Tyler Seguin extends the series

The Boston Bruins are going to another game seven as Tyler Seguin scored the game winning goal at the 3:17 of overtime to send the series back to Boston. This will be the Bruins fourth game seven in the last fourteen months. Game seven is on Wednesday night (TDB) at TD North Garden. This was the first goal of the playoffs for Seguin (1g-1a-2pts).

The Bruins have stuggled to get scoring from their top two lines, David Krejci (1g-2a-3pts), Milan Lucic (0g-3a-3pts), Patrice Bergeron (0g-2a-2pts), Brad Marchand (1g-1a-2pts). Krecji also scored his first goal of the playoffs today. Brad Marchand got his first goal of the playoffs yesterday.

Richard Peverley (3g-2a-5pts), Milan Lucic, Tyler Seguin, Andrew Ference and David Krejci all had 2 points in today's win against the Washington Capitals. 

The best line for the Bruins through the first five games of the Stanley Cup playoffs has been the line of Benoit Pouliot (1g-1a-2pts), Brian Rolston (1g-2a-3pts), Chris Kelly (1g-2a-3pts).

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Chimera hit on Marchand

I apologize for the quality of the video, I do not have a steady hand, nor do I have a video recorder to tape the plays that I would like. This was the hit in question by Washington Capitals forward Jason Chimera on Boston Bruins forward Bard Marchand as you can seen by the video that the Little Ball of Hate was not hit in the head. What caused the cut to Marchand's face is unknown.

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Alexander Ovechkin elbows Patrice Bergeron in the head

The Washington Capitals star forward Alexander Ovechkin's is known for playing on the edge and there is nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, Ovechkin is also know for his questionable and sometimes dirty hits and in today's game Ovechkin was able to connect with a sneaky dirty elbow on  Patrice Bergeron's head.

Edit: If you go back and watch this video, you will see that Ovechkin hit Bergeron twice in the head.

Ovechkin's elbow caused Bergeron to miss most of the third period. With his previous concussion history, one has to wonder if Bergeron is suffering from another concussion. Don't expect the league to look at the Ovechkin elbow on Bergeron because Ovechkin is a star player.

Just for the record Alexander Ovechkin is a repeat offender and he has been suspended three times by the National Hockey League for hits that were deemed dangerous.

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• Caps Practice Recap: Michal Neuvirth Returns In Back-up Role
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More Capitals whining

Reading these comments from the Washington Capitals media this past week, I would think that I am listening to the Vancouver Canucks. It’s almost like we have taken a time machine and went back a year in time.

Mike Wise, Washingtonpost.com --- Maybe someone is afraid the Stanley Cup would not reside in Boston if the league genuinely took a look at what the Bruins do often after plays are clearly over. All I know is Game 4 of the Bruins-Capitals series is Thursday night at Verizon Center and somehow Nicklas Backstrom is not playing. Meanwhile, the ruffians who have been trying their damnedest to knock his concussed head have a full roster. In Bettman’s NHL, this is justice.

Funny, no, that the team that tied for the league lead with 65 majors, led the league with five game misconducts and had more penalty minutes than all but two other NHL clubs during the regular season has been able to skate away without so much as a warning. The Bruins have 14 fewer penalty minutes in the series against Washington thus far, proof that either they have become remarkably good at looking like they’re not doing anything illegal or the on-ice cops aren’t doing their jobs.

A guy who always gets away with it is Tim Thomas, Boston’s anger-management goalie. Unsmiling, on edge, he is essentially Yosemite Sam with a better pair of clippers. In Game 2, he nailed Backstrom in the head with his blocker and kicked Troy Brouwer. According to the NHL rulebook, those are match penalties — the kind that got Backstrom suspended for Game 4. On it goes. Milan Lucic repeatedly takes whacks at Backstrom’s head.

To be honest with you I don’t how a team with coach with the reputation of Dale Hunter can say some of the stuff he has said this week with a straight face. If I recall correctly, the infamous Hunter is known as a player that has the sixth longest suspension in the NHL.

Maybe we can chalk it up as experience, but I think that Bruins Coach Claude Julien has done a good deflecting some of these ridiculous comments. This is the NHL and not the ballet. I also think that, Julien has also done a good job keeping his team focused on the task at hand and not let his team get caught up in the back and forth chatter. I also think that Julien has had some good responses the former capitals goon Dale Hunter.

“There’s not a coach in this league - not one - that is going to tell his players to target somebody’s head,’’ Julien said. “Concussions are a serious and sensitive thing. I think we all respect that. Anybody who thinks otherwise is totally wrong.’’

