He’s notched 107 points in 180 games for the Black and Gold, adding another 23 points in 43 playoff games.
Lately, though, he’s struggled mightily. He went the entire seven-game series against Tampa Bay without a point, and he had a minus-5 rating to boot. The five days of rest between that Game 7 and Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final were thought to perhaps allow him to refresh his body, but he didn’t play particularly well.
That, according to NESN.com’s Michael Hurley, could lead to Tyler Seguin getting some of Recchi’s ice time in Game 2.
“I was so impressed with [Recchi], because he’s in his 40s, and he would just get in front of the net … huge bodies just cross-checking him in the back, punching him in the head, roughing him up, but he’d just hold his ground in front of the crease,” Hurley said on Neil Keefe‘s “Keefe to the City” podcast on WFAN.com. “He’d screen the goalie, he’d draw in defensemen. He would just wreak havoc. It resulted in so many goals, and it was such a big part of the team. He forever has earned my respect.
“I don’t know if it’s being out of gas, I don’t know if he’s nursing an injury,” Hurley added. “Two years ago in the playoffs, he played through kidney stones between games, so he definitely would not be telling anyone if he was hurt. But he’s not looking too good out there. … It’s unfortunate.”
While it’s not great for Recchi, it could provide Seguin with an opportunity to shine, much like he had in Game 2 against Tampa.
Hurley also discussed the flawed NHL system of discipline, the hope that Brendan Shanahan can save the league in that department, Henrik Sedin‘s flop for the ages, the positives of the Bruins’ Game 1 loss and the outlook for Game 2. You can listen to the podcast by clicking here, or dowload it by right-clicking this link and saving.
