Author: Mike Cratty

Lineup Questions Facing The Bruins Going Forward

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Bruins score 4 in 1st to chase Holtby, beat Capitals 7-3

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson/AP

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

While it’s not completely set in stone, things are trending in the right direction towards the NHL returning to play. The Bruins are going to be competitive no matter what lineup they put together, but there are certain line combinations that could work better than others. With two new forwards, Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase, getting some of their time to get acclimated cut short, it’s important that the coaching staff puts them in ideal situations as soon as possible.

The second and third forward lines

There are so many different ways that these lines can be put together, but there is one in particular that sticks out to me the most as the best option. Putting the lines together in this fashion would essentially give the team a line 2a, 2b situation because the lines are so balanced.

Ritchie – Krejci – Kase

DeBrusk – Coyle – Bjork

There’s no doubt that Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, and Ondrej Kase could find success together if that is how the second line is constructed, but I like this option a bit better. Ritchie and Kase have some familiarity together from their time as teammates in Anaheim, as well as Boston for a brief period of time, obviously.

Ritchie on the left-wing gives the line a physical boost and someone who can get pucks deep, make defenders sweat behind the net on the forecheck, and bring a formidable netfront presence. Couple those abilities with a savvy playmaker like Krejci, and a speed demon with great hands and shooting ability like Kase, and you have a dangerous line.

Moving DeBrusk down to the third-line left wing adds even more speed on the wing combined with Anders Bjork on the right-wing. The DeBrusk-Coyle-Bjork line has been pretty effective together in the past, and would give the Bruins an excellent third line. Speed to burn and plenty of skill on the wings, and an all-around beast in Charlie Coyle in the middle. Structuring the middle-six forward group this way gives the lineup the most balance in that area, in my opinion.

Karson Kuhlman and Chris Wagner

With the top line obviously intact, and the middle-six structured the way it is, that leaves the Bruins with a small quandary on the fourth line. With Par Lindholm most likely being the extra forward, it comes to down to who plays right wing, Chris Wagner or Karson Kuhlman.

I think they should roll with a committee at the position. Both are effective fourth-line players, so a committee would be ideal. If it gets to a point where one player is playing much better than the others, then roll with that player.

Jeremy Lauzon vs. Connor Clifton

The same thing goes for the third defensive pairing, who plays with Matt Grzelcyk? John Moore likely being the extra defenseman, leaves them with Jeremy Lauzon or Connor Clifton to play with Grzelcyk. Both players have had solid seasons and bring similar skill sets – defensemen that play physical and can move the puck effectively. A committee between the two gives the team more flexibility.

Projected lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Coyle – Bjork

Ritchie – Krejci – Kase

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner/Kuhlman

Lindholm

Defense

Chara-McAvoy

Krug-Carlo

Grzelcyk-Lauzon/Clifton

Moore

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Luckily for the Bruins, these lineup questions aren’t too pressing. They can be seen as good problems to have, and that’s how I view them. They’re in a great position as the league inches more and more towards returning to play.

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 184 that we recorded below on 6-28-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!

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Potential Second Round Fits For The Bruins In The 2020 NHL Draft

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Luke Evangelista

Photo Credit: Dennis Pajot/Getty Images

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

While we’re still not sure when the draft will take place, we know that the Bruins will be making their first pick towards the later portion of the second. With the team’s first-round pick being dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in a deal for Ondrej Kase, the Bruins’ first pick will come in the second round, as of now.

A few players have stuck out to me as potential second-round targets for the Bruins. There’s no guarantee that these players will be available when the Bruins are on the clock, but they could be and would be great fits for the organization, in my eyes.

Tyson Foerster – C/RW – Barrie Colts (OHL)

2019-2020 – 62 GP – 36G, 44A, 80P

Tyson Foerster is my top guy for the Bruins in the second round if he is to drop far enough so they can select him. He has the makings of a big-time goal scorer at the NHL level. Positional versatility is never a bad thing either, and he can play center as well as the wing. His hockey IQ allows him to make smart decisions with the puck and pick his spots with ease.

Foerster has solid size at 6-foot-1, 194 lbs. and seems to be an offensive threat whenever he steps foot on the ice. The Bruins could use some prospect depth at the right-wing position, and Foerster could provide that. There would be no need to rush his development, which would allow him to develop even further at his own pace into a formidable goal scorer at the NHL level.

(Video credit: PuckProspects on YouTube)

Luke Evangelista – RW – London Knights (OHL)

2019-2020 – 62 GP – 23G, 38A, 61P

Luke Evangelista is a playmaking winger and a smooth skater. His soft hands, hockey IQ, and nose for the net make him a dangerous offensive player. After playing in 27 games last season to get his feet wet in the OHL, only tallying two assists, he put himself on the map with a productive 2019-2020 campaign.

