Krys Barch. No less than 2 seconds later, Brian Sutherby unwisely chose to tango with rookie Adam McQuaid and got a strong right hook square in the beak. The Bruins set the tone right out of the gate and had momentum on their side. Those 3 fights proved pivotal when Milan Lucic got a sweet feed from David Krejci and slipped it past former Bruin Andrew Raycroft at :35 of the first. 45 seconds later, a White Hot Patrice Bergeron got another sweet feed from Brad Marchand for a 2-0 lead. But wait, there was still 58:40 left to play. Here it is for all to see.

Andrew Ference rearranged Adam Burish's face a little over 2 minutes later to spark Patrice Bergeron's second of the period and 19th of the season. Shawn Thornton capped off the first period shooting gallery with a perfectly placed howitzer from the right circle over Kari Lehtonen's shoulder. TD Garden saw 4 fights (30 PIM in the first 4 seconds), 4 goals and a "Top Ten" save for the Black and Gold in what may go down as one of the best periods the 16 year old building has ever seen.

Give the Dallas Stars credit, they did not quit. During the second period and thru the beginning of the third, momentum slowly started to shift their way. Finally, after a short handed goal and a Brad Richards blast, the Bruins woke up and knew they could not coast to a victory. 2 minutes after the lead was cut to a hair raising one, Young-blood Tyler Seguin found his scoring touch with a quick release from the high slot virtually sucking the life out of a surging Stars squad.

Tuukka Rask filled in well with some key saves throughout the contest. Although I would be remissed  if I did not diclose that I did not want to see Tuukka in net. Tim Thomas has been playing lights out and I, for sure, wanted to catch a glimpse of his magic up up close. But Tuukka proved why he is the goalie of the future as he held his ground the entire night.

Dan Paille has been suspended 4 games for his semi viscous blind side hit to the head during the second period. Reminds me of Matt Cooke's hit where he didn't get a penalty let alone a suspension. But Paille's hit is suspend-able and we can't bitch and moan about the Cooke incident because these are two complete and separate incidents.

It seemed last night that the referees were actively trying to let Dallas back into the game. They tagged Zdeno Chara for a ten minute misconduct for jawing with Steve Ott (also penalized). I mean c'mon guy, this is fucking hockey, not basketball, trash talk is part of the game. And what has seemed to be the biggest blown call of the season, a Adam McQuaid goal was disallowed because of goaltender interference. MY FUCKING ASS goalie interference. Not only was the Bruins forward outside of the crease, Lehtonen initiated the contact. It is what they teach forwards to do in youth hockey. To make matters worse, instead of a five goal lead, they took the goal away and gave us a penalty. This MASSIVE blown call threw Bruins fans into kill mode. 17,565 fans (Sieve and I included) screamed BULL SHIT. Fucking Zebras.

After the Paille hit, the Bruins were faced with an EPIC (understatement) 5 minute PK, with top defenseman and PK specialist Chara in the box, and they killed it with relative ease. The Bruins penalty killing unit is clicking on all cylinders and are giving some serious energy to this team. At the culmination of that penalty kill, the Garden gave the B's a well deserved standing ovation.

Patrice Bergeron had a GOLDEN opportunity to lock down a "cheap" hat-trick with an open net from the right face-off dot with time winding down and shot the puck a foot wide. However, he regained control and found Marchand out front for the ENG to put a seal on the victory. Unfortunately for Marchand, Sieve and I did not even cheer for the goal as we saw a hat-trick bid slip away (would have been the second "Pat-Trick" I witnessed this season).

With another solid victory, The Bruins get their 30th victory of the season and improve to 67 points. Currently on a 3 game winning streak, the B's welcome Jumbo Joe Thornton and his San Jose Sharks into town for a Saturday Matinee.

By far the best 50 dollars I have ever spent, probably, in my entire life.The Big Bad Bruins, Beers, and a surprising amount of eye candy in the balcony (not quite sure if they were all 18 years old, but that is neither here nor there). All in all I left the garden with my BOA Checking minus $100 and a voice box that was rendered silent. 2 major items I am willing to part with after a superb performance by the home team. Lets Saddle up for a long ride folks, and follow this team to the playoffs. GO BRUINS!

Stars vs. Bruins 7 p.m. @ TD Garden

The Bruins return from Carolina after a hard fought win to the TD Garden for their first home game after the All-Star Break to face the Dallas Stars. The Stars are first in the Pacific Division with 65 points. Solid teams go to battle tonight. For the Bruins, Tim Thomas is still playing out of his mind, Zdeno Chara's slapshot is useful, Patrice Bergeron continues his torrid start to 2011, Nathan Horton may have gotten the spark he needs, and the fourth line continues to produce at key moments in games. The Bruins seemed primed for a successful stretch run, but the proof is in the putting.

UPDATE: Tuukka Rask will get the start......that's cool I guess?

BREAKING NEWS: Todd, Sieve, Coon and Pinkham will be in attendance tonight. Beers/Alcohol will be consumed, blunts possibly burned. But above all, a first hand look at our second half Bruins. Look for in depth analysis from Todd, and maybe Coon, after this one.

Prediction: Team President Cam Neely lets the team know that Todd and Co. spent their hard earned cash on Balcony seats and expect a solid effort. Bruins 4 - Stars 3

Thomas Knows Best

                                       Bruins 3 - Hurricanes 2

What a game! I mean, really, What a game! Both teams played fantastic. But the story of the night, again, is Tim Thomas. With the game coming down to it, 3-2 with under 5 minutes left, Thomas was challenging every shot, coming up with spectacular save after spectacular save. Often leaving the safety of his own crease to cut down the angle of every shot. Tim is 12-1-1 against the Southeast Division with a 1.67 GAA in those 14 contests. To, again, to take a quote from the film "Miracle", Herb Brooks says "If you score on him, keep the puck, because it doesn't happen often." Simply Amazing.

But enough of my Tim Thomas "Man Crush." The forwards played effectively in this game as well. Dan Paille scored his first goal of the season with a nice tip of a Zdeno Chara slapper at the top of the crease. Patrice Bergeron had the game winner with a blast from the top of the circle, backing up his January "Player of the Month" designation. Finally, FINALLY, there has been a Nathan Horton sighting as Horts received a solid pass from David Krejci from behind the net and put it right over Carolina net minder Cam Wards shoulder. Could this be the spark the former Panther needs? We will have to take a wait and see approach.

With the win, The Bruins improve to 29-15-7 with 65 points. They head home to TD Garden to play the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

Bruins vs. Hurricanes 7 p.m. @ RBC Center

After a 5 day layoff during the All-Star break, The Bruins look to improve during the second half of the season and make a strong push towards the post season. The Bruins swept a home and home series against the Canes earlier this month, outscoring Carolina 10-2. Expect a hungry Carolina squad trying to get into the playoff picture (currently in 9th in the East). Coming off his third straight All-Star game win, Tim Thomas needs to continue is Vezina-esque play and the offense needs to continue it's scoring ways.

Prediction: The Bruins come out sluggish and need a goal late to force overtime. Bruins 3 Carolina 2 (S/O)