Julien, who was once a teammate of Hunter’s with Quebec, was asked if Hunter might have been defending his player more than accusing the Bruins of targeting Backstrom’s head. “I don’t blame Dale for defending his player, if that’s what he’s trying to do,’’ Julien said. “To me, it’s going to war for your team. That’s why I’m not commenting more on that. I’m not going to comment on his comments of protecting his player, if that’s the case. [Fluto Shinzawa, Boston Globe]

Capitals disagree with Backstrom's suspension

Backstrom and Ovechkin (Photo credit: clydeorama)

Of course they do. The moral of the story is don't cross check someone in the face at the end of the game like Backstrom did. It's really a pretty easy concept.

Katie Carrera, Washington Compost --- They’d much rather have their top center in the lineup for an important Game 4 at Verizon Center on Thursday as evidenced by a statement the team released to reporters Wednesday afternoon.

“We disagree with the NHL’s decision to suspend Nicklas Backstrom,” the statement said. “This has been a competitive and physical series, and we do not understand why a suspension was imposed in this case while other incidents in this series have not been reviewed. Our singular focus now is on Game 4, and we look forward to the energy that our great fans provide.”

But the Capitals know they can’t afford to dwell on the ruling – they can’t change it. They say their focus is on trying to even their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, which the Bruins lead two games to one.

Backstrom admits that it was stupid to cross-check on Bruins forward Rich Peverley.

Backstrom: “Well he...I did what I had to do. I think it was stupid on my part. I’ve got to deal with it now. I mean, one game — I don’t know, I don’t like it or whatever. I’ve got to deal with it. It is what it is.” [Capitals Insider]

Related articles

• Backstrom Suspended For Game Four (washington.cbslocal.com)

Backstrom suspended by the NHL.

This was the fourth suspension of the day. As expected, Nicklas Backstrom has been suspended by the NHL for his crosscheck on Richard Peverley which resulted in Backstom receiving a match penalty. The NHL wouldn't rescind the match penalty. Of course one of the dirtiest players to ever play in the NHL defended his player. I wouldn't expect anything less.

Capitals head coach Dale Hunter defended Backstrom's actions following the game, saying he "was trying to protect his face," because Peverley had his stick raised. Hunter feels the Bruins are targetting the head of Backstrom, who missed 40 games near the end of the regular season with a head injury.

"It is crossing the line. To grab his head all the time is not the right way to play," said Hunter. [TSN.CA]

Related articles

• VIDEO: Nicklas Backstrom Receives Match Penalty For Cross-Check On Rich Peverley (dc.sbnation.com)
• NHL Playoffs 2012: Nicklas Backstrom To Have Hearing With NHL; Dale Hunter Says Bruins Are Targeting Center's Head (dc.sbnation.com)
• Caps' Backstrom Called For Match Penalty, Likely Facing Suspension (philadelphia.cbslocal.com)

Alzner tells Lucic to stop crying

The Washington Capitals might want to have Karl Alzner review a few of Lucic's fight video's because the last thing that Lucic is; is a whiner. I got a chuckle out of this as well. Alzner is probably lucky that he was rescued by the ref before Lucic got a hold of him. If Alzner is confused he can confer with Paul Gaustad of Buffalo.

"Well, there's a lot of [proof] on my side to show that I'm not a crybaby," Lucic said after the game. "That's a lot coming from a guy I think who's got two roughing penalties in three years, so there you go.

Asked whether he felt Alzner was the third man in, an offense that is punishable by a game misconduct, Lucic grinned and chose his words carefully before answering, "Yup." [WEEI.COM]

Related articles

• Milan Lucic and Karl Alzner don't seem to care for each other (prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com)
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Marchand a diver?

Here is an entertaining and humorous video about Brad Marchand and his apparent diving that he did during game three against the Washington Capitals. The one play where Nikolas Backstrom hit him from behind, Marchand was off balance and basically already falling down, I will excuse that flop. That being said Marchand's diving is nothing compared to Ryan Kesler.

Related articles

• Boston Bruins Win Big Physical Game Against Washington Capitals, 4-3 (rantsports.com)
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Hunter: Bruins targeting Backstrom's head

One of the dirtiest hockey players to ever play in the NHL is accusing the Boston Bruins of going after Nicklas Backstrom. I guess the former goon Hunter would be able to spot this type of behavior on the sight?

In case you’ve forgotten, this is the same Dale Hunter that delivered one of the direst cheap shots I have ever witnessed to former Islander former Pierre Turgeon in Game 6 of the Patrick Division Semifinals. [Click to refresh memory]

Chuck Gormley, Capitals Whining --- Capitals coach Dale Hunter accused the Boston Bruins of intentionally targeting the head of Nicklas Backstrom and says his star center was only protecting himself when he cross-checked Rich Peverely in the chin at the conclusion of Game 3 Monday night.

