After Saturday night’s win, it looked liked perhaps the Boston Bruins had finally come to an understanding about who they are as a team and how to make it work. Unfortunately, it appears that they are still struggling with their identity or at least how to embrace that identity to play consistently.
Just 40 seconds into the first period Melker Karlsson rang the post with a wrist shot, and there was a sigh of relief perhaps that it didn’t go in. However, Joe Pavelski was hanging around at the right side of the net and popped in the rebound at the 42 second mark to put the San Jose Sharks on the board first. That was the first shot on goal for the Sharks and the first goal of the night in an up-and-down affair.
Dennis Seidenberg (Photo: Alan Sullivan)
A little more than eight and a half minutes later, Tyler Randell would tip in his third goal of the season, with an assist from Dennis Seidenberg. For Seidenberg who had back surgery just before training camp began, it was his first point of the season in his 700th NHL career game. And it looked like that gave the Bruins a little bit of a jump in their skates.
“Well obviously it’s tough to start out the game with a goal against so we’ve got to come out there and do our job as a line and create energy for the guys so we just got it down low and got pucks to the net and it worked out,” Randell shared after the game.
Just about two minutes later the Bruins were on the power play when Joel Ward was whistled for a hook on David Krejci. Perhaps the only thing that seems consistent with the Bruins this season is their power play. They had scored at least one power play goal in 13 of their 17 games going into Tuesday’s game against the Sharks. The Bs would add to that total with two on the evening—the first coming off Brad Marchand’s stick to put the Bruins up in that first period, albeit briefly.
When the end of the first period came, the teams would be tied at two goals a piece and nine shots on goal each. This looked a little too familiar with the Bruins. During intermission there was discussion on what the team needed to accomplish in the remaining 40 minutes.
“Just got to stick to the game plan. Make simple plays, chip it out, chip it in,” Randell said. “Play down in their end and be strong in the neutral zone, turnover pucks because they’re quick to the neutral zone. So we just had to stick to our game plan and we didn’t quite do that for the 60 minutes.”
Indeed they did not. And this has become an ongoing theme this season. The team talks about respecting their game plan and sticking to that plan. However, it appears that at the present they are struggling to get that from their brains to the rest of their bodies so that they can accomplish this.
Brent Burns and Brad Marchand (Photo: Alan Sullivan)
“We know what we are but it doesn’t mean we necessarily play that way every night. We know that when we play our game and when we play our system that we’re a good team and we give ourselves an opportunity to win. So we just have to make sure we do that and we’ll be okay,” Marchand explained.
But if they know that success comes when they play their system and their game, why aren’t they doing so? Watching tonight’s game as it progressed saw wide open ice for scoring—some of this from both teams. But as has happened in previous games where the Bruins have lost, they begin to take penalties and make the long cross-ice passes that don’t always connect and are not their style. Tonight’s game was like watching a team that was unsure if they should play their position, their man, or just play shinny. And this would haunt them as the Sharks out-shot and outscored them in the second period to go up 5-3 at the second intermission.
“Yeah, I mean it’s definitely what we’re trying to say right now,” said Patrice Bergeron, who cut the Sharks’ lead in half about ten minutes into the third period, scoring their second power play goal of the evening. “We’re too much up and down from periods to another and from game to another.”
They are struggling to find the answers to why they are plagued by this inability. To a man they will admit to not playing to their full potential and not playing their system. The answers have to come from somewhere.
“Within the room, I mean it’s definitely in here and got to find a way to sustain that consistency and yeah it’s within the room. It’s not up to anyone else,” Bergeron explained.
“There’s a lot more than that—than just talking to each other,” Marchand stated in regard to those players not putting forth a full effort. “We have to look in the mirror and each and every one of us have to be better. I don’t think anyone can say they’ve played their best so far this year. Like I said before, that’s what we need. We need everyone to be good every night.”
The Bruins have a short amount of time to try and decide which of their identities is going to be the dominant one this season. Right now there is always a question from game to game and from period to period what team will take the ice. They have two more home games on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild and then on Saturday for a divisional game against the Toronto Maple Leafs before heading back on the road. It’s almost Thanksgiving and in many ways this team is struggling like they are being put on lines with brand new players instead of playing with teammates they have known now for almost three months, if not considerably longer.
