Bruins fall to Washington 4-1 in season opener
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 1, 2009 10:02 PM EDT
in Game Recaps
56 comments
Alex Ovechkin (2 goals) and the Washington Capitals ruined the opening night festivities for the Boston Bruins, as the Caps downed the B's 4-1 at the TD Garden.
The Capitals got on the board first at 17:15 of the first period after the Bruins went a man down for a too many men on the ice call. The Caps setup the power play and Alex Ovechkin fed a cross ice pass to Nicklas Backstrom, who then slid a pass to Brooks Laichat the doorstep. Laich got the puck and easily deposited it into the virtually empty net to send the Caps into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.
Washington increased their lead to 2-0 with 10:21 left in the middle period when the Bruins got caught in the middle of a line change. Alexander Seminleft a little drop pass to the trailer Ovechkin, who fired a shot from the slot that beat Tim Thomas for his first goal of the season.
The Caps didn't waste much time in the third period. With Zdeno Charastill in the box for a poorly-timed cross-checking penalty with 2 seconds remaining in the second period, Brooks Laich got his second goal of the game when a Nicklas Backstrom shot trickled underneath Tim Thomas and Laich poked it the net just 16 seconds in the third period. Washington would add another marker just a minute and forty seconds later when Tom Potisent a centering pass from the right corner into the slot for Alex Ovechkin, who recorded his second goal of the night.
Patrice Bergeronfinally got the Bruins on the scoresheet with 12:04 left in the third period when he broke in all alone and beat Jose Theodorewith some nifty stickhandling.
The late goal by Bergeron seemed to energerize the B's, but it was a little late. Shortly after the Bergeron goal, Shawn Thornton and John Erskineexchanged haymakers after Thornton took exception to a hit from Erskine and let him know about with a slash and an invitation to dance.
Notes:
- Special teams play was a big factor in tonight's game. The Caps went 2 for 4 on the power play, while the B's couldn't get anything going in 5 opportunities.
- The Bruins really struggled in the faceoff circle, winng just 19 of 49 draws (39%). Marc Savard was a dismal 3 for 11 at the dot (21%).
- One bright spot tonight was the play of Patrice Bergeron. Besides scoring the B's lone goal, Bergeron seemed to be playing with a confidence that was missing for much of last season.
- I also liked what I saw out of the fourth line tonight. They were constantly putting pressure on the puck with a solid forecheck.
- A major turning point in tonight's game was the retaliatory penalty that Zdeno Chara took with 2 seconds left in the second. That's a dumb penalty to take in that situation and it led to the nail in the coffin goal.
- The Bruins need to get more shots (20 shots tonight) to the net and create some more traffic in front.
- Alex Ovechkin attempted 14 shots (5 shots, 8 blocked, 1 missed), while the entire Bruins roster only attempted 47 (20 shots, 13 blocked, 14 missed).
- Tim Thomas made 30 saves in the loss. Thomas was hung out to dry at times, but also gave up some bad rebounds.
Next Game: Saturday vs. Carolina
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Best to write this game off …. the Bruins just doing their immitation of how the Pats started their season in the NFL. The Bruins looked good before the CAPS got their first goal, but seemed deflated thereafter. At least the Leafs lost.
by Mr Spock on Oct 1, 2009 10:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
so you’re saying “at least the habs won”?
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 1, 2009 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only reason why I’m rooting hard this year (and possibly next year) for the Leafs to lose, is because of all those Leafs draft picks that the Bruins got from that Kessel trade …. even if that means the Habs have to win.
by Mr Spock on Oct 1, 2009 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yea not too worried here. They went 2-5 to start last season (on the road per SCOC) and went on to tie the best record for the 08-09 season record.
Saturday will be fun I’m sure. And I can’t wait to see Scott Walker face the B’s fans abuse
by Ljcav7788 on Oct 1, 2009 10:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Does anyone else think it’s fitting that aaron ward will be back in boston on Fred Cusick night?
