Postgame analysis, Bruins win 4-3 in shootout: Still wondering how Jack Edwards has a voice left right now but that really was a huge win for the Bruins as they have dug deep down and shown that they have the will and desire to overcome adversity.
With Marc Savard and Milan Lucic on long-term injured reserve, the Bruins have passed their first tests here and shown they are still a Stanley Cup contender but most of all they still believe in each other and themselves. You can't overstate what a game like this can do for a team that has had a start like the Bruins had and if they go on to do what the experts expected them to do this season they will look back to this game.
And, let's not forget they don't even have a chance to win without the play of the defending Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas. who made that final save on Jason Spezza and also on Daniel Alfredsson earlier in the game. Thomas finished with 27 saves and looks like he finally is back. The Bruins made me eat my words from below but they taste good right now. They have now taken five of six possible points in their last three games. Congrats to Thomas and also to Mark Recchi on a great win and goal in his 1,500th game.
End of shootout, Bruins win 4-3: Tim Thomas makes one more fantastic save on Jason Spezza and the Bruins pull off a miracle and win 4-3 in the shootout. This could be the one that sets the Bruins season on track. A huge, gut-check win by the Bruins.
Shootout, 3-3: Daniel Alfredsson hits the post and Patrice Bergeron scores.
Shootout, 3-3: Alex Kovalev hits the post and Blake Wheeler fails to score.
Shootout, 3-3: Blake Wheeler, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to shoot for the Bruins. Alex Kovalev first here for the Sens.
End of overtime, 3-3: The Bruins failed to convert on the power play and for the second straight game they are headed to a shootout. Win or lose, they deserve credit for not giving up.
Overtime, :35, 3-3: Michael Ryder just got tripped by Chris Phillips and is off to the box for a Bruins power play.
Overtime, 4:19, 3-3: Derek Morris and Patrice Bergeron had the helpers on Krejci's goal. Morris with that great shot from the point is really starting to find his groove.
End of regulation, 3-3: David Krejci ties the game with 21 ticks left! What a way to get his first goal and thankfully a great effort by Tim Thomas doesn't go to waste. We are headed to OT as the Bruins climb out of the quicksand and wake-up.
Third period, 1:28, Senators 3-2: In his 1,500th game, Mark Recchi pulls the Bruins to within one. Marco Sturm and Derek Morris get the helpers. What did I say about putting Recchi in front on the PP?
Third period, 1:46, Senators 3-1: The power play is 0-for-3 and folks, it needs a lot of work. Not sure what happened with the Bruins in this period either. This was simply ugly. Tim Thomas has been pulled for extra attacker.
Third period, 6:39, Senators 3-1: Nick Foligno is off for tripping and the Bruins are on a must-score power play here. They're 0-for-2 so far.
Third period, 8:47, Senators 3-1: Mike Fisher just padded the Senators' lead and beat Thomas from a tough angle. This period has been a shame to watch as Tim Thomas doesn't deserve this fate.
Third period, 10:46, 2-1 Senators: Well Tim Thomas can't do it by himself and Milan Michalek has given the Senators the lead again. Jason Spezza sent Michalek in for the goal. The Bruins look like they're in quicksand right now. Need to pick it up!
Third period, 14:08, 1-1: Ottawa pressuring in the first six minutes here but Tim Thomas is Mr. Vezina tonight!
Third period, 19:21, 1-1: We are underway in the final frame in Ottawa and the Bruins have killed off Steve Begin's penalty.
Second intermission, 1-1: Obviously the Bruins don't like entering another period shorthanded but as I said, Steve Begin was defending his teammate and you take those types of calls. Just still trying to understand the no-call on Chris Neil?
We have a great game going on in Ottawa and in Montreal the Habs have erased a two-goal deficit to tie the Rangers 3-3 in the third period. Carey Price was pulled though for Jaroslav Halak and continues to struggle. Halak may be the starter by the time the Bruins and Habs finally meet on November 5 in Boston.
