Bruins Assign Forward Peter Cehlarik to Providence

/ Yanni Latzanakis / Leave a comment

( Photo Credit: Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images )

By: Yanni Latzanakis  |  Follow Me On Twitter:  @yanlatz

On Wednesday, February 20, Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced that Peter Cehlarik would be assigned to the American Hockey League affiliate Providence Bruins.

This move is to clear a roster spot for the newly acquired Weymouth, MA native Charlie Coyle. Just before the Bruins took on the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night, the Bruins announced the trade that sent Bruins Forward Ryan Donato and a conditional 5th round pick to the Minnesota Wild for Charlie Coyle.

Peter Cehlarik has also been battling a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup for the Bruins annual meeting at the Shark Tank in San Jose on Monday, February 18 that proved to be a thrilling 6-5 overtime win. Bruce Cassidy announced that Cehlarik was battling the injury and could have returned Wednesday in Las Vegas but targeted Saturday as a more realistic return date. This, however, all came before the Bruins made a move to acquire Charlie Coyle and could change the timing of Cehlarik’s return.

The Bruins needed to make a roster spot for Charlie Coyle, and with the recent injury to Cehlarik, it made sense to send Cehlarik down to Providence. It is likely that once Cehlarik is able to return to the lineup that he will be recalled again and another player such as Karson Kuhlman or Trent Frederic will be assigned to the AHL. Although, Kuhlman is making it hard for the Bruins to send him down as we get a glimpse of another young prospects bright future in the NHL. So, will we see more of Kuhlman in the future over Cehlarik? It is a tough decision that Cassidy will have to make.

Peter Cehlarik has played in 13 games for the Bruins this season since his call up in January. He has buried 4 goals and 2 assists for 6 points this season. He was slotted in nicely with David Pastrnak and David Krejci until Pastrnak injured his thumb and was replaced on the left wing with Jake DeBrusk.

Coyle should be available for the Bruins on Saturday when they take on the flaming hot Blues (32-22-5) who have won 11 straight games to propel them into 3rd place in the Central Division. It will be interesting to see what Bruce Cassidy decides if Peter Cehlarik is healthy for that game. Will he recall Cehlarik again and assign Kuhlman or Trent Frederic to the P-Bruins? If it were up to me, I would keep Kuhlman for the near future and send Frederic down to Providence. Kuhlman has shown a lot of speed and skill on the second line filling in for Cehlarik. He also buried a goal against the Sharks on Monday night.

If Peter Cehlarik comes back for the game against the Blues, and Charlie Coyle makes his Bruins debut, it will be interesting to see if Bruce Cassidy puts Cehlarik on the wing with Krejci and DeBrusk and puts Coyle on the 3rd line center position or Coyle on the 2nd line wing and Cehlarik on the 3rd line wing.

Overall, the Bruins are on a roll and are getting contributions up and down the lineup and have been rattling off 7 straight wins and look to continue the streak on Saturday.

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Bruins AHL Affiliate: Providence Bruins Week 20 Preview

/ Tim A Richardson / Leave a comment
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Photo Courtesy of Providence Bruins / Flickr

By Tim Richardson | Follow Me On Twitter @TimARichardson

Week 20 is upon us, and the Providence Bruins come into it off the heels of their toughest weekend since the calendar turned to 2019 at 27-19-6-1 (61 points) and 7-3 in their last 10 games. This is good for fourth in the Atlantic Division, and they are clinging to that eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Last weekend was tough with the Baby B’s losing two of three games. It’ll be interesting to see how the boys in black and gold bounce back. I always say you can truly see the make-up of a team when they falter at some point during the season. If they can bounce back quickly, you know you have a special team, and if they don’t, it’s probably not their year. With all of that being said, there is an exciting weekend of heart-pounding hockey ahead that you do not want to miss.

The exciting hockey action starts out on Friday, February 22, 2019, when the Bridgeport Sound Tigers cross enemy lines and invade the Dunk in Providence, Rhode Island. The weekend continues when the Providence Bruins take their show on the road to take on the Hartford Wolfpack at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Finally, the weekend wraps up with some more home cooking when the Hartford Wolfpack make their way to the Dunkin Donuts Center. It’s going to be a jam-packed weekend of must-see hockey. Hopefully, the Baby B’s can turn their play around from the last couple games and grab at least four points this week.

Friday, February 22, 2019, Providence Bruins vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers (HOME)

The weekend match-up will mark the 10th time that these two teams have met, and all the games have been closely contented games with five of the seven games going to overtime or shoot-out. The first game of the season series saw the Sound Tigers beat the Bruins 4-3 in overtime with the spoked P getting goals from the recently departed Colby Cave (2), and Jakub Zboril with goalie Dan Vladar playing well turning away 30 of 34 shots he faced. The next meeting saw the Providence club win 5-2 getting goals from Cameron Hughes, Colby Cave, Trent Frederic (2), and the now departed Jan Kovar. Goalie Zane McIntyre looked good in net stopping 25 of the 27 shots he faced.

The third meeting between the two clubs saw Providence breakout offensively winning 6-1 getting goals from Cameron Hughes (3), Zach Senyshyn (2), and Trent Frederic. In net, Dan Vladar was superb stopping 28 of the 29 shots fired his way. The next three meetings the Eastern Conference foes would play ended up going to overtime. The first of those ended up going the Sound Tigers’ way 5-4 with the Bruins getting goals from Jan Kovar, Anton Blidh, Jakub Zboril, and Ryan Donato. Zane McIntyre was in net for the contest, and he was a little off his game stopping 20 of the 25 shots that were fired his way.

The next meeting between the two teams had the puck bounce the Bruins way as they won 2-1 in overtime getting goals from Wiley Sherman, and Ryan Fitzgerald (OT). Goalie Dan Vladar was excellent in net stopping 29 of the 30 shots he faced. The sixth game of the season series saw the Baby B’s fell in overtime 4-3 getting goals from Anton Blidh, Peter Cehlarik, and Kyle Cumiskey with goalie Dan Vladar stopping 13 of 17 shots he faced. Part seven of the season series saw the Bruins fall 4-3 in a shoot-out getting goals from Jordan Szwarz, Mark McNeill, and Zach Senyshyn while goalie Dan Vladar stopped 12 of the 15 shots that came his way.

The season series continued on Friday, February 8, 2019, when the Providence Bruins beat the Sound Tigers 2-1 getting goals from Captain Jordan Szwarz, and Connor Clifton. Goalie Zane McIntyre was excellent in the net stopping 25 of the 26 shots that were fired his way. The most recent game of the season series was the very next nice and it saw the Baby B’s fall to Bridgeport 4-2 with the Bruins getting goals from Emil Johansson and Cameron Hughes. Net-minder Dan Vladar played admirably in net stopping 22 of the 25 shots that came his way. It’s been an exciting season series, and game 10 should not disappoint.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers come into the game 30-18-5-2 (67 points) and 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. This is good for second in the Atlantic Division and third in the Eastern Conference. The Providence Bruins had an up and down season against the Islanders’ affiliate this year going 4-1-3-1. However, over the past five years, the Baby B’s have seen success against the Bridgeport club going 24-17-5-3 including 16-6-2 at home in that time frame. This bodes well for the weekend match-up. Major keys to this game will be special teams and getting a keeping a lead early.