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 1, 2009 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
On the other hand, they didn’t lose by more than 2 until February.
by Toe Nash on Oct 1, 2009 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Steve Begin
It was only one game but i liked what i saw from up in the balcony. He was going hard to the net, blocking shots and fighting for pucks. Hopefully some of this grit can rub off on some of the other guys Saturday night.
by Causeway Crew on Oct 2, 2009 12:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Was it me or did Looch seem a little lazy and out of it tonight?
by HoneyBunchOfOates on Oct 2, 2009 1:23 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Most of the team was somewhat invisible. Lucic was perhaps more noticeably absent since his norma; game is so high-energy and physical.
by Toe Nash on Oct 2, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Past fan
Now I know why I am no longer a fan of this stupid franchise. What a waste of my time and money with these poor excuse of a team. No let up from last season. Thank God I woke up and dump there ass’es for a better team.
by toungeplezzer on Oct 2, 2009 2:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
See you later than troll.
You actually signed up and made an accout to only dump on the Bruins? Hell, you’re not even a member of any other hockey board. What team do you actually follow?
by 13_Legion on Oct 2, 2009 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good… more tickets for real fans.
by BobbyOrrsBastard on Oct 2, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Obvious troll.
Obviously still secretly likes the Bruins and will celebrate if/when they win the cup, saying he was there all along. And I just won’t care at that point.
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 2, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They were certainly the better team last night.
We’ll be seeing you again. ;-)
One game does not a season make.
by 13_Legion on Oct 2, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There'll be better days....
…hopefully on Saturday, for example. Would love to see the ’Canes go down.
I wouldn’t worry about the B’s. They’re going to be fine and win a lot of games this year. They’re too good not to.
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on Oct 2, 2009 9:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree. Pretty much everyone had a bad game except Bergeron. Not to take anything away from the Caps but the teams are closer than it looked.
by Toe Nash on Oct 2, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree. The Caps were up and playing to their capabilities, but the B’s were off a bit after the first 10 minutes or so of the first. I think that when they played that hard and got nothing for it, they got discouraged.
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on Oct 2, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Which is total shit and something Claude needs to bag skate talk to them about.
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 2, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whatever he did, it worked…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on Oct 5, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The called back goal in the First.
That really just killed the momentum. They were digging and working hard for the first 6 minutes down the Washington end (where I was sitting), and broke through, but called back because the refs lost sight of the puck if I’m not mistaken?
That just seemed to kill them, they started going down after that. Such calls can’t lead to such a momentum downturn, but maybe on Opening Night something like that will just deflate you.
by 13_Legion on Oct 2, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, it was an early whistle, sucked the life right out of them
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 2, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The penalty on Chara was a big turning point too.
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 2, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It was an early whistle. The Linesmen were pretty shoddy too, if you ask me.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Oct 3, 2009 4:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Officiating?
Was it just me or was it pretty poor last night? I missed the first period (damned traffic!) but there seemed to be 3-4 blatant missed calls and then the BS retaliatory call on Chara.
For example, in the third there was a scrum behind the DC net and a Capital literally rode Savard like a horse. Savvy was on the ice, guy went over and straddled him and shoved him back down to the ice a couple times with the ref looking right at him… nothing called.
by BobbyOrrsBastard on Oct 2, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
As it is early in the season for the players, so it is for the refs…
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Caps on Oct 2, 2009 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We can complain about the reffing but the fact remains that the Bergeron goal was scored right as a washington powerplay died down and the Bruins had 5 powerplay chances and scored on none of them.
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 2, 2009 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, I agree… they played miserably. There is no denying that. I just wanted to get confirmation for my opinion that the officiating was questionable in the second and third period. A lot easier to tell such things with the benefit of instant replay.
No matter what, the loss is on the shoulder of the Bruins, not the officials.
by BobbyOrrsBastard on Oct 2, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The reffing was mediocre at best, but you can’t fix the refs. (well, unless…….)
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 2, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So at least my complaints weren’t completely unfounded. Not that it would have made a difference given Boston’s inability to make a pass.
by BobbyOrrsBastard on Oct 2, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Chara needs to be smarter there. I’m not blaming anyone under the height of 6’8" for that one.
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 2, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Did you happen to see NYR/PIT last night? Crosby also had a pretty bad retaliation PIM (but it didn’t cost PIT). You expect more from the guys with the C.
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
by Fehr and Balanced on Oct 3, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There were a couple of questionable calls and non-calls going both ways, both teams got away with some stuff they shouldn’t have and there were some weak calls against both squads.
You have to like what you saw from the first 10 minutes, but after that they looked largely uninspired. Keep that forecheck going for the majority of the game and they’re going to rack up a lot of points in the standings.
Sturm and Bergeron both scared me a couple of times, but Savard didn’t seem to stand out too much – I was expecting more, to be quite honest. I expect both of these teams to win their divisions, so I’m sure they’ll be duking it out over a seed by the end of the season.