End of second period, 1-1: A great finish to the period for the Bruins and they're hanging tough after two periods of play. If they win this game, they will look back to that save by Tim Thomas on Daniel Alfredsson. Amazing!
The Bruins will start the third period shorthanded but it was worth it for Steve Begin to defend his teammate. Should be a great third period in Ottawa so stay with us here.
Second period, 1:08, 1-1: Tim Thomas is on tonight folks, making a save you will look back on later this season. Also, after Chris Neal took liberties up high on an elbow to Dennis Wideman, Steve Begin went to the defense of his teammate but somehow he gets the instigator and Neal gets nothing. Ottawa is on their third power play.
Second period, 2:54, 1-1: Blake Wheeler has tied it for the Bruins on some great cycling by Vladimir Sobotka and Daniel Paille who get the helpers on the play.
Second period, 5:34, Senators 1-0: Finally we see Shawn Thornton drop the gloves as he just tangoed with Matt Carkner. That is why Thornton is out there, to prevent what we said earlier, a possible momentum shift like the one that can happen after a short-handed goal.
Second period, 5:50, Senators 1-0: A tough break for the Bruins on the short-handed Ottawa goal and the power play continues to struggle. The Bruins are 0-for-2 on the power play tonight and that one could come back to haunt them as that was a big momentum shift.
Second period, 8:29, Senators 1-0: Daniel Alfredsson just broke in alone and scored a shorthanded goal for a 1-0 Ottawa lead. Jonathan Cheechoo is in the box for hooking.
Second period, 10:02: The Bruins killed off another Ottawa power play and continue to look solid on the penalty kill.
Also, a great play by Vladimir Sobotka to get a loose puck safely to Tim Thomas in front.
Second period, 13:18: Ottawa is on their second power play as Matt Hunwick is in the box for hooking.
Tim Thomas with some dazzling work in the second period has the game scoreless still. Thomas will always be a chaotic type goalie when it comes to technique but when he's on, it's a controlled chaos like you're seeing tonight.
Second period, 16:52: The Bruins have killed off their sixth straight power play, going back to the Nashville game and we're underway in the second period.
First intermission 0-0: Some quick thoughts: The Bruins to continue to play with constant passion and stick within their system. Will be tested on the Ottawa power play here but they have been better on the PK lately.
Speaking of staying within a system, Ottawa is a lot better at that this season. Corey Clouston has them buying in.
End of first period, 0-0: Bruins failed to score on their first power play and now thanks to a late Byron Bitz hooking penalty with one tick left in the period, they will be shorthanded for the first 1:59 of the second frame. But overall, a pretty even period as both teams had their chances. Also, some physical play there and the Bruins forechecking game looked good.
First period, 2:49: The Bruins are on the power play for the first time. This has been a weak spot in the Bruins' game. No better time than now to get it going.
First period, 6:15: Classy move by Ottawa having the crowd recognize Mark Recchi's 1,500th game.
First period, 8:21: And we have our first fight of the night. Byron Bitz vs. Matt Carkner. Decision: Carkner.
First period, 9:22: Big collision there between Tim Thomas and Milan Michalek but thankfully both are OK. Scary.
First period, 9:44: Another good shift by the rookie Brad Marchand. Liking this kid more and more every game.
First period, 12:01: Forgot to mention that Trent Whitfield ended up being a healthy scratch and Vladimir Sobotka is in the game. Like that choice better. Let's see how the crafty, hustling Czech responds.
First period, 16:05: Interested to see if Chris Neil exacts some revenge on a Bruin for the beating that the injured Milan Lucic put on him in the preseason.
First period, 18:59: Underway in Ottawa. Should be a good one and nice to see a division game finally!
7:05 p.m.: Almost set to go in Ottawa for the Bruins-Senators and also across the NHL, it's a "Super Saturday." This is the second Saturday this season in which all 30 teams are in action. Also of note, congrats to Mark Recchi, on playing his 1,500th game! A true champion and professional!