The Sound Tigers have the eighth-ranked power play in the Atlantic Division, and 13th ranked in the Eastern Conference at 17.4%. Meanwhile, the Islanders’ affiliate has the fifth-ranked penalty kill in the Atlantic Division, and ninth-ranked in the Eastern Conference at 80.7% On the flipside the Providence Bruins have the fifth-best power play in the Atlantic Division and the 10th ranked in the Eastern Conference at 18.0%. Their penalty kill is much stronger boasting the best in the Atlantic Division as well as the Eastern Conference at 86.3%. In terms of grabbing an early lead and keeping it, the Sound Tigers are 14-3-3-1 when leading after the first period and 15-2-4-2 when leading after two. The Baby B’s are 11-5-2 when leading after one, and 21-3-2-1 when leading after two. It should be a closely contested game between the two clubs.

Saturday, February 22, 2019 (AWAY) and Sunday, February 23, 2019 (HOME) Providence Bruins vs. Hartford Wolfpack

The weekend home and home series will mark the ninth and tenth times the two teams have faced off this season. The first match-up saw the Wolf Pack beat the Bruins 4-2 with Providence getting goals from Austin Fyten and Mark McNeill while goalie Zane McIntyre was pulled in the first period after stopping 7 of 10 shots faced. Dan Vladar finished the game turning away all 8 shots he would see. The second meeting between the two teams saw a better result with Providence winning 4-3 in overtime. The Baby B’s got goals from Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Anton Blidh, Trent Frederic, and Cody Goloubef (OT GW), and goalie Zane McIntyre looked much better stopping 15 of 18 shots faced.

The third leg of the season series saw the Pack come out victorious, winning 4-3. The Providence club got goals from Zach Senyshyn, Colby Cave, and Anton Blidh. Goalie Dan Vladar had a busy game stopping 26 of 30 he faced. In game four these two clubs both fought hard, but Hartford came out on top 4-3 in overtime. The boys wearing the spoked P got goals from Karson Kuhlman, Ryan Fitzgerald, and Kyle Cumiskey. Goalie Zane McIntyre turned away 18 of 22 shots faced in the losing effort. In the fifth meeting this year the New York Rangers’ affiliated blanked Providence 3-0. Goalie Dan Vladar played well in the game stopping 30 of 33 shots faced.

More recently, the sixth meeting of the year could not have gone better for the spoked P, winning the game 5-1. The Bruins got goals from Peter Cehlarik (2), Emil Johansson, Gemel Smith, and Jordan Szwarz. Goalie Zane McIntyre looked excellent in net stopping 15 of 16 shots he faced. The two teams seventh battle royale saw the Baby B’s score in bunches winning 6-3 getting goals from Peter Cehlarik, Jordan Szwarz, Karson Kuhlman, Anton Blidh, Mark McNeill, and Chris Breen. Zane McIntyre was up to the challenge in net for Providence stopping 15 of 18 shots he faced. The most recent throw-down saw our boys in black and gold win 5-2 getting goals from Paul Carey (3), Karson Kuhlman, and Connor Clifton. Goaltender Zane McIntyre was fantastic in net turning away 23 of the 25 shots that were sent his way.

The Hartford Wolfpack came into the weekend series 21-25-5-3 (50 points) and 2-5-2-1 in their last 10 games. This is good for eighth in the Atlantic Division and 16th in the Eastern Conference. The Baby B’s have had an up and down season against Hartford this year going 4-3-1. Despite this, the Providence club has enjoyed some success at home against the Rangers’ affiliate over the past five seasons going 21-13-4-2 overall. Getting a lead early on, and keeping it is going to play a major factor in this game. The Bruins are 12-5-2 when leading after one period, and 21-3-2-1 when leading after two periods. At the other end, the Wolf Pack are 10-2 when leading after one period and 13-2-2-2 when leading after two periods. If our boys in black and gold can grab a lead early and hold onto it, they stand a fantastic shot at coming out of the weekend series with four points.

Who’s hot and Who’s not for the Bruins

Hot

Jakub Zboril: Jakub Zboril has had a good year so far for the Providence Bruins despite some injury. The QJMHL product has played in 34 games for the Baby B’s already matching last year’s goal total of four while also dishing out nine assists for 13 points. This is a point per game total of 0.38 which is higher than his last year total of 0.27 (4-15-19 in 68 games played). To top it off he has four points in his last 6 games played finding the back of the net once and tallying three assists in that time frame. He has done all of this while playing good defense. Hopefully, the young defenseman can keep up his play this weekend.

Gemel Smith: It seems like Gemel Smith is on the hot category for the Bruins every week, but that just shows how good the young forward has been since coming over in a December trade with Dallas. In 25 games with the Baby B’s the OHL product has netted nine goals and tallied 14 assists for 23 total points. That is a point per game total of 0.92. That is much higher than his OHL days of 0.77 (89-114-203 in 264 games played). To top it off he has registered a point in eight of his last ten games finding the back of the net three times and dishing out eight assists for eleven total points in that time frame. It’s safe to say that we should look for him to have a good weekend.

Not

Paul Carey: Paul Carey has been very good for Providence since coming over in a trade with Ottawa. He has netted six goals while tallying four assists for ten total points in 12 games. However, the former Boston College Eagle and two-time NCAA Champion have hit a cold spell only netting one goal and dishing out one assist for two points in his last six games. Hopefully, the veteran forward can find his stride this weekend.

Ryan Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald has had a good year for the Providence Bruins potting seven goals and dishing out 21 assists for 28 total points in 40 games played. That is a point per game total of 0.70. The former Boston College Eagle had a point per game total of 0.87 (66-66-132 in 152 games played) during his NCAA days. Now, he did recently come back from an injury that saw him miss about a month, but since coming back from injury, he has only tallied two assists and hasn’t scored a goal since December 1, 2018. Hopefully the young forward can snap out of it and have a good weekend for Providence.

My players to watch this weekend

Up Front

Cameron Hughes: Hughes has had an excellent first full season with Providence netting 13 goals and dishing out 15 assists for 28 total points in 52 games played. That’s a point per game total of 0.53. He’s played especially good against the two Connecticut teams Bridgeport and Hartford. In 17 games played against the two teams, the former University of Wisconsin Captain has found the back of the net five times and dished out six assists for eleven total points. That means 39% of the points he’s scored have come against these two teams. Look for him to have another big weekend.

