Savard ready to return - who will the Bruins play next?

There is a very good chance the Bruins are going to play the Penguins in the next round because I think the Canadians are going to be hard pressed to beat the Capitals tonight, it could happen but It’s unlikely that the Canadians advance.

The emerging story line is Matt Cooke versus Marc Savard and the Bruins, most of us don't need to bring up the incident that led to the Marc Savard's concussion. We are well aware of it and I am sure the Penguins fans remember it as well. None the less, this discussion is becoming more prevalent with the prospects of Marc Savard returning from injury; both of players will end up being on the ice at the same time. It's just a matter of time.

I predict that if Matt Cooke even comes near Savard he is going to get blasted and I welcome it. I would love to see Milan Lucic go Evander Kane on Cooke. While I think Cooke is a disgusting piece of camel dung and the lowest of life forms, I don't want to see the Bruins spending all of their time trying to knock the crap out of Matt Cooke; they have to pick their places that won’t affect the team in a negative manner.

Ben Scrivens signs with the Leafs

Leaf general manager Brian Burke continues to sign former NCAA players as the Leafs have signed former Cornell Big Red goalie Ben Scrivens to an entry level contract.

he Toronto Maple Leafs continue to beef up their goaltending.

Sources tell TSN the Leafs have signed college free agent Ben Scrivens to a one year, entry-level contract.

Scrivens, a native of Spruce Grove, Alberta, starred with Cornell and was a top 10 Hobey Baker finalist for college player of the year. He just finished his fourth season with the Big Red, compiling a 21-9-4 record and an impressive .934 save percentage.

Scrivens is expected to challenge for a spot with the Toronto Marlies next season. [TSN.COM]

Savard cleared to play for the Bruins

Marc Savard has been cleared to play for the Bruins. This is good news for the Boston Bruins.

Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced during a conference call with reporters Tuesday that Savard was examined Monday afternoon by neurologist Jeremy Schmahamann at Massachusetts General Hospital and had passed all necessary tests.

"He (Schmahamann) examined Marc, he had some further discussion with our doctors and he has been cleared to play," said Chiarelli. "I'll leave it up to Claude (Julien, coach) as far as putting the lines together and who plays and who doesn't play. Marc is ready to go. We'll see how his conditioning goes, but I know from talking to him he's very anxious to play."

Savard began skating April 18, and has been practicing with the team since April 24. Chiarelli said he isn't exactly surprised Savard is able to play again, but admits he had doubts his top center would be available anytime before next season.

Worst Cliche in Hockey; The two goal lead...

I included this blog post for Sioux fans because the 2009-2010 Fighting Sioux hockey team had a propensity to blow/throw a few away games after they had taken a two goal lead.

In an otherwise excellent piece criticising the Ottawa Senators for their collapse in game six against the Penguins, Wayne Scanlan remarks that the pressure was building as the Senators “set out to defend what Don Cherry always calls the worst lead in hockey: the two goal advantage.”

Now I know what he’s getting at: With a one-goal lead, a team keeps its focus, and with a three goal lead it would require a serious collapse to lose. But two goals? It’s close enough that you need to stay focused, but big enough to convince you that it is OK to relax. But is there any indication that a two goal lead is, objectively, a worse lead to have than a one- (or three-) goal lead? I find it hard to believe.

First thing to keep in mind is that all failed two-goal leads are also failed one-goal leads. That is, on its way to squandering a two-goal lead, a team must also squander a one-goal lead. So, it is analytically the case that the number of squandered one-goal leads is equal to, and empirically a certainty that it is greater than, the number of squandered two-goal leads. [MACLEAN'S.CA]

Jaroslav Halak and the Habs "have" Bettman sweating...

I would imagine that the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is having kittens with the prospects of one of their league faces/money makers being bounced out in the first round of the NHL Playoffs. In reality there is a good chance that one or both the Penguins and the Capitals could be out by the time the league finals roll around, neither the Pens or the Caps have looked that good in the first round.

It also looks like the Montreal Canadians have finally found a serviceable starting goalie that is a lot more consistent than former starter Carey Price in Jaroslav Halak. Halak has been nothing short of amazing in the first round.

Bruins gut out series win...