Here's some things to keep an eye on with the Senators. Brian Elliot is making only his second start but talking to Sens GM Bryan Murray, they believe the former University of Wisconsin goalie can be depended on. Also, keep an eye on the Senators defense who was exposed by a depleted and struggling offense Thursday, the same offense that could only muster two goals against the Bruins. Finally, will Alex Kovalev light up Tim Thomas as he usually does? Kovalev has had Thomas' number throughout the last four years in the Boston-Montreal rivalry.
Noticed that Kathryn Tappen and Gord Kluzak are making locks of the night and I'm going to throw my lock in here, giving one team in the East and one in the West. In the East, I'll pick the Bruins with the upset in Ottawa, feeding off the building momentum from the pas two games. In the West I have the Red Wings being the Red Wings again and getting revenge on their old rivals the Avalanche in Denver. The Av's went into Joe Louis Arena last Saturday and beat the struggling Wings but Pavel Datsyuk is back with Henrik Zetterberg and Detroit is due for a big win. OK, let's watch some hockey, enjoy the game!
6:10 p.m.: Just returned from hosting the Inside Hockey Radio Show with my good friend and colleague Joe Haggerty. Had an interesting conversation with Pierre McGuire regarding the slow start and early season injury woes for the Bruins but before we tell you why the TSN and NBC analyst thinks the Bruins will be fine, let's take a look at reports from Ottawa of what each team's lineup may look like. Fluto Shinzawa over at the Bruins Blog at Boston.com is reporting Shawn Thornton is in for the Bruins and Vladimir Sobotka will be in the press box with Johnny Boychuk and Guillaume Lefebvre.
Here's what the lineup should look like:
Forwards
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Michael Ryder
Marco Sturm-David Krejci-Michael Ryder
Daniel Paille-Trent Whitfield-Blake Wheeler
Shawn Thornton-Steve Begin-Byron Bitz
Defense
Zdeno Chara-Derek Morris
Matt Hunwick-Dennis Wideman
Mark Stuart-Andrew Ference
Goalies
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
TSN.ca has the Sens Lines as follows:
Forwards
Milan Michalek – Jason Spezza – Jonathan Cheechoo
Alex Kovalev – Mike Fisher – Daniel Alfredsson
Nick Foligno – Peter Regin – Chris Neil
Jarkko Ruutu – Chris Kelly – Ryan Shannon
Defense
Chris Phillips – Anton Volchenkov
Chris Campoli – Erik Karlsson
Alexandre Picard – Matt Carkner
Goalies
Brian Elliot
Pascal Leclaire
Now to what McGuire said about the Bruins:
"Bruins fans have nothing to fear, they're going to be just fine. With veterans like Mark Recchi and Zdeno Chara, plus Patrice Bergeron who I'm predicting to have a monster season, they get get through this murky period and be the team they're supposed to be."
Have to agree with McGuire and if the Bruins show the passion and desire they've shown the last two games they should be in good shape against the first place Senators in Ottawa.
11:22 a.m.: The Senators (5-2-1) have been one of the early surprises this season and will pose a tough threat for the banged up Bruins (4-4-1) as they try to earn points in a third straight game for the first time this season.
Tim Thomas (3-3-0 with a 3.00 GAA and .902 save percentage) is expected to be back in net for Boston, while it is undecided whether the flu-ridden Pascal Leclaire (4-2-1 with a 2.71 GAA and .903 save percentage) or Brian Elliot (1-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .929 save percentage) will get the nod for Ottawa. For a preview of the game checkout our Facing Off preview at NESN.com and then check back here leading up to the faceoff as we'll update any pertinent news from Ottawa.
Also, if you're up for some great hockey talk, join Todd Carroll, Joe Haggerty (WEEI.com) and myself as we host the Inside Hockey Radio Show season debut today on NHL Home Ice XM 204 and Sirius 208 from 2-4 p.m. ET and on the Team 990, from 3-4. We'll be talking Bruins, NHL, NCAA and Junior hockey so tune in for some great puck talk!