On the Blue Line

Kyle Cumiskey: Cumiskey has had a very good season since coming over to Providence mid-season. The veteran defenseman has netted three goals while dishing out 13 assists for 16 total points in 28 games played. This is a point per game total of 0.57. The WHL product has been especially good against Bridgeport and Hartford in 11 games against the two teams this year he has found the back of the net two times while tallying eight assists for ten total points. That means an eye-popping 62.5% of the points he has scored have come against these two teams. Look for the gritty defenseman to have a big weekend for the Baby B’s.

In Net

Zane McIntyre: McIntyre was on an insane hot streak. He had won 13 starts in a row before having a bad game and losing Sunday against Springfield. The veteran goaltender has really solidified the goalie position for Providence as well as being an anchor for the defense has a whole. He is a big reason why the team is in a playoff spot. I would look for him to have a bounce-back weekend after losing his win streak.

The Providence Bruins are currently sitting in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after having their first rough weekend in six weeks. Despite this, the Baby B’s remain only five points out of the fourth-place spot in the Eastern Conference. This weekend is an excellent chance for the boys in black and gold to gain some ground in the East. With two of the three games this weekend coming against a team that has a worse record I would look for the spoked P to at least grab four out of a six possible points. We will catch up with you next week to let you know how the team fared but feel free to send any questions or comments to me on Twitter. I hope everyone enjoys the games this weekend and Go, B’s, Go!

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Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston at Vegas: 02/20/19

/ Max Mainville / Leave a comment
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PHOTO CREDITS: (Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports)

By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj 

Pre-Game Notes

Arena: T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Home: Vegas Golden Knights (32-25-4)

Away: Boston Bruins (35-17-8)

Following a controversy-filled game against the San Jose Sharks on Monday, the Bruins are back in action for the second-last game on this western road trip. After earning a 3-0 lead in the first period, the Bruins allowed the Sharks to make a comeback, to the point where San Jose had a 5-4 lead late. Courtesy of a Chris Wagner tying goal and a McAvoy overtime winner, the Bruins won their sixth straight game and now take on the Golden Knights.

Vegas has struggled in their last ten games, going 3-7-0 in those contests. The Golden Knights still sit in third place in the Pacific division but are a full ten points behind the San Jose Sharks for second in the division. Also on Monday, the Avalanche beat the Golden Knights 3-0. Vegas will be looking to get back in the win column against the Bruins.

Bruins Gameday Lineup:

A nearly identical lineup for the Bruins as the game against San Jose, only Jaroslav Halak will be back in the net for Boston against Vegas.

First Period:

Both teams entered tonight’s game with some back-and-forth play, a reoccurring trend for the Bruins on this road trip. Less than three minutes in, Jake DeBrusk turns on the jets to get a 2-on-1 with Karson Kuhlman but Golden Knights forward Cody Eakin stopped the play with the backcheck.

Not long after that, Vegas got their chance too, off of a net-front scramble with some shots on the net but Jaroslav Halak follows the puck the entire time to make a big glove save. The puck may have been deflected before it hit his glove hand but big save nonetheless.

4:58 into the hockey game, Brad Marchand drives into the zone and attempts a nice deke around Nate Schmidt who gets his lumber up in the face of Marchand and he is headed to the penalty box for two minutes. Big chance for the Bruins to score earlier on the power-play. Numerous times on the man-advantage, Boston tried a cross-zone feed for a possible one-timer but the Knights did a great job to intercept the passes at the centre of the zone and the penalty is killed off.

It would be the Bruins to strike first in this hockey game when Jake DeBrusk buried a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury with about nine minutes to go in the period. Kuhlman found David Krejci along the boards who made a solid feed to DeBrusk in the slot. DeBrusk span around defenceman Shea Theodore to retrieve the puck. Jake has goals in five straight games now and that is number nineteen on the season assisted by Krejci (39) and Kuhlman (1).

At the 14:24 mark of the opening period, Danton Heinen is called on a tripping minor and the Bruins are off to the penalty-kill for the first time tonight. Only nine seconds into the power-play, William Karlsson gets a slick pass from Jonathan Marchessault in the slot but Halak once again follows it and makes a glove save. Golden Knights fail to get any other chance and we are back to 5-on-5.

Yet again, the Bruins are back again with a poor end to a period and after some good zone control, Vegas comes back with a Cody Eakin shot on the net from the point that takes a bad rebound off of Halak’s right pad directly to former Bruin Reilly Smith who scores his first goal in thirteen games. Smith’s tenth of 2018-19 is assisted by Eakin (17) and Merrill (8).

Boston did not get a single shot on goal for over seven minutes in the second half of the frame. Against San Jose, the Bruins went a long time without a shot and was part of the reason for the comeback by the Sharks. Period ends at a 1-1 tie game.

Shots On Goal: BOS: 6 VGK: 10

Score: 1-1 – Goals: DeBrusk (19) Assists: Krejci (39), Kuhlman (1); Smith (10), Assists: Eakin (17), Merrill (8)

Second Period

A little bit of a slow start to the middle period is quickly changed when Nate Schmidt throws the puck up for William Karlsson who gets in all alone on a breakaway but Halak stays square to the shot and makes the save. On the defensive zone faceoff loss, Halak makes two more saves on a pair of point shots by Vegas defensemen, still 1-1 in the second.

With just over six minutes gone in the second period, the Bruins go to their second power-play of this Wednesday Night Hockey Game due to a too-many-men call against the Golden Knights. Boston has not had much offensive zone time since the DeBrusk goal and this power-play could kickstart that offence. Unfortunately, Boston looked sloppy on the Vegas penalty and the Golden Knights did a good job clearing the puck and the B’s are 0-for-2 on the PP tonight.

Quite a lacklustre period for both teams leading to a penalty by Brayden McNabb – two minutes for hooking on Chris Wagner. Power-play number three for Boston coming up. One of the most active Golden Knights tonight, William Karlsson, gets a shorthanded bid, stopped by Halak. On the very next shift, Vegas gets alone on a 2-on-1, but Eakin gets robbed by Halak with a diving glove save. Terrible power-play for Boston in this game.

It has been all Vegas in this second period but Jaroslav Halak has been on his game tonight. Boston cannot get the puck out of the zone often and when they do, they cannot get Grade A scoring opportunities on Fleury.

Not as entertaining of a hockey game as the San Jose game, but the Bruins are still in it, 1-1 after forty minutes of play.

Shots On Goal: BOS: 14 VGK: 22

Score: 1-1

Third Period:

The offensively shy Bruins came out firing – literally. Charlie McAvoy bringing in the confidence that has been growing in the second half of the 2018-19 season carries the puck in the Vegas zone, handing it off to Danton Heinen. Heinen, while looking at the net, passes it across to Marchand who rips a blistering bomb past Fleury for a goal 1:09 in the final regulation period. Marchand’s 24th comes from Heinen (12) and McAvoy (14).