We need everyone to be good every night. — Brad Marchand
In life, we are often nudged into trying new things. For many of us, we try something and move on. For others, we find that nudge sparking into so much more and for a select few, that spark ignites a dream. Ask almost every hockey player, and they will tell you that their end goal, dream or desire is to lace up the skates and step onto the ice in the big show, NHL, NWHL, CWHL, skating into the role of professional hockey player is one that begins young and never seems to fade. Boston Bruins center Zac Rinaldo has worked hard to achieve NHL success, once the game sparked, he never looked back.
“My dad played hockey, so he taught me how to skate,” said Rinaldo. “I started skating at four years old and really got into it and then more competitively at eight years old.”
For many young players the love of the game encompasses an entire family, grandparents, parents, and siblings. For Rinaldo, the game was something shared with his father.
“I’m the only one that plays hockey, my younger cousin plays, he just plays to play. No one in my family really played hockey — my dad and I were really the only ones.”
Of course for most players that ultimate goal is to make it to the professional level . However, the on ice memories harvested at the beginning of one’s career often hold the most important slots in the memory bank. Youth hockey is where friendships are made, skills are learned and dreams begin to take physical shape and Rinaldo fits that mold.
“Memory wise, when I was young, we won a championship, when I was eight years old. That always stuck with me, AAA Flames and Hamilton Reps. That was my first championship that I won growing up, so that has always been with me.”
Every hockey player has an idol, that one player that mystified them, that defied the laws of the ice and pushed them into the game just a little bit further. While today’s youth may pick Crosby, Toews, and Stamkos, many players of the current NHL class found themselves in bewilderment over Gretzky, Jagr, and for Rinaldo, Eric Lindros.
“Eric Lindros, he was my role model. I watched him religiously growing up, on the TV, his time with the Flyers, not so much with the Wings. I had posters all over my room and stuff like that. He was the only guy that I looked up to player wise.”
During a storied NHL career, Lindros dropped the gloves occasionally, but it is a game trait that Rinaldo has not shied away from during his professional career. Although often big skates to fill, the ability to step in to the enforcer role never deterred him.
“I’ve always been a tough, rowdy kid on the ice. Back then, we started hitting around eight years old; it’s just part of the game. The fun thing was you could fight and not get in trouble for it, it was part of the game and people saw that I was good at it; good at hitting and it stuck with me and I don’t mind doing it.”
In the ever evolving ice-scape of the current game, the time and place for just enforcers has been limited. While Rinaldo does not shy away from dropping the gloves and fulfilling the roles required of him, the reality is that Rinaldo continues to develop and enhance his game. Drawing penalties, absorbing opponents’ hits and taking the puck to the net — the game is changing as is the player.
The transition comes from a support system off the ice. For Rinaldo, a mentor from his youth, still remains his primary confidant now.
“My dad was and has always been there with advice and support. I would always call him after games to hear his take on how I played. He doesn’t really give me pointers anymore, because I’m past where he can really direct me anymore. But growing up, and my time in the OHL and AHL, he always gave me pointers. Now that I’m even more professional, my dad can’t really tell me much more. I still call him after every game though and get feedback.”
Perhaps the best fan, is the one found at home. The fan that will love you no matter what you did or did not bring to the ice, but most importantly the fan that will critique your play and be entirely honest about it.
“He will definitely let me know if I didn’t play up to his standards”, laughed Rinaldo. “There’s no beating around the bush with him. He’s always told me straight up if he thinks I can do better. But for the most part, he’s just there supporting me.”
Selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, 6th round, 178th overall, Rinaldo began his career where many NHL greats begin, honing skills, developing foresight, and toughness in the American Hockey League. The learning curve of the AHL iced the way for a memorable start to his current NHL success. On April 22, 2011, Rinaldo took the ice in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for his debut.
“It was a grind in the AHL; it’s a jungle down there. For me, with my style of play, I had to fight a lot and I ended up having 20-something fights. It made me a tougher player, it gave me a lot of experience, especially preparing me for fighting and giving me some comfort there. That’s just how it is [in the AHL], everyone is trying to make a name for themselves, everyone is young. It’s a lot of bus trips and a lot of travel, it definitely grew my experience in making travel easier now. It was a grind, but it really was a fun time.”