One thing he could and likely will build upon is his size, as he is currently 5-foot-11, 165 lbs. There’s time for that. Putting on some more weight and muscle will serve him well down the road. If someone like Tyson Foerster isn’t on the board, Evangelista would be another solid fit at the right-wing position.

(Video credit: Prospect Film Room on YouTube)

Ozzy Wiesblatt – C/RW – Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

2019-2020 – 64 GP – 25G, 45A, 70P

Ocean, Orca, Oasiz, and Ozzy. All hockey players, all have first names that start with “o”, and they’re all Wiesblatt brothers. What a family. Wiesblatt can hold his own in all three zones on top of being an effective scorer and playmaker. Like Evangelista, Wiesblatt would be another solid right-wing option if Foerster is off the board.

(Video credit: Prospect Film Room on YouTube)

Jaromir Pytlik – C – Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

2019-2020 – 56 GP – 22G, 28A, 50P

If the Bruins go with a center in the second round, Jaromir Pytlik would be a good choice. The big, right-shot Czech plays a powerful game with his 6-foot-3, 201 lbs. frame. His size doesn’t slow him down, as he is a pretty solid skater that brings a formidable presence on the ice. Offensively, he makes his money in close proximity to the net. The addition of Pytlik would add to a group of young Bruins centers that are already looking good, but could become even better.

(Video credit: HSD Prospects on YouTube)

Eamon Powell – D – U.S. National U18 Team (USDP)

2019-2020 – 43 GP – 6G, 8A, 14P

If the Bruins choose to replenish their defensive prospect group after trading Axel Andersson in the Ondrej Kase trade, Eamon Powell would be a great choice. A right-shot defenseman, Powell is an excellent decision-maker and puck mover. He really fits the mold of the ideal, modern-day NHL defenseman. All of this is coupled with his smooth skating ability and solid speed.

He’ll be closeby at Boston College for the foreseeable future, so it’ll be easy to keep an eye on him. A bit undersized now at 5-foot-11, 165 lbs., Powell will have ample time to add weight and muscle over the next few years. With the current layout of Boston College’s defensive core next season, Powell has a good chance to step in and play prominent minutes on an excellent Boston College Eagles team.

(Video credit: Draft Dynasty on YouTube)

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 181 that we recorded below on 5-31-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!

User 568316199 · 181: Co-Host Heather Is Back! Discussion Includes 24 Team Playoff, Cehlarik, Bruins Awards & More

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Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston at Florida: 3/5/20

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Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins - 3/5/20 NHL Pick, Odds, and Prediction

Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Florida Panthers

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

Ritchie – Krejci – Kase

DeBrusk – Coyle – Wagner

Bjork – Kuraly – Nordstrom

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Lauzon

Goalies

Halak

Rask

Florida’s Lineup

Forwards

Huberdeau – Barkov – Dadonov

Vatrano – Haula – Hoffman

Toninato – Wallmark – Connolly

Sceviour – Acciari – Pysyk

Defense

Weegar – Ekblad

Stillman – Stralman

Yandle – Matheson

Goalies

Driedger

Montembeault

The Bruins stayed in Florida after a 2-1 win over the Lightning this past Tuesday night for a tilt with the Panthers. Anders Bjork made his way back into the lineup after sitting out the last two games as a healthy scratch as the Bruins searched for their fourth win in a row. Jaroslav Halak, opposed by Chris Driedger, got the start in net.

First Period

Ondrej Kase left the game at the 8:19 mark after making incidental leg-to-leg contact with Evgeni Dadonov. Kase was penalized as a result for tripping and Jake DeBrusk served the penalty for his injured teammate. The Bruins ended up killing the penalty and Kase returned to the bench shortly after the conclusion of it.

Nick Ritchie dropped the gloves with Riley Stillman less than a minute later and really pulled his weight in what was a great fight. Ritchie and Stillman each received fighting majors as a result.

With 58.2 seconds remaining, Mike Matheson took a tripping penalty, giving the Bruins their first power play of the game. Despite a couple of solid chances, the Bruins couldn’t score before the end of the period and the game remained scoreless. The Bruins outshot the Panthers 10-4 in the first period.

Score: 0-0

Second Period

What would have been a sure goal on his patented power play one-timer hopped up on David Pastrnak, prohibiting him to get a clean shot off. The power play soon concluded for the Bruins.

MacKenzie Weegar broke the scoreless tie on a one-timer from just inside the offensive blue line. It was 1-0 Panthers with 13:05 remaining. Just about four minutes later, Brandon Carlo took an elbow up high from Dadonov and went down in pain. The officials reviewed the play to determine how to penalize it, and determined it was a two-minute minor for elbowing.

The penalty was assessed with 9:14 remaining, and Patrice Bergeron tipped a Torey Krug shot past Driedger and in at the nine-minute mark. Bergeron’s 30th goal of the season was assisted by Krug (39) and Marchand (57). This is the third straight season that Bergeron has hit 30 goals and the sixth of his career.