But, the Golden Knights were not planning on playing this game any longer while trailing as only twenty-seven seconds after the Marchand goal, Nate Schmidt gets around Charlie McAvoy with ease and rips a shot of his own past Jaroslav Halak for his seventh tally of the year. A straight momentum-killing goal from Schmidt assisted by Smith (24) and Marchessault (22).

Since the goal, Vegas has been back in the Bruins end more than the Bruins have been in theirs. Jaro Halak has had to be strong in net tonight and if the Bruins want to squeak out another point on this western swing, then he needs to continue to play well in the final three-quarters of this third period.

Late in the period, with about six minutes to go, William Karlsson continued his high-octane game with a bullet of a shot that beats Halak but rings off of the post. Karlsson has had some really good chances to score tonight but is yet to capitalize. Right back the other way, Brad Marchand also rings the iron and it remains 2-2.

The Bruins defence is struggling in this third period as well. Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug decided to go off at the wrong time, allowing Paul Statsny to get a strong wrist shot low on Halak, looking for another rebound goal similar to the opening tally of the game for Reilly Smith.

Even with a poor offensive performance tonight, the Bruins manage to get a point in this one and we are headed to 3-on-3 overtime.

Shots On Goal: BOS: 26 VGK: 30

Score: 2-2 – Goals: Marchand (24) Assists: Heinen (12), McAvoy (14); Schmidt (7) Assists: Smith (24), Marchessault (22)

Overtime:

The Bruins had the first good chance of the sudden death overtime as a shot put on by Marchand with a juicy rebound left for Krug who fails to get his stick on the ice to tap it in the open cage. Right back the other way, Vegas gets a few chances of their own with at least a minute of zone control but no goals came from the pressure.

With 2:46 to go, Torey Krug is too slow to get off the ice and McAvoy gets in on the rush too quickly and the Bruins are caught with too many men. Boston penalty-kill in overtime – huge kill on the way.

Reilly Smith had a good shot on the man-advantage as he tried a wrist shot short side, but Halak makes what looked like an easy glove save on the shot. Vegas couldn’t get the looks they were hunting for on this power-play and with big credit to Jaro Halak, the Bruins kill off the too-many-men minor successfully.

With no goals scored in OT, the two teams head to the shootout period.

Shots On Goal: BOS: 27 VGK: 33

Score: 2-2

Shootout:

  • VGK Brandon Pirri – NO GOAL
  • BOS Jake DeBrusk – GOAL
  • VGK William Karlsson – GOAL
  • BOS Patrice Bergeron – NO GOAL
  • VGK Alex Tuch – NO GOAL
  • BOS Brad Marchand – NO GOAL
  • VGK Jonathan Marchessault – NO GOAL
  • BOS Danton Heinen – NO GOAL
  • VGK Shea Theodore – NO GOAL
  • BOS Torey Krug – NO GOAL
  • VGK Oscar Lindberg – NO GOAL
  • BOS David Backes – GOAL – GAME-WINNER

Max’s Three Stars:

1st Star: BOS G Jaroslav Halak – 31 Saves on 33 Shots, 5 Shootout Saves .939 SV%

2nd Star: VGK F Reilly Smith – 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 Shots, 17:34 TOI

3rd Star: BOS F Jake DeBrusk – 1 Goal, 4 Shots, 16:40 TOI

The Boston Bruins have now won their seventh consecutive game and are now 4-for-4 on this western road trip. Only one more road game this Saturday against the St. Louis Blues at 4pm EST before heading back to Boston. The Bruins have now hit the 80-point plateau and have a four-point cushion on the Toronto Maple Leafs for second in the Atlantic division.

Check out the available tickets from our advertising partner SeatGiant for your next Boston Bruins game. Click the link below, and when purchasing any event ticket, from the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL to concerts and shows, please use discount code BNGP to save a little money. Thank You!  

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Bruins Acquire Wild Forward Charlie Coyle

/ bruinsguy33 / Leave a comment

cutPhoto Courtesy Of NHL.com

By: Garrett Haydon | Follow Me On Twitter @thesportsguy97

On Wednesday evening, the Bruins acquired Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle in exchange for Ryan Donato and a fifth round draft choice in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

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Coyle is in his seventh NHL season and has spent his entire career with the Wild. The 26-year-old has skated in 60 games this season, totaling ten goals and 18 assists for 28 points. The East Weymouth, Massachusetts native was originally drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the first round (28th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Donato meanwhile had skated in 46 career games with the Bruins, posting 11 goals and seven assists over the parts of the last two seasons. His most recent game with Boston came on January 17th before being sent down to Providence. The 22-year-old was drafted by the Bruins in the second round (56th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

The Bruins make this move five days prior to the trade deadline and Coyle will likely join the team in the next few days and should be available to play on Saturday in St. Louis when the Bruins face the Blues. Don’t expect Don Sweeney to be done dealing as the Bruins still have some needs as the deadline draws nearer.

Check out the available tickets from our advertising partner SeatGiant for your next Boston Bruins game. Click the link below, and when purchasing any event ticket, from the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL to concerts and shows, please use discount code BNGP to save a little money. Thank You!  

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Bruins ECHL Affiliate: Atlanta Gladiators Week 20 Preview

/ Chris Greene / Leave a comment
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( Photo Credit: gwinnettdailypost.com / Taylor Trebotte )

By: Chris Greene  |  Follow me on Twitter @cgreenesports

The Gladiators franchise-record point streak ended last week, but the team has already laid the foundations for another unbeaten run. After a disappointing loss to the Newfoundland Growlers, Atlanta bounced back with comfortable wins against Greenville and South Carolina. This week, the Glads head to South Dakota for a three-game series against the Rapid City Rush.

There have been some significant departures from the Gladiator’s roster over the last week. Forward Brett McKenzie was recalled to Providence after an impressive rookie season in Atlanta. He leaves the Gladiators ranked second for points on the season with 34 (11g, 23a) and will be missed by the fans and his teammates. Defenseman Joel Messner was also recalled to Providence, and like McKenzie, will be a big loss for Atlanta. He was establishing himself as one of the most important players on the roster and had recently been made alternate captain. The Gladiators have resigned defenseman Brandon McMartin who did a feature for the team earlier in the season but has spent the majority of 2018-19 with the Knoxville Ice Bears of the SPHL. He has joined up with the squad and could feature against Rapid City this week.

This week’s opponents, the Rapid City Rush, are the second non-divisional opponents that the Glads will face this season. Atlanta will be hoping for much better results than the game against the Newfoundland Growlers. Both the Glads and the Rush are very close in the league standings, with 50 points each. The Rush have a 5-3-2 record in their last 10 games and will pose a physical threat to Atlanta, with almost twice as many penalty minutes on the season. Gladiators netminder, Michael Bitzer, could face his former team if he gets a start over Sean Bonar, and the Glads will be up against former forward, Darby Llewellyn, who has 16 points (5g, 11a) on the season for the Rush. It is difficult to predict who will come out on top as the teams have not faced each other yet, home advantage will help the Rush, but Atlanta will be hoping to improve their playoff chances with points on this road trip.