The Bruins while not pretty in winning their first round series against the Buffalo Sabres did all of the little things that they had to do to win the series. The Sabres are a tough pesky team and didn’t just go away quietly into the night, they went down fighting. The Bruins might have also caught a break with the injury to Thomas Vanek earlier in the series. (S/T to Brad aka "Sioux Rube")

This was a hard fought series with a lot of one on one battles, this series was downright nasty at times, as we saw from the Chara and Gaustad incident at the end of game five, I can't imagine what would have happened if Zdeno Chara had been suspended for game six. To further illustrate the toughness of this series after the game during the post game on ice interview you could see a cut on the left side of Bruins tough guy Milan Lucic face, it looked like Lucic was in needed of two or three stitches.

Ryan Miller was a warrior all series long and gave the Bruins nothing during the six games. In my opinion, I think Miller kept the Sabres in the series and gave the Sabres a chance to win and can’t be faulted because he is one of the Sabres that brought it every game and played very well, without him the Bruins could have very well ended this series in 4 games. True to form and being the classly player that he is, Ryan Miller was the first one to line up for the hand shake at the end of the game at center ice.

The Boston Bruins now await the winner of the Habs and Capitals first round series on Wednessday night to find out who they get to play in the next round. If the Habs can manage to win their series against the Capitals the Bruins would get the Flyers. If the Capitals win the Bruins would play the Penguins.

Quit? No, the Sabres never quit.

Vanek scored with 1:13 left to make it interesting in the third. Tim Kennedy and Kaleta, the two Buffalo boys, certainly didn't back down and connected on a goal in the second period. Gerbe answered after Krejci gave Boston a 3-1 advantage.

Let's face it, the Bruins were better for most of the series. They played harder, were more resourceful, twice stormed back from two-goal deficits to win and twice rallied in the third period to beat a Sabres team that had been perfect in that situation. They had more experience, better special teams and more thump. [Buffalo News]

Bruins knock the Sabres out of the NHL playoffs.

I must admit that I am very happy tonight. I would love to see the Boston Bruins resign Miroslav Satan to a contract extension because he has been clutch in this series (2g-3a-5pts) in 6 games.

Next to the UND Fighting Sioux the Boston Bruins are my favorite hockey team and it's has been 18 long years since the Bruins last beat the Buffalo Sabres in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Last time the Bruins beat the Sabres Dale Hawerchuk and Pat LaFontaine were leading the Sabres in points. Rob Ray was their top goon and Daren Puppa was the Sabres top goal tender. For the non-math majors like me that was the 1991-1992 season.

The Boston Bruins now await their opponent for the next round, I hate to say this but it all depends on the hated Habs and if they can beat the Capitals in game 7. If Canadians can beat the Washington Capitals (I don’t think it will happen) the Bruins will play Daniel “the Hack” Carcillo and the Philadelphia Flyers. If the Captials win the Boston Bruins will play the Pittsburgh Penguins. I like the Bruins chances against the Flyers more than I do against the Penguins.

Top ten goals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs...

I had a blog post yesterday about my two top saves of the Stanley Cup playoffs to date. Here is a compilation of TSN's top 10 saves of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs so far. s/t [KuklasKorner]

End for a coaching legend...

Whether you want to admit it or not Jacques Lemaire is a coaching legend, and belongs in the NHL hall of fame in my opinion. Now! While I do think watching some of his Minnesota Wild teams were some of the most uneventful, mind numbingly boring teams to watch on the ice he was an effective coach that got the most out of his teams.

NEWARK, N.J. - The energy is gone, so Jacques Lemaire is walking away from coaching.

Only four days after the New Jersey Devils were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round for the third consecutive year, the 64-year-old Lemaire made the surprising announcement Monday that he is retiring as a coach.

"It's tough to leave what you like, but it's a decision that I made," he said.

Lemaire said he thought about retiring several times this season and that the loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in five games had nothing to do with his decision. He relayed it to Devils president Lou Lamoriello over the past 24 hours.

"It's not the team, it is not the result or the lack of result we had in the playoffs," a glassy-eyed Lemaire said. "It's not that at all. It's the end of the line. I'll be 65. It's just time."

