Fresh Links: Resolutions Edition

<p><b> New Year, new challenges. The Bruins enter the New Year hosting the Nashville Predators, 7pm. </b></p>

<ul>

<li> Cliff notes on the loss- just the messy details. [<a href="http://www.hockeyjournal.com/blog/blackGold/Cellar-dwelling_Isles_snap_Bruins-_home_winning_streak">NewEnglandHockeyJournal</a>]</li>

<li> When we left off last year... Down by two, the Islanders refused to roll over and play dead. The Bruins suffered penalties and a flaccid penalty kill. Oh, and Thomas Vanek. Sigh. [<a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/2013/12/31/tavares-nielsen-lead-islanders-win-over-bruins/FCGuzpUALumHoI8SNMJD0I/story.html">Boston.com</a>]</li>

<li> Tuukka Rask pointedly did not blame the inexperience of the Providence call-ups. "Whenever we get a two-goal lead we kind of take the foot off the gas and let them back into the game... I couldn't stop the puck when it mattered."  [<a href="http://bostonherald.com/sports/bruins_nhl/2014/01/puck_luck_eludes_rask">BostonHerald</a>]</li>

<li> David Krejci asserted that the Bruins failed on discipline, and added that "our penalty kill didn't do a very good job (Tuesday) but it's not just them, it's the whole team. We win as a team and we lose as a team." [<a href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/01/01/julien-not-pleased-with-sloppiness-of-bruins-pk-against-islanders/">Boston.CBSLocal</a>]</li>

<li> Chad Johnson has a role to play, and he appreciates that the lines of communication are open. Niklas Svedberg will get a chance to play with Boston at some point. [<a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/hockey/bruins/dj-bean/2014/01/01/chad-johnson-keeping-cool-uncertain-situation">WEEI</a>]</li>

<li> That point may be soon... it looks like Svedberg may be in net tonight against the Predators! [<a href="https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/418774268940664832">@NHLBruins</a>]</li>

<li> In good news, Dougie Hamilton and Carl Söderberg are poised to take the ice tonight. Nick Johnson has returned to Providence. Loui Eriksson is skating, but taking no contact. [<a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/01/02/dougie-hamilton-carl-soderberg-poised-join-bruins/H7CWps6co7XoHlUJFgxEXJ/story.html">TheBostonGlobe</a>]</li>

<li> Dennis Seidenberg goes under the knife on Tuesday. (Auf Deutsch) [<a href="http://www.sportgate.de/weitere/artikel/Knie-Operation-bei-Seidenberg-am-Dienstag-169662/">Sportgate</a>]</li>

<li> The Bruins will be well represented at Sochi, both as players and behind the bench. Rask and Claude Julien downplayed any concerns about security. [<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/bruins/post/_/id/14694/as-sochi-nears-julien-eyes-team-canada">ESPN</a>]</li>

<li> Looking back at the Bruins' fortuitous acquisition of Jarome Iginla, how neither party thought the other would be interested after the initial Penguins trade, and how close the Bruins may have been to getting Daniel Alfredsson. [<a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/craig-custance/post?id=788">ESPN</a>]</li>

<li> Can the Bruins fight their way back into the Stanley Cup Finals yet again? [<a href="http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/87312/the-weekend-in-hockey-can-the-bruins-make-it-back-to-the-finals-again">Grantland</a>]</li>

</ul>

<p><b> Elsewhere around the rink: (Auld Acquaintance, Part Deux?) </b></p>

<ul>

<li> Good luck to Nathan Horton, who may make his debut for Columbus this evening! [<a href="http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2014/01/02/hortons-debut-may-happen-tonight.html">BlueJacketsExtra</a>]</li>

<li> Phil Kessel and Blake Wheeler will be representing the USA in Sochi. 'Merica! [<a href="http://bigbadblog.weei.com/sports/boston/hockey/bruins/2014/01/01/team-usa-olympic-roster-announced-former-bruins-phil-kessel-blake-wheeler-make-team/">WEEI</a>]</li>

<li> Kessel's sister, Amada, will play for Team USA women! A lot of Boston connections on the roster. 'Merica! [<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2014/1/1/5263912/winter-olympics-2014-usa-hockey-roster-women">SBNation</a>]</li>

<li> There was a glitch in the initial Team USA notifications to selected players, Ryan Kesler 's text went to a 67 year-old Canadian gentleman who was delighted at the chance to play... [<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/usa-hockey-mistakenly-tells-67-old-canadian-made-234933413--nhl.html">PuckDaddy</a>]</li>

<li> Here is HNIC's new Greatest Hockey Song, warm and nostalgic- "A Game Goin' On" by Dave Gunning. [<a href="http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2014/1/Song-Quest-We-have-a-winner">Music.CBC</a>]</li>

<li> The Winter Classic experience- "simply a beauty of an event." [<a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10229166/2014-winter-classic">Grantland</a>]</li>

<li> Enjoy this toque-a-licious photo gallery of the Winter Classic... [<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/photo-gallery-2014-nhl-winter-classic-pictures-043405027--nhl.html">PuckDaddy</a>]</li>

<li> ... and this gallery of GIFs as well. [<a rhef="http://imgur.com/a/YDB0z">Imgur,hockeyshopped</a>]</li>

<li> Keeping up with the World Junior Championship. [<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/world-juniors/">TheGlobeAndMail</a>]</li>

</ul>