This Week’s Gladiators To Watch:

Daniel Leavens: The veteran forward has hit the ground running for Atlanta. He grabbed three points (2g, 1a) in three games for the Glads last week and is establishing himself as a key part of the offense. His experience will be very valuable on what will be a tricky road trip, he will want to lead by example. Keep an eye on him.

Michael Bitzer: The second-year goaltender has been waiting patiently for a run in the Atlanta team and he made a great impression last week, recording his first professional shutout in the game against Greenville. Facing his former team will give added motivation and makes him an intriguing player to watch this week.

Nick Bligh: The third-year forward has eight points in his last eight games and has scored some very important goals for the Glads already this season. He’s been one of the most important forwards in recent weeks and his contributions have gone slightly under the radar. An exciting player and definitely one to watch out for this week.

Interested in going to an Atlanta Gladiators or Boston Bruins game? Take a look at the upcoming schedule and ticket availability from our advertising partners over at SeatGiant. Click the links below and please use discount code BNGP to save a little cash! Thank You!

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Five Depth Forwards The Bruins Could Consider At The Trade Deadline

/ Patrick Donnelly / Leave a comment
Edmonton-Oilers-forward-Alex-Chiasson.jpg

(Image: Perry Nelson / USA Today Sports)

By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12

With all the talk of the Bruins going out and acquiring a big-name trade chip in a blockbuster move, we seem to be overlooking the possibility of Don Sweeney simply making a depth acquisition. In recent seasons, we’ve seen Sweeney go out and acquire a cheap depth player that was completely off of everyone’s radar–like the Tommy Wingels and Drew Stafford trades, or the Brian Gionta signing.

While everyone seems to unanimously agree that the Bruins should avoid expensive rentals wherever necessary, some of the players below who are on expiring contracts likely won’t cost a whole lot–as in mid-to-late round draft picks and middle or lower tier prospects. Some of the skaters listed have not necessarily been linked to the Bruins, so this list is pure speculation on my part, based off what we’ve seen Sweeney do in the past:

Richard Panik

A pending UFA this summer, Panik seems like the most likely Coyote to be moved heading into the deadline. The 28-year-old winger makes $2.8-million and has scored 11 goals and 24 points, on pace for 34 points. Panik has been a bottom-six role player for most of his career, in spite of his offensive outburst for the Blackhawks a few seasons ago and decent output this season.

Although he is unrestricted this summer and likely a “rental,” Panik probably wouldn’t cost an insane amount to pick up. The Czech would be a nice way to shore up the third line and bottom-six.

Magnus Paajarvi

The 27-year-old Swede has been a decent role player for the Senators over the last two seasons with seven goals and nine assists this year. Paajarvi is only making $900,000 this year before he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.

The former 10th-overall pick has not panned out to be anything more than just a depth player for the vast majority of his career thus far. Although he would probably be a rental, Paajarvi would likely be very inexpensive to acquire and can bolster the depth for a playoff run that will presumably see injuries mount.

Alex Chiasson

With the Oilers seemingly having no end in sight for their struggles, it would be wise for the organization to sell off parts for this season with an eye for next year. One of those parts is the 28-year-old Chiasson, who is making $650,000 until the end of the season when he hits free agency.

The Boston University product has 17 goals and 10 assists for 27 points on the year and could be a fine piece to either experiment as a second line right wing, or to plug in on the third unit. It would be interesting to see what Edmonton’s ask would be, though. It probably would not be outrageous, but Chiasson does have a nice contract considering his production.

Artem Anisimov

Anisimov would certainly cost more than the players above, but he isn’t a rental. With the Chicago team that has been looking to get younger, he may be available, according to a report from Pierre LeBrun.

Anisimov carries a cap hit of $4.55-million for this season, and the next two. So, it would be interesting to see the cost the Blackhawks ask for if he is even made available. The Russian center has had three-straight 20-goal seasons playing alongside talented players, like Patrick Kane, but has regressed to a smaller role this season to go along with less production (nine goals and 27 points in 56 games).

While the 30-year-old is certainly a bigger name than the other players mentioned in this article, he would still fill a depth role for the Bruins as a potential third-line center. With that contract, the Hawks would presumably have to eat some cash in order to move it off their books and to entice other teams. While he seems like the Blackhawk that is most likely to be moved, Anisimov has a 10-team no-trade list as well. Making a move like this might not even make sense for the Bruins’ long-term plans passed this year, so Anisimov might just be some food for thought.

Carl Hagelin

Man, has Hagelin lost a ton of value in recent seasons. At 30 years of age and making $3.75-million until the end of the season, the Swede would be a very cheap rental to acquire from the Kings, seeing as the organization likely just wants to get anything it can for the winger.

He only has three goals and eight points this season but is a speedy guy with a decent playoff resume (47 points in 121 games to go along with two Stanley Cups). If Hagelin would be able to find some semblance of the offensive upside he has shown in the past, and continue his speedy, defensively-sound game, he could be a worthwhile addition for the Bruins.

Check out the available tickets from our advertising partner SeatGiant for your next Boston Bruins game. Click the link below, and when purchasing any event ticket, from the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL to concerts and shows, please use discount code BNGP to save a little money. Thank You!  

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Bruins ECHL Affiliate: Atlanta Gladiators Week 19 Recap

/ Chris Greene / Leave a comment

( Photo Credit: gwinnettdailypost.com / Taylor Trebotte )

By: Chris Greene  |  Follow me on Twitter @cgreenesports

The Atlanta Gladiators franchise-record win streak came to an end on a valentines day, following a humbling defeat at the hands of the Newfoundland Growlers. The result was quickly forgotten, and the Glads began a new streak with victories over Greenville and South Carolina to complete a thrilling weekend of hockey.

Atlanta’s game against the Newfoundland Growlers was postponed by a day due to bad weather, but that didn’t slow the visitors down. They took the lead in the seventh minute with a goal from Giorgio Estephan. Eight seconds later, the Growlers doubled their lead with a goal from Brady Ferguson. The Gladiators struggled to establish themselves, and just after the 10-minute mark, they were three goals down, after J.J. Piccinich beat Sean Bonar in the Atlanta net. Less than a minute later Josh Kestner made the score 4-0, the first intermission could not come soon enough for the Gladiators.

The Growlers dominance continued into the second period, they peppered Atlanta’s net with shots before James Melindy made the score 5-0, prompting the Glads to replace Sean Bonar with Michael Bitzer. The change did not slow down Newfoundland, as Brady Ferguson scored his second of the night. After giving the visitors a six-goal head start, the Glads finally got on the board with a goal from Daniel Leavens. His effort was canceled out a minute later when Giorgio Estephan bagged his second goal, making the score 7-1 after two periods. The Growlers showed no mercy in the third period, the Glads managed to keep the puck out of their net for seven minutes before Derian Plouffe scored. Matt Lane scored for Atlanta to make the score 8-2, but it was a disappointing night for the home team.