Washington Capital Eric Belanger practices personal dentistry on the player’s bench

If you have a weak stomach you may not want to watch this. The irony is that these guys were former teammates with the Wild. Marc-Andre Bergeron knocks out eight of Belanger's teeth with a blatant high stick, no call on the play, then Belanger removes one of his teeth that wasn't knocked out. Hockey players are tough.

Speaking of Belanger, he said Marc-Andre Bergeron, his former teammate with the Wild, called him to a apologize for knocking out eight of his teeth with a high stick on Friday. (Belanger had just gotten thousands of dollars of work done on his teeth last year, and until Game 5, might have had the nicest smile on the team.)

"He felt so bad," said Belanger, who does not wear a mouthpiece because it makes him gag. "I spent a lot of time getting them fixed up, and here I am again."

On a positive note, Belanger is able to eat - just as long as it's cut into small pieces. So his energy level should be fine.

"I'm not going to eat crackers or stuff like that," he said. "But I can eat small pieces, chicken cut up or rice. I can chew in the back." [Washington Post]

Police: Booze Found In BC Student's Car After MBTA Crash

This is a story that emerged out of Boston over the weekend as three freshman hockey players from the defending national champion Boston College Eagles; Parker Milner, goaltender, and defensemen Phillip Sameulsson and Patrick Wey were involved in traffic accident with an MBTA trolley car. The driver of the vehicle a young woman was not drinking but there was alcohol found in the vehicle. Some of the beer cans in the vehicle were open. The part that makes it more series is some of the passengers in the vehicle fled the scene with their unauthorized alcoholic beverages. None of the passengers in the vehicle were of the legal age to drink alcoholic beverages.

It will be interesting to see how Boston College head hockey coach Jerry York handles this incident. My first question is how the hell do you run into a commuter train? Those things are pretty big, and I am not sure how you miss a big green commuter train. Also, what are 7 people doing in a Jeep it’s supposed to seat five.

BOSTON -- Three members of Boston College's national champion hockey team team are facing alcohol possession charges Monday after they and five other teenagers were in a car crash with a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority trolley car late Saturday and police found blood-smeared cans of beer and a bottle of Rubinoff vodka in the SUV.

Police said BC hockey goal tender Parker Milner, 19, freshman defenseman Phillip Sameulsson, 18, and Patrick Wey, 19, were in a Jeep that was hit by a Green Line trolley when the driver, identified as Jane Stanton, 19, tried to make a u-turn across the tracks near the Evergreen Cemetery on Commonwealth Avenue at Greycliff Road.

Eight BC students were in the Jeep at the time of the crash, police said Monday. They originally believed there were only seven students in the five-passenger vehicle. Four were treated for minor injuries.[The Boston Channel]

Links to the story

USA Today; Boston College hockey players charged after car crash with trolley

WEEI; BC hockey players in car accident

Boston Bar Stool Sports; Underage BC Hockey Players Crash Into the Green Line

WBZ.COM; 3 BC Hockey Players Involved In Green Line Crash (with video)

Top two saves of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs...

Here are my two nominations for best saves during the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Personally, I think the Tuuku Rask save below is even better than the Roberto Luongo save on the shot from Ryan Smyth. I think both saves were the defining moments in their individual hockey games. I have included a poll on the right you can vote on your save of the first round.

Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice; No Suspension For Marian Hossa

First off this is the right call, in my opinion. Marian Hossa isn’t known as a cheap player nor is he a repeat offender and he isn’t going to be confused with a Matt Cooke or Daniel Carcillo type player/hack. While the coach of the Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz compared the hit on Hamhuis to one delivered by Washington's Alex Ovechkin that injured Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell last month. Whatever, the Predators coach is entitled to his opinion (no matter how flawed) the Marian Hossa hit on Predators Dan Hamhuis was not the same hit as the Alexander Ovechkin hit on Brian Campbell. There are not even the same type of hit. The Hossa hit was a push check or a shove the hit by Ovechkin was a blatant boarding/hit from behind.

I am not saying that I approve of the hit in question because I don’t, in watching the video (included above) it was a dangerous hit but I don’t think it’s worthy of a suspension. Also, I don’t think the NHL has to issue a suspension on every major penalty. If Hossa replicated the act again soon I would expect a suspension because they he would be a repeat offender.