With a successful training camp under his belt, Rinaldo broke the NHL lineup in October 2011. For Rinaldo, his rookie season was one for the memory book.
“I met [Eric] Lindros at the Winter Classic my first year with the Philadelphia Flyers, that was a really cool experience. Playing with Jagr too was an experience, him being who he is. I watched him growing up, so playing with him was memorable. Being a part of the HBO Winter Classic thing my first year as an NHL player, also very cool. Those three things are some of my most memorable experiences, especially because they all happened in my first year.”
Following the 2014-15 NHL season, Rinaldo was dealt from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Boston Bruins for a 2017 third round draft pick, meaning that come January 1st, 2016, he will take the ice for the NHL Winter Classic once more, this time donning a Spoked B jersey. The Winter Classic will take place at the home of the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Massachusetts. No stranger to the Winter Classic, this season should add an extra thrill with the opponent being one of the largest rivalries in hockey. It will be an Original Six matchup pitting the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens.
“I’m really excited, especially since it’s at a football stadium, so there will be just so many people. Plus, the rivalry is like no other rivalry, so it’ll be a really fun time. I’m just really excited, hopefully it’s cold, but not too cold.”
With a month of the 2015-16 NHL season in the books, Rinaldo has made his presence known to fans and opponents alike. Meshing well with his teammates, Rinaldo joined the team during a new era of sorts. With Don Sweeney taking the reigns as GM and a roster almost unrecognizable, Rinaldo was welcomed to Boston.
“I didn’t reach out to anyone. [Don] Sweeney reached out to me, he talked to me for about 10 minutes, just telling me they were excited to have me on board, we talked hockey a bit and about their expectations for me,” said Rinaldo. “A few days later, Chara gave me a call to welcome me to the team, just to say hi and introduce himself.”
Hockey players have a history of giving back, many spend off-seasons training and supporting the communities that support them through a grueling NHL schedule. The concept of giving back was instilled early in life for Rinaldo.
“It’s always been a part of my family basically, my parents and myself have always given back to people who are in need, whether it be friends who needed clothes growing up, shoes, winter jackets, we always helped out in any way we could. It’s not just about playing hockey and what I do on the ice, it’s about what I do off of the ice as well. Giving back to my hometown, specifically my hometown is what I always wanted. I always told myself if I made the NHL, I would still need to give back in bigger ways — but I’ll always give back, no matter what I’m doing.”
One cause that has had a positive effect on his hometown community of Hamilton, Ontario and on Rinaldo himself, Zac Rinaldo’s Fight for a Cause.
“We do a ball hockey tournament, [Zac Rinaldo’s Fight for a Cause] there were about 350 kids that showed up this year, all the kids play for free. There are about 10-12 other NHL players that they get to be in contact with, they take pictures and play hockey, stuff like that. After that, we have a gala dinner to raise more money, then we have a big huge party to celebrate the whole day.”
A charitable cause that has become a yearly staple for the community and it’s youth.
“We’re in our third year now and every year we’ve raised over $20,000 dollars and it all goes to McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. Every year it’s been getting bigger and bigger, last year we had about 170 kids. This year we had 350 and I’m not going to go over 350 kids, but I might switch it up and do something different next year, I’m still thinking about where we’re going to go with it. Whatever we do, the proceeds will always go back towards my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario.”
Of course the monies raised to date are impressive, but the passion that both Rinaldo and his parents share in developing, and maintaining the event itself should not be lost. There are no event planners running behind the scenes, both Rinaldo and his parents dedicate hours of time and energy towards a successful face-off.
“I’m in charge of everything, it’s myself and my parents who run the whole event. We don’t have someone behind the scenes who coordinates it or anything like that. We know everything that’s happening, when it’s happening, it’s very family oriented and hands on.”
Fans know what Rinaldo can be found doing during the off season, and with the month of October already over, they’ve gotten a taste of Rinaldo in season. With a long few months of hockey ahead, Boston Bruins fans can expect a forward who wants to contribute game in and game out.