After their worst defeat of the season, the Glads hosted the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Jeff Pyle’s men were determined to get back to winning ways. Following the previous night’s blowout, Michael Bitzer was given the start between the pipes over Sean Bonar. After a scoreless first period, Joe Widmar put Atlanta ahead halfway through the second. Joel Messner doubled the Glads lead moments later, and the home team looked comfortable heading into the second intermission. Daniel Leavens finished off the Swamp Rabbits early in the third, the visitors were unable to trouble Bitzer, who recorded his first professional shutout. 3-0 the final score.

The Glads wrapped up week 19 with a visit to South Carolina to take on the Stingrays. It was Derek Nesbitt’s 900th professional game, another milestone for the veteran forward. Justin MacDonald gave Atlanta an early lead before Grant Besse leveled for the ‘Rays. Neither side could score during the second period, despite both having chances. The Stingrays snatched the lead with less than 10 minutes to go, with a goal from Mike Chen. Despite going a goal down late on, the Glads kept their cool and managed to tie the game with a goal from Filip Pyrochta. Moments later, Nick Bligh put Atlanta ahead with a power-play goal before Joel Messner sealed the win with an empty netter. The Gladiators were fully deserving of the 4-2 win.

The results leave Atlanta fifth in the South Division, three points clear of the Norfolk Admirals and just five points behind the South Carolina Stingrays and a playoff spot. The Gladiators will head to South Dakota for week 20 and play three games against the Rapid City Rush. They still have a lot of work to do, but the Glads will be determined to reach the playoffs.

Interested in going to an Atlanta Gladiators or Boston Bruins game? Take a look at the upcoming schedule and ticket availability from our advertising partners over at SeatGiant. Click the links below and please use discount code BNGP to save a little cash! Thank You!

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Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston at San Jose: 02/18/19

/ Max Mainville / Leave a comment
sharkswatchguideusatsi.jpg

PHOTO CREDITS: (USATSI)

By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj 

Pre-Game Notes

Arena: SAP Center – San Jose, California, USA

Home: San Jose Sharks (35-17-7)

Away: Boston Bruins (34-17-8)

The Bruins enter the third game of their five-game road trip with five wins in a row and now heading into a tougher stretch of schedule with games against the Sharks, Golden Knights, Blues, and Lightning all in close radar. With the recent win over Los Angeles on Saturday, the Bruins narrowly have the second Atlantic division spot over Toronto who are only one point back.

The San Jose Sharks have become one of the top contenders in the Western Conference once again, especially with the addition of Erik Karlsson back in September of 2018. Brent Burns is on pace to be in contention of another Norris Trophy when the season comes to a conclusion. The Sharks recently beat the Vancouver Canucks and currently hold the second position in the Pacific division.

Bruins Gameday Lineup:

Forward Peter Cehlarik is out of the lineup tonight due to a lower-body injury suffered against the Kings on Saturday. Karson Kuhlman will play on the second-line with Krejci and DeBrusk in only his second NHL game.

First Period:

What a start to this Monday night game. Over ten straight minutes, yes halfway of the first period, only one whistle was blown. Both the Sharks and Bruins had chances back and forth and quite frankly, no team really was blowing the other team away. At one point in the first, Chris Wagner right in front the puck goes over the shoulder of Jones and looks to be going across the line, but Marc-Eduard Vlasic makes a brilliant save with the stick on the goal line to keep it 0-0.

With 9:03 remaining, Sean Kuraly gets high stick to the face by Tomas Hertl and the Sharks are headed to the box. Immediately at the start of the power-play, Torey Krug mishandles the puck, allowing Evander Kane all alone on a shorthanded breakaway, only to ring the shot off of the post. San Jose did a great job pressure the B’s and retrieving the puck back for a clear.

On what seemed like the final clear of the PK, Matt Grzelcyk gets a stick up in his face as well and the Bruins are right back on the man-advantage. Less than a minute onto the power-play, the Bruins finally figure out how to cycle the puck around the zone, allowing Torey Krug to unleash a bomb short-side past Jones, 1-0 Bruins. Krug’s 6th of the season assisted by Krejci (36) and Bergeron (35).

Not letting up on the early lead, the Bruins looked to add to their opening tally. Brad Marchand made a nice move in the offensive zone to rip a quick wrist shot towards Jones but it goes off of the red pipe and redirects to the corner. High-paced first period from both teams and the chances continue to pile up.

At the 16:26 mark of the opening frame, Sean Kuraly wins an offensive zone faceoff clean backwards to Zdeno Chara who one-times the puck top corner past Jones and the Bruins take a 2-0 lead in the final five minutes of the period. Chara’s goal is his 199th career NHL goal since he began his career in 1997. This is his fourth of the season assisted by Sean Kuraly (11).

The killer instinct by the Bruins does not stop there. David Krejci uses his supreme vision to find an open Jake DeBrusk up the ice who has rookie Karson Kuhlman on the other side of the ice. DeBrusk looks like he is about to shoot the puck short-side until the very last second where he feeds the puck across to Kuhlman who buries his first career NHL goal, making it 3-0 Boston with just around a minute-and-a-half left to play. Assists go to DeBrusk (9) and Krejci (37).

Two goals 1:58 apart for the Boston Bruins in the first period, but the Sharks want in on some of the goal-scoring and will do just that. Joe Pavelski wraps the puck around, bouncing it off the pad for former-Bruin Joe Thornton to bury his eleventh goal of the 2018-19 season on the backhand with only three seconds to go in the frame.

Shots On Goal: BOS: 8 SJS: 8

Score: 3-1 Bruins – Goals: Krug (8) PPG Assists: Krejci (36), Bergeron (35); Chara (4) Assists: Kuraly (11); Kuhlman (1) Assists: DeBrusk (9), Krejci (37); Thornton (11) Assists: Pavelski (22)

Second Period:

Sharks started off the middle period with some more zone time and shots on Rask and on one of the clear attempts, Kevan Miller accidentally hits the puck up and over the glass, resulting in the ever-so-disliked delay-of-game penalty and Boston will be shorthanded for two minutes.

Boston fails to put enough strength on the clear attempt, allowing the Sharks to cycle the puck around and Brent Burns’ shot gets deflected by Joe Pavelski that goes up and over Tuukka Rask. San Jose right back within only a goal under three minutes into the second. Assists go to Burns (54) and Couture (33).

Nearly five minutes in, another whistle, very much unlike the first period, but one that the Bruins will like. Joe Pavelski gets his stick caught up on Chara and is called for hooking – a two-minute minor and it’s yet another B’s power-play. On the man-advantage, the Bruins look like they cannot get any opportunities, but they do, right at the end.