The NHL said on Sunday that Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa won't be suspended for the major boarding infraction he incurred in Game 5 against the Nashville Predators.

Colin Campbell issued a statment after a hearing explaining the decision.

"I have made the decision that this play does not warrant supplemental discipline after considering all of the facts, including reviewing the video and speaking with Mr. Hossa," said Campbell. "This play is distinguishable from recent incidents by a number of factors, including the degree of contact involved; the fact that the consequences of the play do not appear to be as severe; that this was a hockey play involving a race for the puck; that Mr. Hossa is not a repeat offender and that the call of a major penalty by the referee was significant and appropriate."
[Read more]

Joe Pavelski game winning goal to knock the Av's out of the playoffs.

This kid scores some nice goals and this one is no different. This was the goal that knocked the Avalanche out of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The San Jose Sharks finally won a first round series and proved that they were not going to be a first round flop again this season. Of course Joe Thornton has been almost non-existent again with (0g-3a-3pts) in 6 games. Joe Pavelski (5g-3a-8pts)is tied for the team lead in points with Ryan Clow (1g-7a-pts). I have to admit that the former Wisconsin Badger is one of my favorite players.

April 24th, 2010 Coach's Corner with Ron MacLean & Don Cherry

Back by popular demand.

Marian Hossa hit on Dan Hamhuis

This is the latest controversy in the NHL. I saw the hit and while it's a bad hit there is no question and I don't condone it one bit, I am not sure that the hit in question is as bad as the Alexander Ovechkin hit on Brian Campbell. Brian Campbell went more violently face first into the boards than the Hamhuis hit. Just my humble opinion, don’t take my head off. There are a lot of people that are upset that Hossa wasn't thrown out of the game and given a match penalty and Predators fans are even more unhappy that Marian Hossa scored the game winning goal. Will the league suspend Hossa? I don't know? The league doesn't have much time to make a decision, the Hawks play again Monday. Hossa doesn't have a history of dirty hits or questionable play. So who knows where the Colin Campbell Wheel of Justice will land. Personally I don't think the play rises to the level where it deserves a suspension. Not every major penalty deserves a suspension.

War of the words; Ruff and Julien

This is turning into a pretty good drama between the two teams, it's playoff hockey. Personally, I hate the Buffalo Sabres and they sound like a bunch of whinny little cry babies, there has been excessive complaining about the officiating in this series by the Buffalo Sabres coaching staff. The fact remains that the officiating has been poor both ways. The game prior their coach Lindy Ruff had a temper tantrum at the post game press conference. I love it. I expect the next game to be even more intense. Some of this stuff is also tin foil hat crap though.

"I said [Friday] night, you run the risk of being suspended," Ruff said on Saturday. "The league's interpretation is what it is. I was arguing for the instigator. That's why I stayed on the bench. I had [Craig Rivet] go over and say, 'That's an instigator.'

"It really doesn't matter what I think. It really doesn't," Ruff added. "I don't think that little slash [from Gaustad] hurt [Chara], though. An instigator is an instigator. The referees deemed [Gaustad] was the instigator. I can find lots of little slashes in the game if you want me to find that."

In his media briefing on Saturday, Julien said he hoped Ruff was simply using coaching tactics and didn’t need any cheese with his whine. He also reiterated his disgust with what he believes to be one-sided officiating leaning in the Sabres’ favor.

"I've heard and read Lindy's comments," Julien said. "Hopefully, it's his way of taking pressure off his team. If not, it's a lot of whining. Simple as that. Every coach has his tactics. You just worry about yourself. We seem to be the team that's doing bad things. They seem to be the team that's on the nice side of all that stuff and they do nothing wrong. It's tactics. Those are things in the playoffs that coaches use, hopefully to their advantage. I don't pay much attention to it."

There is some speculation around the NHL that the league tends to resist suspending star players in the playoffs, and Ruff was asked if maybe that was the case here with Chara.

"I've heard that argument before and I'm not even going to go down that road,” Ruff said.

Rivet, the Sabres captain, also chimed in, saying he expected the Bruins captain to be in the lineup Monday.

"I'm not really surprised," Rivet said. "It's something I expect at this time of year. I think the action would have to be a lot worse to get a suspension. He was a little bit frustrated at the end of the game but I don't think it was really cause for a suspension."

One thing is for sure though: If Gaustad or any other Sabres player wants to take liberties with a Bruin again, they will get a similar reaction. Chara’s actions were questioned, because he could have put his team in a tough position if he was suspended. But with two seconds on the clock and the Sabres up 4-1, he and the Bruins weren’t about to let Gaustad and the Sabres rub salt in the wound.

“We stand up for ourselves, too, and it is about doing it at the right time,” Julien said. “Sometimes a guy takes a cheap shot at you at the time of the game, it gives you a power, play and you say, 'Well, OK, I know who it is and it is a long game.’ But the game [was] over [when Gaustad hit Chara]. Obviously, it was a cheap shot and it was unwarranted -- the two-hander -- and [Chara] responded.[NESN.COM]

Chara will not be suspended.

Here is the explanation on why Big "Z" will not be suspended for game six. As some of the pundits have said the Gaustad slash (at the end of this video) is probably the reason why Chara will not receive any additional discipline from the NHL.

Darren Dreger TSN - The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres were informed by the NHL on Friday night that Boston captain Zdeno Chara will not be suspended for the end of game instigator he was assessed in the Bruins' 4-1 loss to the Sabres.

However, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli had to formally submit a written request to Terry Gregson, the NHL's director of officiating, to have the instigator rescinded.

Two instigator penalties during the Stanley Cup playoffs results in an automatic suspension.

Chara was not involved in any in-game incident prior to his retaliation which under Rule 47.22 provides the criteria for Colin Campbell, the NHL's Director of Hockey Operations, to lift the automatic suspension which coincides with this penalty.

"(Rule 47.22)

Instigator in Final Five Minutes of Regulation Time (or Anytime in Overtime) - A player or goalkeeper who is deemed to be the instigator of an altercation in the final five (5) minutes of regulation time or at anytime in overtime, shall automatically be suspended for one game. The Director of Hockey Operations will review every such incident and may rescind the suspension based on a number of criteria. The criteria for the review shall include, but not limited to, the score, previous incidents, etc. The length of suspension will double for each subsequent offense. This suspension shall be served in addition to any other automatic suspensions a player may incur for an accumulation of three or more instigator penalties.When the one-game suspension is imposed, the Coach shall be fined $10,000 - a fine that will double for each subsequent incident. No team appeals will be permitted either verbally or in writing regarding the assessment of this automatic suspension."

Donny Brook at the end of the Bruins and Sabres game.

The reason that Zdeno Chara goes after Paul Gaustad is that he slashes Chara as he skates by. Holy Cow! You've got to love playoff hockey. While the Sabres may have won tonight's game the Bruins have two games to win the series clinching game. Mark it down, the Sabres are not going to win this series.

Should the Bruins shut Marc Savard down?

Marc Savard has been cleared to practice with the team after being out for 6 weeks missing 22 games with post concussion symptoms as a result of a bush league blind side hit by uber hack Matt Cooke. While the bloggers and media will pontificate on when players should return from a concussion, I think the decision needs to be with the player and the team doctors.

A championship is not worth risking any athlete's health, let alone a first round series. This is why Peter Chiarelli and Claude Julien are wise to temper expectations for the return of dynamic center Marc Savard. This is why you hope the general manager and head coach of the Boston Bruins back up their words, even if their team's 3-1 lead over the Buffalo Sabres starts to dwindle after Game 5 on Friday in Buffalo.

The Bruins should not look for inspiration from a heroic return by Savard in this series against their division rivals. Julien is far better off sending the optimistic message, "Win this series and we get Savvy back for Round 2."

It would be so easy for the Bruins' brass to talk themselves into a Savard return. "We really need him on the power play, and no one's going to touch him there," could be one reasoning. "We'll break him in easily with some fourth line duty," is another. After all, with Bergeron and Krejci at center, the Bruins don't need Savard for his usual 18 minutes a game.

Hopefully, Julien will remember his words on Wednesday morning after Savard passed his neuropsychological exam and was cleared to practice. ][Fan House]