“They can expect the same thing that I’ve been doing. I’m going to stay true to myself, I won’t go out of my comfort zone to please anyone else but myself. Other than that, they’ll be getting a lot of energy during the games, those bone-crushing hits, and things like that. I’ll probably add a little more hockey sense into my play every time I step out on the ice, it’s definitely a more offensive mindset that I have this year.”
An entire career spent with one organization can make a transition to a new team tough. However, in professional sports it is sadly, the nature of the beast.
“It’s just another step in my career, I don’t think anyone plans on being with the same team their whole career, so the feeling that another team wanted me is a really good feeling and gave me a lot more confidence. My dad was actually a huge Bruins fan growing up, he loved Bobby Orr. They were his team growing up, so, I want to please the city of Boston, the organization, the team that my dad loved growing up. I have nothing but good things to say about Boston so far.”
It sounds as though Rinaldo is exactly where he is supposed to be; donning a spoked “B” on the front and his favorite 3-6 on the back.
Saturday night the Boston Bruins played host to the Detroit Red Wings. The Bruins spent the last two days reflecting on how they let Thursday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche get away from them and what they needed to do to get the win. The Red Wings, likewise were pondering where their game against the San Jose Sharks went wrong on Friday night in Detroit before they traveled east. Usually a team that is coming in on their second of a back-to-back is often a little more energetic or prepared to play than the team that has had a day or more off. During the first period, it looked like both teams were sizing each other up, as neither team managed a shot on goal in the first five minutes.
“The Detroit Red Wings play a different style of game. They’re puck possession,” forward Matt Beleskey said after the game. “They kind of take it back. They like to build speed, so you gotta kind of play a little chess with them in the neutral zone.”
And what an accurate description that was for how that first period went. It was a much more cerebral game than the Bruins play generally. By the time the clock ran out on the first, neither team had scored, though by then the Bruins had outshot the Red Wings 12-5. Perhaps even more astonishing was the lack of a single penalty in that first frame.
Going into the first intermission tied at zero had to feel better than the emotions they experienced on Thursday when they found themselves tied at two as a result of a tying goal with less than 30 seconds remaining in the period. The chatter in the Bs locker room was on staying the course and bending rather than breaking.
“[We talked about how] it was going to be a tight game, you know,” Kevan Miller told media. “That we need to make sure we’re doing everything right and make sure that we weren’t going to be the first team to crack. We wanted to make sure we were doing the right things.”
As the teams took to the ice for the second, the chess match resumed, though it would be the Red Wings who would find themselves whistled for the first penalty just over two minutes in. Darren Helm got sent to the box for a hook, which offered the Bruins an opportunity on the man advantage. Unlike in years past, the Bruins power play this season has an emphasis on the power, having scored a power play goal in their prior eight games. However, Detroit would put an end to that streak.
Tuukka Rask
Undeterred, the Bruins kept pushing and Tuukka Rask made sure to give the players in front of him every opportunity to make the first strike.
“Well, Tuukka was really good tonight. He was really good,” head coach Claude Julien commented after. “When things go bad, that’s when you support your goaltender. That’s when you show trust in him, and we’ve shown trust in him because we know he’s going to help us win games like he did tonight.”
Patrice Bergeron, who had struggled uncharacteristically on the draws in the first and second periods, would be the one to start the scoring for the Bruins. Having been able to gain control of the puck just inside his own defensive zone, and with a little dangle, he worked his way around those in red and white. He darted down the right side getting a wrist shot off that went up and over Petr Mrazek. Bergeron saw that the puck was behind Mrazek and backhanded it into the back of the net.
Approximately four minutes later David Krejci, with assists from Loui Eriksson and Zach Trotman, gave the Bruins a second one, which would ultimately be the game-winning goal.
Perhaps the prettiest of the goals though, had to be their third. Brad Marchand skated down the right boards patiently looking for the best option, which turned out to be Torey Krug. A quick little pass and Krug had it behind Mrazek for his first goal of the season, And while he celebrated with his teammates in the post-goal huddle, the determination on his face just after it went in the net spoke volumes.
“It’s a good feeling. I wasn’t really too worried about it, especially with a few more minutes being played,” Krug shared. “My number one job is always defense and that’s been good so far. I can always improve, but it’s nice to get the first one.”