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 2, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Derek Morris doesn’t like Ovechkin all that much.
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 2, 2009 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hahaha, I imagine that he doesn’t,
by Knee high to a duck on Oct 2, 2009 11:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If I were an NHL defenseman, I wouldn’t like any player that had made me part of their highlight reel.
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 3, 2009 3:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Isn’t Derek Morris part of Rick Nash’s highlight reel too?
If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all them bees.
by Fehr and Balanced on Oct 3, 2009 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes indeed.
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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 5, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can get upset about the reffing, but I thought Bergeron initiated contact with Theodore on his goal (is whatever, that happens all the time), and Thomas clearly shoved Ovechkin and Ovechkin was given a goaltender interference call. For the most part, it was a fairly well refereed game, but the linesmen were awful missing several obviously offsides calls, but blowing dead some clearly onside ones.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Oct 3, 2009 4:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought the same thing on the Ovechkin interferece call. Ovie could have done more to avoid coming into the crease so hard, but Thomas did reach out and push him (probably out of pure instinct).
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 3, 2009 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good to see a lot of chatter this early in the season.
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 2, 2009 4:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
As a Caps fan I always look forward to these games. Teams like the Broons bring out the best in the Caps.
by hockeyman33 on Oct 2, 2009 5:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If the Caps could play the Northeast and Atlantic more often than they played the Southeast, they’d have been closer to the Presidents last year. I miss the days when my Caps played against teams like the Bruins more. They always come out more fired up.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Oct 3, 2009 4:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That is quite possibly the dumbest statement I have ever heard. You’re saying that you would rather have them play the Penguins, Flyers, Devils, Bruins, Rangers, etc than the garbage in the South Least?
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 3, 2009 7:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The play like garbage against the garbage Southeast. Check out their records last year (not counting playoffs). 14-2-4 vs ATL, 12-4-4 vs NE, 16-8-0 vs SE. If you watch the Caps enough that’s a clear trend—they bring their A game against good teams and their F game against poor teams. The reason playing the ATL and NE more would help is that they can hang with those teams, unlike say Atlanta.
by red army line on Oct 3, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Granted, 40 games does not a season make, and they were trash against the West too. But I’d say that’s a pretty significant trend.
by red army line on Oct 3, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They definitely match up with the B’s well.
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 3, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hopefully even better with Knuble and Morrison added to the lineup.
by red army line on Oct 3, 2009 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Knuble was a great pickup for the Caps. I loved Knuble’s game when he played for the B’s.
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 3, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
14-2-4 vs ATL (32 points in 20 games = 1.6 ppg)
12-4-4 vs NE (28 points in 20 games = 1.4 ppg)
16-8-0 vs SE (32 points in 24 games = 1.333 ppg)
Huh, that’s odd.
Join me on the Hockey Blog Adventure! (or Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)
by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Oct 3, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s why us Caps fans go crazy over them. They may be the most talented team outside of San Jose or now Chicago, they’ve got great chemistry, speed, toughness, and size, as well as depth (though missing top-end D depth, despite 9-NHL level D). But if they played to their level every night, I smell 130 points. I really admire Boston for having that consistency.
by red army line on Oct 3, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They play on the level of their opponents pretty much. A good team and the Caps play good, a poor team and they play poor. They don’t lose all those games against the poor teams, but I’d rather have them play good and win than play crappy and win. Example – They had to go to OT to beat the Islanders more than once last season, but had a winning record against the Bruins. A different team shows up each game, and we want to good team to show up every day.
by hockeyman33 on Oct 3, 2009 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
red army line pretty much sums that up. Also, I prefer watching them play against teams I grew up watching them play against. Top that off with every team in the Atlantic is geographically closer in terms of miles than Carolina to Washington, if I recall correctly. Caps don’t belong in the Southeast.
That said, even if it meant fewer division championships, yeah, I’d rather have them play up there. They play far better against the NE and Atl than SE.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Oct 3, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
SE is the only logical divison for them. I could see putting Nashville in there, but then you need to put an Eastern Conference team in the West. Who would you take out of the Atlantic? All those teams are close geographically.
by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Oct 3, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’d go with 4 divisions of 7/8, to be honest. But yeah, there’s no fix that makes everyone happy, so it doesn’t really matter.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Oct 3, 2009 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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