Slumping Bruins host surging Devils

by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Mar 22, 2011 9:30 AM EDT in Game Previews

BOSTON - NOVEMBER 15: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins gets the assist as the puck slips past Martin Brodeur #30 of the New Jersey Devils on November 15 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Bruins, who have dropped 6 of their last 7 games (1-3-3) will host a red-hot New Jersey Devils team tonight at TD Garden that has won 16 of their last 20 contests (16-4-0).The B's are coming off of one of their ugliest performances of the season, an embarrassing 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. The Visitors enter tonight's game following a 3-0 shutout over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday to stop a 2-game skid.

Devils Leading Goal Scorer:

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
Ilya Kovalchuk	26	25	51	-18	28

Devils Goaltending:

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Martin Brodeur	49	2693	21	22		110	2.45	1119	1009	.902	5

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Johan Hedberg	31	1538	13	11		60	2.34	688	628	.913	3

Injury Report:

Boston Bruins Injuries

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Shane Hnidy	shoulder	02/26/2011
Marc Savard	concussion	01/23/2011

New Jersey Devils Injuries

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Zach Parise	knee	10/31/2010
Bryce Salvador	concussion	10/03/2010
Matthew Corrente	shoulder	01/15/2011
Matt Taormina	ankle	11/14/2010

Notes:

- The Bruins and Devils have met twice this season with the B's win both contests. The Bruins have outscored the Devils 7-1 this season.

- Based Martin Brodeur's reputation as a goalie that does not mind a heavy workload and the fact that he only faced 13 shots in the Devils 3-0 win over Columbus, I think it is a safe bet that we see Brodeur between the pipes for New Jersey tonight.

- Brad Marchand has served his 2-game suspension for his hit on R.J. Umberger and is ready to return to the lineup.

- There is no word on which of the Bruins 13 forwards will get to watch the game from the 9th floor. Michael Ryder appeared to be the odd man out in practice on Monday, rotating in with Mark Recchi on the right wing on the 2nd line.

- I don't know why everyone (including Claude Julien) is making a big deal out of Tuukka Rask blowing up at his defensemen. I like that passion. Everyone on this team needs to be accountable. If they are not going to hear it from their coach (who most of the time comes off as a milquetoast guy that wouldn't say "shit" if his mouth was fun of it), then they need to hear it from their teammates. Rask is one of the few players on this roster that has shown any signs of life and passion over the past few games and we are chastising him for it? Julien was asked about Rask's outbursts today and he maintains that he did not pull Tuukka for calling out Dennis Seidenberg after he screened him on a Toronto goal in the second period of Saturday's game:

"I don't support that and I don't think anybody supports that, including him. Sometimes frustration sets in when you see players breaking their sticks after a goal against. You see them put their heads up in the air after they miss an open net. There's a frustration part. I'm certainly not going to stand here and start accusing him of that. But I think it's something you don't want to see from anybody. It has a big impact on your team. Having said that, I think Tuukka's aware of that. If anything, he's been playing some of his best hockey lately. So I don't think there's any need for that. Sometimes you've got to control your emotions. He's frustrated with the first half of the year and he wants to help this hockey club. Sometimes his emotions run a little too high and he reacts that way. Having said that, it had no influence on my decision on Saturday."

Claude Julien via Boston.com

- Tonight's game starts at 7:00 PM ET and airs on NESN. 98.5 FM The Sports has the radio broadcast as always.

- The Public Skate open thread gets going at 6:30 PM ET.

- For more on tonight's game head over to the always-in depth In Lou We Trust. A word of caution: Fischer runs a much tighter ship than I do, so keep it clean and on-topic.

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Comments

Not gonna lie, I’m worried about this game.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Mar 22, 2011 9:34 AM EDT reply actions

me too. even if the bruins pull out a win tonight i’m still not feeling very confident about this team in the playoffs

by delta on Mar 22, 2011 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Just remember- these Devils aren’t like the MacLame coached Devils. They couldn’t do anything right, except suck and let Eric Boulton score hat tricks on them.

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by Kevin Sellathamby on Mar 22, 2011 9:53 AM EDT reply actions

And Jordan Caron!

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Mar 22, 2011 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m with ya. I went from being super excited about the playoffs to dreading what’ll happen next game.

by phonymahoney on Mar 22, 2011 10:23 AM EDT reply actions

Remember...