David Backes made a nifty move with his skate to pass the puck off of the boards in the neutral zone to Jake DeBrusk who passes it to Danton Heinen. Heinen returns the puck right back to DeBrusk alone on a partial breakaway and DeBrusk fires a shot past Jones to reinstate a two-goal lead for Boston. Four consecutive games with goals for DeBrusk and that’s number eighteen on the season assisted by Heinen (11) and Backes (9).

Frustration for San Jose may be setting in perhaps as Brendon Dillon nails Sean Kuraly from behind as Kuraly attempted to spin away from it but the hit resulted in some pushing and shoving in the corner just as Charlie McAvoy found himself all alone with a great chance to score on Jones. Whistles blow though as Wagner and Braun each get five minutes in the box for fighting. No instigator penalties are handed out with 9:35 remaining in the second period.

Late in the second period, the Sharks manage to get themselves back within a goal as Jumbo Joe Thornton finds another rebound shot to score his second goal of the game – the first time he’s scored two goals in a game this season. Sorensen (9) and Simek (8) get the helpers on the play. Unlucky break for the Bruins there with just over three minutes to play in the second.

For the third time tonight, the San Jose Sharks will have a man in the box for high-sticking as Joe Thornton gets his lumber up in the face of Brad Marchand and with 1:29 to go, Boston is on the 5-on-4 power-play for two minutes. Somehow, Logan Couture is found deep in the neutral zone, makes a nice move around Krug and nearly scores but due a hook by Marchand, a penalty shot is awarded with 24.7 seconds to go and Couture simply shoots it five-hole past Rask, tying the game at four apiece.

Not nearly as good of a period for the Bruins as the opening one was, going to need a solid final twenty minutes and maybe more to beat the Sharks tonight. Bruins were outshot 14-4 in the second period alone.

Shots On Goal: BOS: 12 SJS: 22

Score: 4-4 – Goals: Pavelski (32) PPG Assists: Burns (54), Couture (33); DeBrusk (18) Assists: Heinen (11), Backes (9); Thornton (12) Assists: Sorensen (9), Simek (8); Couture (22) Unassisted

Third Period:

San Jose opened the final regulation period with a couple solid shots on Tuukka Rask, one of which off of a big Timo Meier deflection. Still early on, the Bruins are called on a delay-of-game penalty because David Backes apparently took too long to make a change prior to a faceoff. Bruins successfully kill off the penalty though and the game continues 5-on-5.

Boston has had issues in this game at getting the puck out of the zone on rushes. At one point in the first half of the third, the Bruins did not get a shot on Martin Jones in over nineteen minutes of game-time. It has been proven that it is much, much harder to score when you do not shoot at the goaltender.

Sean Kuraly set up Noel Acciari right in front of the crease for the first shot in what seemed like four games, but the Sharks return right away with a bullet of a shot by Hertl that rings the bar, so loud that us Canadians could hear it. Rask does not look as calm as he did against the Kings, that shot was clean past him.

Around the six-minute mark, Joe Thornton walks in and shoots it right past Tuukka Rask to give the Sharks a 5-4 lead with 6:28 remaining. Bruins collapsing ever since the 3-1 goal with three seconds to go. Assists to Thornton’s hat-trick go to Pavelski (23) and Braun (13).

While it looks like the Bruins were down and out, Brandon Carlo rifled a bomb that was rebounded by Wagner. Wagner then hit the puck what looked like to be above the crossbar, but it goes into the Sharks net and due to it being a non-reviewable play for some reason, the goal stands and the Bruins tie the game with just around two minutes left to play. Wagner sets a new career high for goals in a year with eight and it’s assisted by Carlo (4) and Acciari (4).

Shots On Goal: BOS: 19 SJS: 33

Score: 5-5 – Goals: Thornton (13) Assists: Pavelski (23), Braun (13); Wagner (8), Carlo (4), Acciari (4)

Overtime:

First thirty seconds of 3-on-3 overtime is full San Jose. Some big shots on Rask, all of which stopped. Tuukka attempted his double pad stack again, but the shot missed. B’s finally get the puck out of the defensive end, but Brent Burns comes back and gets a sharp wrist shot that almost sneaks through him, but Matt Grzelcyk slaps it out of harm’s way.

It has been a poor night for Torey Krug tonight. In this overtime alone, Krug has been chased down numerous times, resulting in either a turnover or an icing call. One of these mistakes led to a Hertl shot as he skated across the crease but Rask makes a big save. As the play continues, the net comes off but because the Bruins are on a rush, the refs left it causing some controversy when the Sharks had a 2-on-0 and the whistle was blown dead.

Later on in overtime, the Bruins somehow get alone 3-on-2, creating a beautiful DeBrusk-to-Krejci-to-McAvoy goal to win the game in overtime. Bruins survive a three-goal lead blown to win their sixth straight game. McAvoy’s 4th assisted by Krejci (38) and DeBrusk (10).

Shots On Goal: BOS: 20 SJS: 38

Final Score: 6-5 Bruins

Max’s Three Stars:

1st Star: BOS F Jake DeBrusk – 1 Goal, 2 Assists, +2 Rating, 17:59 TOI

2nd Star: SJS F Joe Thornton – 3 Goals, 3 Shots, +2 Rating, 4 Takeaways

3rd Star: BOS F David Krejci – 3 Assists, +1 Rating 20:24 TOI

Bruins now head to Vegas for a game against the Golden Knights on Wednesday with six straight wins.

Check out the available tickets from our advertising partner SeatGiant for your next Boston Bruins game. Click the link below, and when purchasing any event ticket, from the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL to concerts and shows, please use discount code BNGP to save a little money. Thank You!

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Bruins Game 60 Preview: San Jose Sharks

/ Max Mainville / Leave a comment
cut (34).jpg

PHOTO CREDITS: (NHL.com)

By: Max Mainville | Check me out on Twitter @tkdmaxbjj 

The Boston Bruins are on fire as of late – winning their last five games including a back-to-back stretch over the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings in some close, back-and-forth games. The Bruins continue their five-game road swing with game three of that stretch tonight against the Sharks. Boston is currently in the second Atlantic division spot, one point ahead of Toronto.

The San Jose Sharks have been a solid team in the West with former Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson on their backend. The Sharks are 7-3-0 in their last ten games and they defeated the Vancouver Canucks twice last week including a massive 7-2 victory over the lone British Columbia team last Monday. The Sharks are second in the Pacific division, only two points behind the Calgary Flames for first and hold a nine-point cushion on the Vegas Golden Knights.

Starting Goaltenders:

BOS: Tuukka Rask 19-8-4 2.37 GAA .920 SV% Last Game: 23 Saves in 4-2 win over LAK

SJS: Martin Jones 28-11-4 2.88 GAA .899 SV% Last Game: 32 Saves in 3-2 win vs VAN

Who’s Hot

Tuukka Rask made a save – a save that will be in contention for “Save of The Year” against the Kings, stacking the pads on a 2-on-1 chance for LA that gave momentum back to Boston. It is only one save but is a small example of the growing confidence in Rask this season and how he has helped the Bruins largely to a ten-game point streak. Tuukka has earned a point in his last thirteen starts and he is in the top ten in almost all the main goaltending statistics.

