Woooooooo! Back In The Playoffs, Bitches!
Hey, I’ll take whatever I can get these days. Especially a road win over a top opponent after a pair of listless, somnambulant performances last weekend that had many calling for heads (or new bodies).
As they’re wont to do, the Bruins played up to their competition last night (well, for some of the game) after playing down to it in their previous three games and ended up with an entertaining 3-2 OT win in Pittsburgh. It was their first win in four straight OT/SO goals and, despite their lackluster stretch, their fifth straight game with at least a point. And that was enough to vault them past the faltering Leafs (who saw that coming? Oh yeah, everyone) and into the 8th seed in the East.
Patrice Bergeron was credited with the game-winner at 2:43 of OT when he apparently tipped a Milan Lucic shot with a raised stick, though it appeared to hit Pens D-man Simon Depres’ glove on some replays. It was ruled a goal on the ice and after a lengthy review, the ref said, “We determined that the puck hit the stick…below the crossbar.” When I think he really meant, “Replays weren’t conclusive to overturn the call on the ice”. Whatever. It was hardly perfect but it’s a win. And the Bruins will take whatever breaks they can get right now.
Tuukka Rask had a great game, stopping 37 of 39 shots, while being victimized only by Evgeni Malkin’s Oatesian pass and then a Malkin laser. But he was a big reason for the win as his team was out-shot 39-24. And Claude actually shortened his bench and mixed up his lines, with the Lucic-Bergeron-Dan Paille line racking up two goals (both by Bergy, 9th and 10th of year) and three assists (two from Lucic, one from Paille). I’d like to think he comes back with it tonight vs. NJ at the Garden rather than reverting back to what hasn’t worked a whole hell of a lot this year.
Yeah, ideally, I’d like my team to me in a more comfortable position. But that’s not the current reality so the fan in me will be content with the Bruins just being one of the top eight Wales teams instead of one of the top few. Sure, they’ve been a disappointment thus far, as Richie Rich hammered home in his dog-and-pony-show presser that likely drew more dressing room moans than a B.U. puckfuck. (Seriously, do billionaire scions really think Canadian farm boys and Euros take them serious when they pull that shit? Are they on even MORE notice now? Of course the situation is always being monitored—that’s what operating a pro team is all about.) But at this point in the season, what’s done is done and I’m not gonna bitch over spilled milk. The goal is simple: just get in the playoffs. And last night put the Bs back in the top eight and that’s a good thing even if it’s been rough sledding getting there. They’ll look to put more distance between them and Toronto at 7:00 tonight when they take on the Devils.
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