Backstrom received a match penalty for the cross-check which carries an automatic suspension, pending a review by NHL director of player safety Brendan Shanahan. A ruling is expected to be released by the league on Wednesday.

“I don’t think he’s going to be suspended,” Hunter said. “If you slow it down frame by frame, where was [Peverley’s] stick? It was up in his face first … and Nicky reacted to it.

“I think [Backstrom] was trying to protect his face. If you watch it, [Peverley’s] stick is right in his eyes and it’s a dangerous play on their part, especially for [Backstrom] because if you notice, every scrum Nicky comes out with no helmet on. He gets a blocker to the head by [Tim] Thomas the game before [in Game 2]. He’s protecting his head. He just came off of 40 games.”

Chimera spears the Little Ball of Hate in the groin

Ouch! This is the reason that Brad Marchand was laying on the ice last night. Looks like the refs missed one here, that one couldn’t have felt very good. As you can see by the photo, Washinton Capitals forward Jason Chimera speared Brad Marchand in the groin/cup region with his stick during last night's game between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals. That should have been a major penalty.

Of course no one is going to feel bad for the Little Ball of Hate Brad Marchand. I noticed that when the  Captials started to play physical  and rough against the Bruins, the Bruins kind of took the game over. Here is the link to the video in question [Click to view]

Joe McDonald, ESPN Boston --- One would have assumed the player waiting for Marchand was forward Jason Chimera. (In fact, we did in an earlier post.)

During a scrum in front of the Bruins’ net early in the third period, Chimera clearly struck Marchand in the groin area with his stick, sending Marchand to the ice in pain. He was attended to by team trainer Don DelNegro. Chimera was given a two-minute penalty for slashing.

But Marchand was approached by defenseman Karl Alzner, who caught Marchand with an elbow to the head during the game.

s/t Puck Daddy for the photo

Niklas Backstrom cross check on Peverley

The Washington Captials "could" be without one of their best players because of this unnecessary and dirty cross check by Niklas Backstrom on Boston Bruins forward Richard Peverley at the end of tonight's game. Backstrom received a match penalty at the end of the game tonight for this cross-check. It will be interesting to see what kind of supplemental discipline that Backstrom receives.  [Box Score]

Based on how erratic Brendan Shanahan has been in his ruling during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I would be surprised if Backstrom receives any punishment, mainly because of his star status. I predict that if there is any punishment it will be the maximum 2,500 dollar fine.

Playoff links – Lord Stanley Cup is on the line

Boston Bruins (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I think the Washington Capitals are going to have a hard time matching the Boston Bruins grit and toughness. The Bruins play their best when they're playing a rough and tumble brand of hockey. Just ask the softer Vancouver Canucks who were brutalized by the Bruins last season.

Katie Carrera, Washington Post --- The Bruins – or if you prefer, the big, bad Bruins – have a reputation for toughness. Their brand of hockey comes with physicality and snarl. They like to push teams around between whistles and get under opponents’ skin afterward.

While fighting isn’t really common in the playoffs, one doesn’t need to drop the gloves to be tough to play against and physically dominate a contest or series. Boston’s knack for such things precedes it, but the Capitals believe they can hold their own.

“I think we’re alright,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “I think we’ve got a lot of guys that can throw the body around, too. We’re not a team like them where we come out and always do that, but we do that when we need to — and we’re going to need to in this series.”

The TD North Garden is a tough play for visiting team to play on any given day. Pierre LeBrun from ESPN looked at the five toughest arenas to play in druing the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

4. Boston Bruins Well, I guess you can ask the Vancouver Canucks to vouch for whether playing in Boston is any fun. The Canucks were destroyed in three games in Beantown during the 2011 Cup finals, which reinforced what a tough place it is to play in especially come playoff time. The Bruins are the NHL's toughest, most rugged team and that meshes well with a New England crowd that likes its hockey that way. All of which makes for an electric, and intimidating, atmosphere.

Former NHL Official Kerry Fraser is concerned about inconsistency in today’s NHL Refs. Well that makes two of us. I thought the officiating in last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs was bad, but could have been worse. I hope we don’t have anyone biting anyone this year.

As the NHL playoffs kick off this week, Kerry Fraser says he’s concerned about inconsistency in today’s refereeing.

“Right now, the game is very fast and it’s hard for young officials without the experience to keep up with the pace,” said Fraser, who retired a year ago as the most senior referee in the National Hockey League.