As the third period got underway, it looked like the Red Wings had decided to stop playing chess and to see if they could tilt the ice in their favor. To a degree they managed to do that, and it would be the only period in which they would outshoot the Bruins in the game.
“I think they came hard in the third period; maybe we sat back and tried to protect the lead a little too much,” Beleskey explained. “But we bent, we didn’t break and I think we can learn from that and learn that we can’t sit back for a full period.”
We bent, we didn’t break.” — Matt Beleskey
Indeed they can’t. Nor can they afford to take questionable penalties. A little more than six minutes into the period, Zac Rinaldo was called for tripping. Given how aggressive the Red Wings had been since the period began it was perhaps no surprise when they capitalized with the man advantage. Many began to wonder if this would be the first of many that would see another Bruins lead crushed.
Fortunately, some key saves by Rask helped keep the Bruins up by two goals. However, when Adam McQuaid was whistled for boarding with still 3:42 left, things began to get a bit tense, especially when Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill pulled his goalie and put six attackers on the ice with 11 seconds remaining in that power play.
For only the second time this season, Dirty Water was played as the Bruins were able to hold onto the scoring advantage throughout the remainder of regulation.
The Bruins welcome the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday and that promises to be a difficult game. The Bruins will need to carry their momentum forward, but the Sharks may have other ideas about that.
Thursday night the Florida Panthers played host to division rivals, the Buffalo Sabres. Even at such an early point in the season, it was a big game for both teams, who were only separated by a point in the standings. With a win, Buffalo looked to improve to .500 for the first time in over a year, and came into the game on a hot streak, having won four out of five games for the first time in nearly a year. Florida has recently enjoyed success against Buffalo, especially at home, defeating them in their last four home games, and was on a nine game point streak against them. Florida’s string of luck against Buffalo ended with a 3-2 loss that could easily have gone the other way, or just as easily could have been much more lopsided.
The first period was fairly even with the Panthers’ Roberto Luongo and Sabres’ Linus Ullmark facing just 6 and 8 shots, respectively. In fact, both goalies even owed a little gratitude to their goalposts for keeping the game scoreless for most of the opening frame. At 7:43, Brian Gionta took a shot on net after entering the zone on a 3-on-2. Luongo just got a piece of it, but that didn’t stop the puck from taking a weird, but ultimately harmless, flop into the post. It was looking as if the game would remain scoreless heading into the first intermission, but with only 31.5 seconds to spare, Gionta got on the board for the Buffalo Sabres late in the 1st for his first of the season. Matt Moulson and Rasmus Ristolainen picked up assists on the goal and the Sabres led 1-0 after 1.
The Panthers began the 2nd period with nearly 5 minutes of sustained pressure in Buffalo’s end while Ullmark was peppered with shots, and was equal to every one of them. At 6:33, Buffalo appeared to have doubled their lead to 2-0, after Tyler Ennis banked the puck into the net off Luongo’s stick. However, Gerard Gallant used his Coach’s Challenge on the grounds that the puck was brought into the zone off-side. After a lengthy deliberation, and a consultation with the NHL Hockey Operations staff, it was determined that Ennis, was indeed off-side coming in to the Panthers end. The replays showed just how slim this call was, and a few centimeters of white ice between the skate and the blue line were the difference in a goal being upheld or overturned.
The Panthers got a goal of their own midway through the 2nd as Jonathan Huberdeau scored his first of the season, after Jaromir Jagr took the initial shot, and his rebound was corralled and centered by Nick Bjugstad. Fresh off having their goal reversed from a Coach’s Challenge, Dan Bylsma and the Buffalo Sabres appealed that Ullmark was interfered with and requested their Coach’s Challenge for a review of the play. Huberdeau did make contact with Ullmark after he was pushed into the goaltender by Jake McCabe, but the referee did not interpret this contact as interference. The goal stood and the game was tied 1-1.
Nearing the end of the period, it once again looked like the teams would go to the locker room with the game tied, but the Sabres repeated history by scoring a late-period goal (Cody Franson’s 2nd of the year) and headed to intermission up by 1.