Brent Burns won the James Norris Memorial Trophy two years ago in 2017 and he is making a strong case to be a finalist for the award once again in 2018-19. As a defenceman, Burns leads the Sharks in points with 11-53-64 numbers in 59 games played this year. In his last five, Burns has 1-5-6 totals and has been a key part to the 7-3-0 run for San Jose.

Brad Marchand is still on fire. With Saturday’s goal, Marchand reached the seventy-point total for the third consecutive season and has the capability of breaking his end-of-season point total of 85 points for the last two seasons. Marchand has nine points in the last five games that he has played in and is taking the offensive responsibilities on his shoulders with the absence of David Pastrnak.

Brad Marchand,Martin Jones

PHOTO CREDITS: (NBC Sports)

Evander Kane has become a big-time scorer for the Sharks this season and has been a nice addition for the team. The Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada native has 26-24-50 numbers in fifty-nine games this year and has points in four of his last five games. Kane is only four points away from matching is totals between the Sabres and Sharks combined last season.

Who’s Not

The third-line that has become the fourth-line. The Nordstrom-Frederic-Backes line has been terrible. While Trent Frederic has been decent on the faceoff dot, but the trio has zero points combined in their last five games and they have not generated much offence at all. Joakim Nordstrom doesn’t have a single point scored in fifteen games now.

Not many players on the San Jose Sharks are having bad years as most of them are in the middle of one of their best seasons as an NHL hockey player. Tomas Hertl has had a great season, scoring 26-27-53 numbers in 54 games in 2018-19, but has no points in his last two games and is a combined -5 rating within that time span. Don’t expect this to last long as he is one of the better forwards to score on this roster.

Other than that, both teams are hot and have good players that are producing quite well – making this game all the more enjoyable and fun to watch.

Milestone Watch:

Boston Bruins:

  • D Zdeno Chara is two goals away (198) from 200 career NHL goals
  • F Patrice Bergeron is one even-strength goal (203) from passing Peter McNab (203) for sole possession of 8th most even-strength goals in Bruins history
  • F Brad Marchand is one short-handed goal away (24) from tying Rick Middleton (25) for most SHG in Bruins history
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PHOTO CREDITS: (Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

San Jose Sharks:

  • D Marc-Eduard Vlasic is two points away (298) from 300 career NHL points
  • F Kevin Lebanc is two points away (98) from 100 career NHL points
  • F Melker Karlsson is three points (97) from 100 career NHL points
  • D Brendan Dillion is four points (96) from 100 career NHL points
  • D Brent Burns is one game away (567) from tying Owen Nolan (568) for 9th most games played in Sharks history
  • F Tomas Hertl is one even-strength goal away (81) from tying Marco Sturm (82) for most even-strength goals in Sharks history

Bruins vs Sharks Outlook

This is the first meeting between the Bruins and Sharks this season, with the second game coming next week on February 26th. Last season, the Bruins kept the Sharks to a combined two goals in the two games, beating the San Jose club in both games.

For the speciality teams, the Bruins still have one of the best power-plays in the NHL. Their 26.5% power-play percentage is the best in the league behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning while on the penalty-kill, the B’s have a mediocre percentage there, 80.7% for 15th in the NHL.

For San Jose, they are the 6th best NHL team when on the man-advantage with a 24% success rate and have the 6th best penalty-kill success rate as well, killing off 82.5% of the penalties they take on average. The Sharks also shoot the puck a lot, the 2nd most on average in the National Hockey League, averaging just under 34 shots per game.

Puck drop is scheduled for 10pm EST at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Below are the lines during morning skate for the Bruins ahead of tonight’s contest.

Check out the available tickets from our advertising partner SeatGiant for your next Boston Bruins game. Click the link below, and when purchasing any event ticket, from the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL to concerts and shows, please use discount code BNGP to save a little money. Thank You!  

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Hooray For Hollywood… And The Bruins!

/ senatorevan007 / Leave a comment

Related image(Photo Credit: NESN)

By: Evan Michael | Follow me on Twitter @00EvanMichael

In the entertainment capital of the world, the Bruins put on quite a show (twice if you count Anaheim as Los Angeles like the Angels do). I was lucky enough to see it up close at the Staples Center in downtown La La Land, where the crowd was a near even split of Black N’ Gold versus Black N’ Gray — something Kings’ fans have gotten used to with a visiting team’s fanbase, especially one as well-traveled and passionate as Boston’s.

Speaking of travels, one new Bruin made it all the way to the Left Coast from Providence for his NHL debut against the sons of Gretzky. And that (young) man was Karson Kuhlman, proudly sporting No. 83 for the B’s. He looked right at home in his bespoked road sweater, and even in limited ice time, showed a lot of speed & puck-carrying skill when given any on-ice opportunity.

As for the rest of his teammates, who were coming off a boringly productive 3-0 win against the deftless Ducks just the night before, they took advantage of every bounce & break in a game that featured many maladies when it came to defense, puck possession and scoring chances — all aspects of play that are visibly more striking (and obvious) to witness when you’re in person observing it. Nevertheless, capitalizing on your first shot of the game and turning the home crowd into YOUR crowd were exactly what the Bruins needed to do in what was undoubtedly a less than regal effort for both teams.

Oh, and while on the subject of saves, all 18,000+ people in attendance — and probably a few dozen more if you count concessions in Premium Seating — were vocally in awe after what had to be the best two-pad stack ever seen in a Boston jersey since the Andy Moog years. And it came from the likes of Two U’s, Two K’s (and now Two Pads) Tuukka Rask, who truly bailed the B’s out a few times in this one and lived up to his then-trending hashtag #TuukkaTime!

To say folks were atwitter after the brilliantly flashy and timely athleticism of that crease creativity from Tuuks… well, that would be both accurate to the pun & point! Accuracy was also on full display in the waning moments of the game when, after some ill-advised puck movement behind the B’s net led to LA’s tying goal, Charlie McAvoy & Patrice Bergeron sealed the deal in dethroning the Kings with two lightning-quick strikes that kept everyone sporting B’s gear standing for the rest of the game, including this guy (and the nice couple from Connecticut next to him traveling to ALL the road-trip games in Cali then to Vegas).

There’s an old lyrical expression that perfectly sums up the B’s start to this important stretch of almost-Spring hockey: “Hollywood… Hooray for Hollywood! Where you’re terrific, if you’re even good.” And that’s all the Bruins needed to be–GOOD–against two Hollywood local opponents whose stars have faded and are closer to winning The Razzie than The Oscar this year. To end on another Tinseltown tune: “Do you know the way to San Jose?” The B’s sure do. Puck drops at the Shark Tank at 7pm PST!