By: Evan Michael | Follow me on Twitter @00EvanMichael
Raise your hands in the air if you want to see the Bruins play almost every other day for the next few months?
Well, if the “Charlies” of the team keep scoring timely goals (OT game-winners included) like they did to start 2022, then I’m guessing there’ll be a lot of high-reaching (and perhaps high-fiving) going on!
That being said, what will the NHL chuck at the Bruins over the now cancelled Olympic Break (and Olympic games with NHL players for that matter) in terms of make-up games?
Where will the six –count them, six– games lost before the holidays and new year end up on the always-changing 2022 B’s schedule?
I mean, games that weren’t even lost over the COVID cancellations and postponements are even being rescheduled like the tilt against the Montreal Canadiens tweeted out above!
First, let’s take a look at what games will need to be made-up and shake down the road-versus-home splits:
DECEMBER 18th & 19th (Road) versus Montreal & Ottawa
DECEMBER 21st, 23rd, & 27th (Home) versus Carolina, Colorado and Pittsburgh
DECEMBER 29th (Road) versus Ottawa
–Bruins 2021 PPD Schedule
It’s an even 3-for-3 when it comes to the split. With Montreal and Ottawa being “Up North” neighbors to the B’s, finding time for those road make-up games won’t be geographically or logistically (in terms of travel) difficult.
A bookend weekend after the All-Star Game in early February — and after the B’s play the Kraken in Boston for the first time on quite fittingly… the first — should do the trick!
Where it truly gets tricky is finding time for Carolina, Colorado and Pittsburgh to get back to Boston. That stretch of what was three consecutive home games will most likely have to be “spread out” throughout the remainder of the month, specifically between February 9th and 22nd.
That being said, here’s what a potential best-case-scenario “Updated February Schedule” could look like for you to mark your Bruins calendar:
- February 9th @Montreal
- February 10th @Ottawa
- February 13th vs Pittsburgh
- February 15th vs Carolina
- February 17th vs *Colorado
- February 20th @Ottawa
This accounts for the extra time most likely needed to get into and out of Canada and then back to Boston, what with COVID regulations and stipulations and all.
Then a reminder: the B’s will play the Kraken again, this time on the road in Seattle, once all the PPD games are played.
The team is then consistently “on the road again” (to quote Willie Nelson) until March 7th, playing their West Coast Kick against the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks before heading Eastward to face the Vegas Golden Knights and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively.
*Knowing this, maybe it would make sense for the schedulers to space out some of those make-up games in mid-February to give the B’s a chance to return home on the 21st and play perhaps Colorado the next night — one final bit of home cooking — before the longest road-trip of the season.
Who knows? I feel like we’ve been saying that a lot this season! Well, as soon as Team BN’G knows, we’ll be sure to break it down for you in Part II of our 2022 Mark Your Bruins Calendar update edition.
So stay tuned… especially since you may be tuning in to Tuukka Rask in net for some of this stretch!
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