Luongo shouldered the blame for the Sabres’ second goal
“I’ve got to make that save. Even those, with the screens, I don’t want to let a puck go through me. It’s the last thing I want. Even though they were buzzing, a shot like that can’t go through me.”
The 3rd period saw the Sabres’ first power play of the game, and they proved why they are currently ranked 4th in the league with a 25% success rate when up a man. Sam Reinhart ripped one past Luongo at 3:38 to double the Sabres lead to 3-1. Vincent Trochek made things interesting with exactly 4:00 left when he deflected a shot from Aaron Ekblad behind Ullmark getting the Panthers back to within one. The final minutes of the game were completely dominated by Florida, by Ullmark was able to shut them down and hold onto the win even as the Panthers buzzed with the extra attacker and an empty net.
While the score remained 3-2, it was not very indicative of the actual game play. On one hand, had either or both of the Coach’s Challenges (which were close calls) gone the opposite way, Buffalo would have won the game by more than a single goal. On the other hand, the Panthers completely dominated the Sabres for several lengthy periods at a time, out-shooting them 38-19, and had it not been for Ullmark’s stellar performance, Buffalo most likely would not have kept the game from hitting overtime, and may have even lost before the final sound of the 3rd period.
Gallant was understandably disappointed about the loss, but not about his team’s performance.
“Well, I didn’t like losing. But we outshot them two to one, so there wasn’t a whole lot I didn’t like. We played pretty hard, we played pretty well, we just didn’t put the puck in the net. We did have a strong finish, and we made a couple of saves, and the defenseman blocked a couple, but disappointing to lose.”
The 1st and 2nd stars of the game went to both players scoring their first goals of the season, and for standing on his head with 38 saves, Ullmark was awarded the 3rd star.
The Boston Bruins were back on home ice at TD Garden on Thursday evening hosting the Colorado Avalanche and acknowledging their appreciation of military servicemen and women, both active and retired, in their annual Military Appreciation Night. Sadly, the military appreciation is about the only positive thing that came out of the evening’s game, though it didn’t start out that way.
Dennis Seidenberg
First, Dennis Seidenberg made his season debut, having recovered from back surgery that kept him out of training camp and the beginning of the season. Having another veteran player on the bench is always a good thing for the team. Seidenberg was eager to get back into game mode, making himself heard—there is nothing quite like the sound of his skates—and felt, as he had six hits on the night, the most of anyone on his team.
Second, it looked like the team brought a winning attitude, coming out strong in the first period and notching the first goal of the game just 1:12 into the first period. The wrist shot from Zdeno Chara out high near the blue line came after a mad scramble in front of Reto Berra’s net. Colorado’s head coach Patrick Roy used his Coach’s Challenge on the call, which ended up being upheld as a goal, and as a result lost his timeout with roughly 58 minutes playing time remaining.
After Andreas Martinsen got called for a hook about four-and-a-half minutes later, the Bruins continued to capitalize with their streaking power play. Ryan Spooner, hanging near the side of the crease, wristed the puck in just 27 seconds into the man advantage. The Bs now have a power play goal in their last eight games.
The Bruins were up 2-0 and the first period wasn’t even half over. And for whatever reason—perhaps feeling comfortable with the lead—the Bruins backed off and the opportunistic Avalanche team tilted the ice in their favor and by the time the horn signaled the end of that first period the score was tied 2-2. The Avalanche got an even-strength wrister from former Bruin Carl Soderberg at the 12:08 mark followed by another even-strength one off of Francois Beauchemin’s stick with just 29 seconds remaining in that first frame.
Beauchemin’s goal is an all too familiar event in the history of the Boston Bruins going back roughly two seasons—the scoring by the opposing team with less than a minute remaining in a period. And like so many of those that have been scored before, it was the result of a sloppy icing that forced the Bruins to take a faceoff in their defensive zone. The Avs Matt Duchene—who won 80% of his draws during the game—won that crucial faceoff and just like that the game was tied and the momentum was definitely in their favor.
“We felt we were lucky to get out of that first period 2-2 and showed a lot of character getting back there,” Duchene said after the game. “We felt fortunate for that to happen and we just went from there.”
Meanwhile the home team had a different take on the outcome of the first twenty minutes.
