Fresh Links: Czechmate Edition

<p><b> The injury/illness/suspension depleted Bruins and their PBruins call-ups cobbled together a win. </b></p>

<ul>

<li> In a nutshell... it was hard enough staying up late, but then to then have to sit through those first two periods... Patrice Bergeron owned the faceoff circle. [<a href="http://hockeyjournal.com/blog/blackGold/Bruins_come_alive_late-_win_in_Iginla-s_return_to_Calgary">NewEnglandHockeyJournal</a>]</li>

<li> Jarome Iginla received a hero's welcome, and Tuukka Rask kept the Bruins in the game through two iffy periods. David Krejci redirected a Torey Kug power play shot followed by a sweet Reilly Smith net-drive goal. [<a href="http://bostonherald.com/sports/bruins_nhl/boston_bruins/2013/12/battered_bruins_rally_in_calgary">BostonHerald</a>]</li>

<li> Claude Julien found that "Those first two periods were really tough to watch." But at the end, the Bruins returned to the bench and pushed Iginla out on ice for victory laps, to the roar of the crowd. [<a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/12/11/reilly-smith-lifts-bruins-over-calgary-flames/9cT9XWlnz1o1cQmibmXkxL/story.html?rss_id=Top-GNP">TheBostonGlobe</a>]</li>

<li> Here's what went right (and wrong) last night. Smith reunited with Carl Soderberg and Ryan Spooner which meant almost no faceoff wins for the line, but the trio's work led to the game winning goal. [<a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21339551/smith-caps-come-behind-win-over-flames">WEEI</a>]</li>

<li> Iginla reminisced about his time in Calgary, and spoke of his hopes for himself and his new teammates. [<a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Bruins+Iginla+special+night/9272676/story.html">VancouverSun</a>]</li>

<li> Matt Bartkowski recalled the odd chain of events that had him traded/not traded to the Flames. He intorduced himself to Iginla by saying "Thanks for going to Pittsburgh!" [<a href="http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Flames+notebook+Bartowski+ended+getting+play+with+Jarome+Iginla+instead+being+traded/9271511/story.html">CalgaryHerald</a>]</li>

<li> At any number of junctures, Smith's career trajectory could have turned out differently, but he was always quietly on the Bruins' radar. [<a href="http://hockeyjournal.com/news/bruins/The_life_of_Reilly-_Smith_steps_up_for_Bruins">NewEnglandHockeyJournal</a>]</li>

</ul>

<p><b> Elsewhere around the rink: </b></p>

<ul>

<li> Here are your week 10 power rankings. [<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nhl/news/20131210/nhl-power-rankings-week-10/">SportsIllustrated</a>]</li>

<li> Alex Ovechkin thankfully spared the fans a Joe Thornton celly as he scored four goals in the Capitals shootout win over the Lightning. [<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2013/12/10/5198750/alex-ovechkin-scores-4-goals-now-has-48-in-past-50-games/in/4961663">SBNation</a>]</li>

<li> A boost to the NHL salary cap may not benefit smaller market teams. [<a href="http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/rising-salary-cap-not-good-for-small-market-nhl-teams/">TheHockeyNews</a>]</li>

<li> The Bettman believes that players are coming around to the new NHL rules on checking, spoke about expansion, and the 2018 Olympics. [<a href="http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/10116673/gary-bettman-says-nhl-players-learning-how-hit-safely">ESPN</a>]</li>

<li> Shootout success, part one. The Islanders squeaked past the Sharks last night. [<a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/isles-snap-10-game-losing-streak-shootout-win-article-1.1544205">NYDailyNews</a>]</li>

<li> Shootout success, part two. Former Bruins Brad Boyes and Tim Thomas led the Panthers to a win over the Red Wings last night as well, after having also defeated them in Detroit on Saturday. [<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/florida-panthers-down-detroit-red-wings-121013">FoxSports</a>]</li>

<li> The NHL seems a bit behind in embracing fancystats. Apparently, many teams agree with Brian Burke that "Statistics are like a lamp post to a drunk: Useful for support but not for illumination." [<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/wp/2013/12/10/when-will-the-nhl-adopt-advanced-statistical-analysis/">WashingtonPost</a>]</li>

</ul>