We’re still a really good team. Elite? Doubtful. Incosistent? Absolutely. Talented? Very. I’m not sure whether it’s coaching, or just poor individual play, but it’s apparent something’s off, and way off. Personally, I think we need to go back to playing traditional Bruin hockey – slower paced, with the emphasis on defense – especially with lines 3 and 4. They really aren’t out there to be 20+ goal scorers, they’re out there to play solid 2-way hockey and contain the other team’s offense. Too often our defensemen are jumping up in the play, ending up in the corner and turning the puck over with someone like Ryder or Campbell trying to cover for them. It’s not smart hockey

…….Rant over……

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time" - Vince Lombardi

by ilovethegbpackers on Mar 22, 2011 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

Talented? Very.

I agree with all of this except this part. I think we’re “pretty” talented. just my opinion.

by delta on Mar 22, 2011 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

“Reasonably” talented.

by Arenacale on Mar 22, 2011 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Sink or swim time...

Well this game is probably the turning point of the season. If they can’t turn it around in the next 1-3 games, then we’re probably looking at a first round exit this year. It would take a monumental slide to drop completely out of the playoff picture. I will reserve that apocalyptic thought until after I see how they play tonight. The bubble teams (NYR, Buffalo, Carolina, and Toronto) have all been playing inspired hockey as of late.

by gordiehowehattrick on Mar 22, 2011 2:02 PM EDT reply actions

if they lose the next 3 and win the remaining 8 are you still saying they won’t win in the playoffs?

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Mar 22, 2011 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions

The Ebb and Flow of the season

Cornelius, at this point in the season (the home stretch), teams need to be playing well, not only for points but for their own confidence levels. If the Bs win the last 8 games, then yes, they should be playing well and riding a win streak, but that is making some serious assumptions.

After the Bs last 7 games (1-3-3), the team knows it has been playing it’s worst hockey all season. My argument is they need to turn it around in the next three games before the optimism in the dressing room going away. If they lose the next 3 games, you’re making a major assumption that the last 8 are winnable. Watch the first few HBO 24/7 episodes from this year to get a great look at the slumping Capitals team at the time. Teams in a funk, when anything goes wrong, assume the worst is coming next. We need to turn this around ASAP, so confidence can return before the playoffs, and we can gel for the stretch run. If not, this team will be waiting for the next shoe to drop in the playoffs. Just like they’ve played the last two games.

by gordiehowehattrick on Mar 22, 2011 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

No kidding. I don’t know why everyone is so concerned with the flat play as of late, it’s fairly common among division leaders and teams not fighting for a spot in the post season. Philly is 4-4-2 in their last ten, Detroit is 4-3-3, Tampa Bay is 2-4-4. Their is a certain amount of “looking ahead” going on at this point in the season, there always is and I don’t feel like there is much to be concerned with at the moment. If you want to worry about anything, worry about the power play, because it has to not suck if the B’s are going anywhere in the playoffs.

by MattS on Mar 22, 2011 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Because late March swoons haven’t happened the last three years either.

by 13_Legion on Mar 22, 2011 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions

and 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 2-4-4 is not 1-3-3…..they are playing absolutely terrible hockey right now and at the worst time to be doing so. They should be slightly tweaking their game getting ready for postseason play and instead they are still changing entire lines of players every game and still unable to capitalize on any PP opportunities.

my question is why AREN’T you concerned with their play of late? i want whatever it is you are smoking because the B’s are stressing the hell outta me.

by delta on Mar 22, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

defense

The problem starts on D. allowing 30-40 shots a game. I still say Craig Ramsey leaving for Atlanta, has had a big impact on this team. and can someone put a muzzle on Marchand. He shouldn’t be yapping about anyone’s head shots when he just served a 2 game suspension. Shut your mouth and play.

by Paintgirl04 on Mar 22, 2011 3:48 PM EDT reply actions

I disagree, Marchand should yap all the time.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Mar 22, 2011 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

i agree. that’s his game. dont take away his game, dude

by delta on Mar 22, 2011 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I cant post on “In Lou We Trust” so this is addressed to the Devils fans worried about limiting the B’s PP opportunities: Don’t be!

From what I’ve seen, the B’s are more offensively dangerous on the PK than on the PP (excluding 5 on 3 situations, obv.)

by Circler on Mar 22, 2011 5:04 PM EDT reply actions

Power Play has been awful. NJ should not be worried about that.

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by Stanley Cup of Chowder on Mar 22, 2011 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably just confirmation bias, but it sure seems to me like any time the Devils are feeling good about their PK and playing a team with a struggling PP… it hits the fan.

by elesias on Mar 22, 2011 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions