Live Blog: Bruins at Flyers

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Oct 22, 2009

Live Blog: Bruins at Flyers

Post-game analysis, Bruins lose 4-3 in shootout: This game obviously didn’t end up being the defensive road game head coach Claude Julien and his squad wanted tonight.

They were outshot 39-26 and had plenty of trouble keeping up with the speed of the Flyers forwards. But they deserve props for their resilience and earning a point on the road after playing the night before.

Tuukka Rask, whose huge save on a Jeff Carter breakaway with under a minute remaining in regulation kept the game tied and got his team to overtime, had one of his best games yet in his young career. If Tim Thomas struggles at all, gets hurt or needs a break, Julien can depend on Rask. But he needs to be able to depend on his defense, which right now seems to need more work than the banged-up forwards corps. 

The special teams seems to be improving as, once again, the penalty kill didn’t allow a power-play goal and the power play clicked, going 1-for-2. The Daniel Paille trade is looking like a nice pickup by Peter Chiarelli as he has really helped the penalty kill.

The Bruins earned a solid point on the road, but it could’ve been two. There is work to be done as the Bruins head to Ottawa to take on the surprising Senators on Saturday night on NESN at 7 p.m. ET.

Thanks for joining us here on the Bruins Live Blog and don’t forget to check back here at NESN.com for all your Bruins news and our Live Bruins Blog on Saturday night!

End of shootout, Flyers win 4-3: Tuuka Rask (36 saves) was amazing tonight, but he couldn’t stop the Flyers’ third shooter. Claude Giroux deked Rask out of his shorts in the shootout and slotted it past him for the winner after the first two Philly shooters, Daniel Briere and Mike Richards, failed to score. Michael Ryder, the Bruins’ third shooter, hit the post and failed to tie the game, giving the Flyers the extra point and a 4-3 win.

End of overtime, 3-3: The Bruins are headed to their first shootout of the season. I’ll be interested to see who head coach Claude Julien chooses as his shooters. It’s been a great game in Philly tonight!

Overtime, 2:55, 3-3: The Bruins will get at least a point here, and again, it’s due in large part to Tuukka Rask, who just seems to be always positioned right.

End of regulation, 3-3: Can you say Tuukka? Rask just saved the game when Jeff Carter broke in alone, shorthanded, and Rask was up to the task once again. To overtime we go.

Third period, 1:37, 3-3: Interesting call here as Simon Gagne goes to the box here for hooking. It’s not common for a ref to make a borderline call like that with this little time left, but the Bruins will take it.

Third period, 4:40, 3-3: The Bruins have really battled hard tonight and battling the hardest is Tuukka Rask, who has 31 saves as we near the end of regulation.

This game could really be a momentum builder if the Bruins pull it out. Back-and -forth affairs like this are the ones you look back on.

Third period, 8:39, 3-3: Brad Marchand continues to have an impact out there in only his second game.

Marchand told me the other day that he will do his best to be a pest and isn’t afraid to keep yapping after the faceoff. Think of Esa Tikkanen, the famous pest from the Oilers dynasty teams and that may be what we have in Marchand.

Third period, 9:40, 3-3: This has turned into an exciting game and there’s been some rough stuff, finally, between these usually spiteful combatants.

Speaking of fighting, Flyers goalie Ray Emery is a huge boxing fan and his mask is painted with pictures of “Smoking” Joe Frazier, “The Executioner” Bernard Hopkins and, of course, Rocky Balboa.

Third period, 15:53, 3-3: Trent Whitfield and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen just did the tango and the big Norwegian Flyers blue liner got the decision.

Third period, 16:22, 3-3: We are underway in the third period as the Bruins look for their first win streak of the season.

Dennis Wideman almost had an own goal but thankfully he avoided the embarrassment.

End of second period, 3-3: Well, we’re tied 3-3 after two and for a team that played last night, the Bruins deserve some credit for keeping up with the tempo tonight.

That turned into a run and gun type game there in the second half of the period and the Bruins hung in and came out of the period tied.

The penalty kill is 3-for-3 again and looking better every shift.

As Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley have pointed out, David Krejci is
playing one of his best games. He is seeing the game better and also
getting some good chances. With Marc Savard out, they need all their centers to step up. Patrice Bergeron did it last night and Krejci has an assist and is doing it tonight.

Second period, 2:58, 3-3: Steve Begin just got his second goal in as many games and has tied it for the Bruins.

Byron Bitz and Derek Morris got the helpers on the goal. Dennis Wideman is in the sin-bin now for interference.

Second period, 5:02, Flyers 3-2: This has been a tale of two stories here in the second period. As Jack Edwards said earlier, it was “serial icing” out there as neither team could find their groove, and then all of a sudden we got two lead changes.

Second period, 7:52, Flyers 3-2: The Flyers just took a 3-2 lead on Aaron Asham’s second goal of the game.

A couple mental lapses there by Brad Marchand and Mark Stuart and the Flyers have the lead again.

Second period, 10:21, 2-2: Wow! A crazy two minutes there. Matt Hunwick gave the Bruins the lead but Darroll Powe tied it 1:05 later after a mad scramble in front.

Second period, 13:48, 1-1: The Bruins seemed to come out with a bit more momentum in their game. They have had some good chances but need to get more traffic in front.

Second period, 18:00, 1-1: We are underway at the Wachovia Center in the second period. The Bruins have a little more jump here at the beginning of the second than they did to start the game.

End of first period, 1-1: It was a better second half of the first period for the Bruins and they’re tied 1-1 after one period.

The power play looked good with Morris’ first goal as a Bruin and Chara with a great pass. They owe Tuukka Rask for coming out of their tied as they were out-shot 12-6. Looked like the Bruins went into prevent a bit to start the game and Rask was ready.

First period, 2:34, 1-1: Derek Morris just scored a power-play goal for the Bruins to tie the game at one. Chara had the assist.

That’s why they got Morris! For that shot from the point on the PP.

First period, 7:57, Flyers 1-0: Chris Pronger just gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Matthew Carle and former UNH star James van Riemsdyk had the assists.

First period, 8:42: Brad Marchand is playing his second NHL game tonight. Last night, following the game Marchand discussed how he felt on the ice during the National Anthem: “I just kept looking down at the ice trying not to look at the crowd.”

Zdeno Chara grabbed the puck for Marchand after he got an assist on Michael Ryder’s goal.

First period, 10:06: The Flyers seem to be controlling the tempo right now but as we said, Rask has looked great.

The Bruins haven’t had a shot for nine minutes.

First period, 13:42: The Bruins killed off the Flyers’ first power play and Tuukka Rask made some big saves helping the cause. Rask looks focused so far and seems ready for the challenge.

First period, 14:35: The Flyers on on the power play now with Daniel Paille in the box for tripping.

The Bruins were 3-for-3 last night on the PK.

First period, 18:30: We’re underway here at the Wachovia Center. Tuukka Rask already had to make two solid saves. 

7:00 p.m.: According to Bruins team blogger John (“Bish”) Bishop who is one of the best in the NHL, the Bruins lines will look like this:

Sturm-Krejci-Recchi
Marchand-Bergeron-Ryder
Sobotka-Whitfield-Wheeler
Paille-Begin-Bitz
Chara-Morris
Ference-Wideman
Stuart-Hunwick
Rask
Thomas

Loved those tuques in the warmup! Nobody will have trouble spotting the Flyers with that bright orange. I may have to buy one of those hats for my friend Brian Ferraro’s new-born son Justin Matthew. Here’s hoping the Bruins can win one for him and also my wife Mary who had her birthday today. Happy Birthday, Mary!

6:46 p.m.: Tuukka Rask will start in net for the Bruins and Ray Emery gets the nod for the Flyers.

5:20 p.m.: According to Kevin Paul Dupont over at the Bruins Blog at Boston.com Tim Thomas was not on the ice for the optional skate at the Wachovia Center this morning but is expected to start tonight against the Flyers.

Also, Shawn Thornton is still a game-time decision but chances are if he doesn’t play, Guillaume Lefebvre will be in there as the Bruins can use some extra muscle against the big and bruising Flyers.

Dupont also noted that both teams will be sporting their Winter Classic tuques that they will wear New Year’s Day at Fenway Park during the pregame warmup tonight. We’ll have more news from Philadelphia then.

3:30 p.m.: The Bruins (4-4-0) are probably hoping that Flyers fans have a nice hangover tonight after celebrating the Phillies’ NLCS series-clinching win Wednesday night. Chances are, however, that some of the league’s rowdiest fans will be rocking the Wachovia Center for the first of four meetings between these longtime Eastern Conference rivals.

The Bruins are looking to get their first winning streak going and the Flyers (3-2-1) are looking to snap a three-game losing streak in only their second game in 11 days. Will the Flyers be rusty? Or will they unleash built-up frustration and intensity?

Obviously the Bruins are hoping for the former but they must be prepared for either and show the same controlled intensity that helped them earn a 3-2 win over the Predators Wednesday night at the TD Garden.

Once again, the Bruins will be without center Marc Savard and winger Milan Lucic, but forward Shawn Thornton could play. We’ll let you know who’s in and who’s out as well as update you with any pertinent news on the game, so check back here as we gear up for this big Eastern Conference tilt in Philadelphia.

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