During the playoffs last year, too many refs were inconsistent when it came to major infractions, said Fraser, who officiated for 30 years. And the supplementary discipline doled out by the league hasn’t helped.

“There were head shots when players were sometimes suspended and sometimes not.

“The referees became confused seeing what was happening upstairs with suspensions or lack of, and it created inconsistent officiating,” Fraser said.

The "media" is still concerned about Timmy Thomas missing the White House event. Can we just play hockey? I could care less if Thomas takes a stand on his personal Facebook page or has a political message on the back of his goalie mask. The last time I checked Thomas was an American Citizen and is afforded the right to free speech. [Boston Globe]

Reporter: "Given the setting, that's it's in D.C., is there any concern on your part about the White House stuff getting kicked up and all that stuff …"

Thomas: "Thanks guys, we finally got somebody to get me out early."

The Washington Capital have issues in net right now. [Boston Globe]

Assuming Tomas Vokoun (groin) and Michal Neuvirth (leg) won’t be ready for Game 1, 22-year-old Braden Holtby will get the call to start the playoffs between the pipes. Holtby has never appeared in an NHL playoff game.

Holtby will be backed up by Dany Sabourin. The Capitals recalled the ex-Bruin from Hershey today.

Stanley Cup playoffs 2012: Alex Ovechkin vs. Zdeno Chara matchup could affect Capitals-Bruins outcome ...

Here are the various prediction on the series between the Bruins and the Capitals. Anyone who has seen the Capitals play know that they have a lot of fire power and I don’t think the Boston Bruins will be looking past anyone.

Dan Steinberg, Washington Post --- NHL.com doesn’t provide game predictions, but all seven of the site’s writers say the Bruins will win the series.

The NHL Network’s Craig Button agrees, although his colleague E.J. Hradek took the Caps. (Two out of four NHL.com international writers also took the Caps, for what that’s worth.)
Both of CBS Sports’s “Eye On Hockey” writers take the Bruins. TSN’s Scott Cullen says Bruins in six. Yahoo’s Nick Cotsonika says Bruins in six. The Toronto Sun’s Chris Stevenson says Bruins in six. Sporting News’s Jesse Spector says Bruins in five. Canadian site SportsNet says Bruins in five. And four of five Pro Hockey Talk writers say Bruins in 5, with the fifth, Ryan Dadoun, taking the Caps in 7.

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The Stanley Cup Playoffs - Goon's Predictions

Who do you like to win Lord Stanley's Cup? I am taking the Boston Bruins to repeat as the Champs? What do you think? Who is your pick to win it all?

Western Division

1 Vancouver Canucks vs. 8. L.A. Kings – 1 Vancouver Canucks

2 St. Louis Blues  vs. 7 SJ Sharks – 2 St Louis Blues

3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. 6 Chicago Blackhawks – 6 Chicago Blackhawks 

4 Nashville Predators vs. 5 Detroit Redwings – 5 Detroit Redwings 

Conference Semis

1 Vancouver Canucks vs. 6 Chicago Blackhawks – Vancouver Canucks

2 St Louis Blues vs. 5 Detroit Redwings – St Louis Blues

Western Conference Finals

Vancouver Canucks vs. St Louis Blues – St Louis Blues.

Eastern Division

1 New York Rangers vs. 8 Ottawa Senators – 1 New York Rangers

2 Boston Bruins vs. 7 Washington Capitals – 2 Boston Bruins

3 Florida Panthers vs. 6 New Jersey Devils – 6 New Jersey Devils

4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5 Philadelphia Flyers – 4 Pittsburg Penguins

Conference Semi Finals

1 New York Rangers vs. 6 New Jersey Devils – New York Rangers

2 Boston Bruins vs. 4 Pittsburg Penguins – Boston Bruins

Conference Finals

1 New York Rangers vs. 2 Boston Bruins – Boston Bruins

Stanley Cup Finals

St Louis Blues vs. Boston Bruins – Boston Bruins

Visa Hockey Love Hurts

A person sent me this in an email today and I found this commercial to be very funny. Watching your favorite team either not make the playoffs or lose in the playoffs is tough to handle and sometimes it takes a few days to get over the sting of losing.

As a fan of the NHL's Boston Bruins, I had this same feeling for a very long time until they won it all last season.  Enjoy the video.

Nate Newell named interim executive director

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Albany, N.Y. – The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) today announced
that Nate Ewell has been appointed to the position of interim Executive Director
of College Hockey, Inc., (CHI).

“We are extremely pleased to announce Nate’s promotion to his new position
knowing that he is an experienced professional who is highly regarded at both
the pro and collegiate levels of hockey,” said HCA President Steve Hagwell. “CHI
will be well served by his expertise in the media, communications, marketing
and promotional creativity.”