“Well, I mean, you have a two-nothing lead. You like to hope that you can come in, in a better situation than 2-2, but, again, it was like a 0-0 right now and it’s anyone’s to win,” Adam McQuaid said of the feelings in the room during the first intermission. “So we were positive and looking to have a solid start to that period and continue progressing from there, but anyways talk is cheap I guess.”
Marchand’s response to dangerous hit by Landeskog
There was a general sloppiness to much of the Bruins’ play throughout the remainder of the game, but there was also a serious moment of concern about six minutes into the second when Brad Marchand was hit, while in a vulnerable position after passing the puck, by Gabriel Landeskog that sent Marchand spinning to the ice. Having just come back from a concussion it was understandable that his temper was flaring a bit on the hit and upon getting back up, he let his emotions get the better of him punching Landeskog, who at the moment was attempting to apologize.
After a huddle of those in the striped jerseys, penalties were assessed, which saw Landeskog, who was given a match penalty for an illegal check to the head, ejected from the game. Marchand received a two-minute minor for roughing for his reaction. When it all shook out the teams played four-on-four for two minutes before the Bs were on the power play for three minutes.
“I came in as a late back-checker and [Marchand] takes his shot and as I see he is in a vulnerable position, I try to let up. I hit his shoulder first and I’m happy he wasn’t hurt,” Landeskog explained postgame.
Coach Claude Julien was asked about the incident and as he has done so many times before, he reiterated he will let the league determine if supplemental discipline is warranted. No doubt he is just glad that Marchand escape the incident unharmed, though it is likely that the staff will keep a close eye on him in the days to come.
For his part, Marchand also would not be baited by the media in regard to what he felt should happen to Landeskog in regard to additional discipline, though he admitted that his punch was a result of the heat of the moment and postgame indicated that he accepted Landeskog’s apology.
“Things happen quick, I know that, I’ve been there,” he said. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it. I don’t think he’s a dirty player, so, you know, it’s hockey. It is what it is.”
The score stayed knotted at two a piece until Duchene was able to get a wrist shot past Tuukka Rask, the result of a Kevan Miller giveaway to Mikhail Grigorenko who had moved up to the Duchene line after Landeskog’s ejection.
The Bruins continue to struggle this season, and it is not just one player here or there. The team as a whole is unable to put together a solid effort on most nights. And Coach Julien isn’t pulling any punches, basically calling out his team for their efforts.
“It’s the same old I guess. We’re off to good starts again and then you get a 2-0 lead and instead of continuing to play your game, you started seeing some long passes that ended up in icings, you saw some turnovers at the blue line,” he told the media after the game. “We’re being a little stubborn right now with respecting our game plan for the whole game. When you find it again, I thought in the third period it was more of one team a little bit more determined than the other. We didn’t win enough battles; we didn’t win enough races. This is our building; this is a game we have to win in our own building and we let it get away.”
The team will need to put this one behind them as they play host to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday evening, a team that is only two points ahead of them in the standings. Will they take what Julien said to heart? Unless they wish to find themselves at the bottom of the standings in April, they need to figure out what needs fixing. Perhaps it simply boils down to respecting and adhering to the game plan for a full sixty as Julien said.
The Minnesota Wild (8-3-2) and the Winnipeg Jets (8-5-2) will face-off for a rematch Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
The Jets trumped the Wild in their first matchup of the season with a 5-4 victory in Winnipeg on October 25, but the Wild hope to even up the series on home ice.
For the Wild, this concludes a three-game home stretch following which included a loss to the Nashville Predators on Thursday and win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
Winnipeg has has struggled in their most recent games, as they were shutout by the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, November 7 which came on the heals of their heartbreaking loss in the shoot out against the Ottawa Senators last Thursday.
The Wild will not have the skills of Zach Parise, their veteran star, due to a knee injury that has left him out on week-to-week status. They will also be missing top defenseman Marco Scandella in the lineup.
Devan Dubnyk will start in Tuesday’s game, and is coming off of a 1-0 shutout against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Minnesota native Blake Wheeler has led the Jets, tallying a total of 17 points within the 15 games he has played. Wheeler currently sits in fifth place in the league in points.
Fans should expect the game to be intense, as the Wild hope to start a winning streak, while the Jets likewise hope to end their drought.
Prev