Prior to joining the staff of College Hockey Inc. in January, 2011, Ewell served
as the Vice President of Communications for the NHL’s Washington Capitals. In
eight seasons with the Caps, he created a comprehensive media strategy for
league MVP Alex Ovechkin, established a program for accreditation of bloggers
that became a model for other sports franchises, and led a staff that captured
four consecutive Dick Dillman Awards as the top media relations group in the
Eastern Conference.

A 1996 graduate of Princeton University, where he was the Sports Editor of the
campus newspaper, Ewell went on to become the Assistant Sports Information
Director at Michigan State University. There, he served as the principal media
contact for the MSU men’s hockey program.

CHI is a non-profi t corporation that operates under the auspices of the HCA and
serves as the educational, promotional and marketing arm of college hockey.

Related articles

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Alex Ovechkin suspended three games...

Nice to see that the NHL Senior VP Player Safety - Brendan Shanahan have the guts to suspend one of it's  star players like Alex Ovechkin for his actions on the ice, this is the right call and thank God Shanny didn't waiver and decided that Ovechkin needed to be suspended for this reckless hit.

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So does the NHL suspend Ovechkin for hit on Zbynek Michalek?

I don't like this hit one bit. Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, it looks like Alex Ovechkin left his feet to hit Zbynek Michalek with a hit to the head. There is no logical reason to allow these types of dirty, dangerous hits.

So doe the NHL have the intestinal fortitude to suspend for a game or two one of its stars? I think the NHL has to suspend Ovechkin for this dirty hit. This is the type of hits that the league wants to get rid of?

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered.

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Bourque suspended five games

Former Wisconsin Badger Rene Bourque has been suspended by the NHL's Senior Vice President of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan for five games for a vicious elbow to the head of Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom this is after being suspended on December 19th by the NHL for his hit on Brent Seabrook. Apparently Bourque doesn't like playing against the Wild, because he has missed the Flames last two games against the Wild. Rene Bourque is a repeat offender and will have served a total of seven games of suspension.

NEW YORK -- Calgary Flames forward Rene Bourque has been suspended for five games and will forfeit $203,252.05 in salary for delivering an elbow to the head of Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom during NHL Game #563 in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 3, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

Bourque, who was suspended last month, is classified as a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Accordingly, he forfeits his salary based on the number of games in the season (82), rather than the number of days (185). The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

The incident occurred at 10:06 of the third period. A minor penalty for elbowing was assessed on the play.

Bourque will miss games Jan. 5 at Boston, Jan. 7 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 10 vs. New Jersey, Jan. 12 vs. Anaheim and Jan. 14 vs. Los Angeles. He will be eligible to return Jan. 17 at San Jose.

Related articles

• Flames' Rene Bourque Suspended Five Games For Hit On Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom (tracking.si.com)
• VIDEO: Rene Bourque Suspended Five Games For Elbowing Nicklas Backstrom (dc.sbnation.com)
• Flames' Bourque suspended 5 games (cbc.ca)
• Bourque, Carcillo suspended for 'reckless' hits (thestar.com)
• Flames' Bourque suspended five games for hit (espn.go.com)

Where are they now Joe Finley...

Image via WikipediaHere is a nice article talking about former Fighting Sioux defenseman Joe Finley and his journey this season as Finley finally is healthy and made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres a few weeks ago.

Dan Peters, AHL On The Beat ---- When Joe Finley came into training camp this season with the Rochester Americans on a try-out basis, he was simply attempting to earn an American Hockey League contract.

Plagued by injuries in the first two years of his professional career, the 24-year-old Finley had suited up for just eight AHL contests with the Hershey Bears over that span, while also appearing in 43 games in the ECHL.

After playing four years at the University of North Dakota, Finley suffered a forearm injury early in 2009-10 which ended his season, and followed that up with a knee injury last season, prompting him to be out of commission for three months.

Selected in the first round (27th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound blueliner chose to battle it out and earn a contract with the Buffalo Sabres organization rather than go to a different team, where he may have been given a contract immediately.

Alex Ovechkin cup checks Chris Neil

Check out this spear by Alex Ovechkin, that is unacceptable and it will be interesting to see if the league will suspend Ovechkin for his spear on Ottawa Senators tough guy Chris Neil. The video doesn't lie, that was a blatant spear and if Ovechkin doesn't like being checked he should take a number and get Neil back the correct way or Ovechkin can challenge Chris Neil to a fight and he they can settle it like men.

To add injury to insult Chris Neil was given a 2-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct for “diving,” after the game the Senators forward Chris Neil was less than impressed with the spear by Alex Ovechkin.