Aleksander Barkov took a tripping penalty not long after the goal, and the Panthers killed it off to keep the game tied. Brad Marchand went off for hooking not too long after the Barkov penalty. That penalty was also killed off. The clock eventually hit zero and the score stayed tied at one. Florida flipped the script and outshot the Bruins 15-5 in the period, bringing the total to 19-17 in their favor.

Score: 1-1

Third Period

Former Bruin Frank Vatrano put the Panthers on the penalty kill early, as he broke Jeremy Lauzon’s stick with a slash. The first power play of the period for the Bruins came just two minutes and four seconds in. The power play didn’t last long, as Charlie Coyle went off for tripping 54 seconds later. Vatrano touched the puck while one of his skates was still in the penalty box as he was exiting it, so he went right back in for interference, creating 52 seconds of 4-on-4 time.

Bad news came in the form of Brandon Carlo’s absence for the rest of the game. Pastrnak also took a tripping penalty, so things weren’t going great to start the third period. Crazily enough, no one managed to score during any of this chaos.

The rest of regulation wasn’t all that eventful. A few decent chances, but nothing too crazy. Shots in the period were 12-7, bringing the game total to 31-24 in favor of the Panthers.

Score: 1-1

Overtime

Overtime was eventful. A couple great chances went both ways, including this one from Barkov, the best one. This was the best one until Krug sent a point hammer past Driedger with 51.2 seconds left to end it. Krug’s ninth goal of the season was assisted by Pastrnak (46) and Krejci (29).

The final shots were 33-28 in favor of the Panthers. The Bruins avoided the shootout and capped off their fourth straight win in the process. Halak made 32 saves in the win and made some massive, timely saves. Next up are the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden on Saturday at TD Garden at 7:00 PM ET. The Bruins are 43-13-12.

Final Score: 2-1 Boston

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 168 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!

Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston vs. Calgary: 2/25/20

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NHL: Calgary Flames at Boston Bruins

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Boston Bruins

Away: Calgary Flames

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Kuhlman

Ritchie – Coyle – Bjork

Kuraly – Lindholm – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Lauzon

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Calgary’s Lineup

Forwards

Gaudreau – Monahan – Lindholm

Mangiapane – Backlund – Tkachuk

Lucic – Ryan – Dube

Bennett – Jankowski – Rieder

Defense

Brodie – Stone

Hanifin – Andersson

Forbort – Gustafsson

Goalies

Rittich

Talbot

Last time the Bruins and Flames played, it was a wild one in Calgary. The Bruins came out on top by a score of 4-3. This time around, it’s Rask vs. Rittich, as opposed to Halak vs. Talbot in net. The Flames added Derek Forbort from the Los Angeles Kings, as well as Erik Gustafsson from the Chicago Blackhawks, both for a conditional draft pick each in trade deadline moves.

The Bruins added Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie in separate deals with the Anaheim Ducks. Ritchie was made his Bruins debut, Kase did not, as he continues to get acclimated. Flames captain, Mark Giordano was a game-time decision and didn’t end up playing due to a hamstring injury.

The celebration for Jaroslav Halak hitting the 500-game milestone was held before puck drop. The ceremony featuring a tribute video and a series of gifts took place on the ice. Congratulations to Jaro on this remarkable milestone. Additionally, Par Lindholm suited up for his 100th career game. Congratulations to him as well.

First Period

Brad Marchand forced the first power play of the game in the form of a hooking penalty on T.J. Brodie. Despite a few great looks, two of which were blocked by Flames defensemen, Michael Stone and Derek Forbort, the Bruins couldn’t convert on the man advantage.

A turnover at the offensive blue line by Charlie McAvoy springboarded a sequence that eventually led to Matthew Tkachuk sending a backhand chance past Tuukka Rask. Despite being outshot early, Calgary got on the board first with 8:25 remaining in the opening period.

To make things worse, Marchand took an interference penalty just over three minutes later with 5:10 remaining. The Bruins killed it off and the lead stayed at one for the Flames into the first intermission. The Bruins held a 9-7 edge in shots on goal, but trailed on the score sheet.

Score: 1-0 Calgary

Second Period

Zdeno Chara took a stinger late in the first period off of a shot from Tkachuk and went off limping, but returned to the ice to start the second period – a huge sigh of relief for the Bruins. Things got off to an eventful start for Rask to begin the second period.

Karson Kuhlman took a slashing penalty with 11:14 remaining. Marchand scored on a partial break, picking up his 27th career shorthanded goal and 25th goal of the season. After the fact, he decided to talk some smack to Mikael Backlund. McAvoy had the lone assist on the goal, his 23rd of the season. The game was tied with 9:52 remaining.

Calgary responded with a goal of their own just three minutes and 17 seconds later. This time it was Sean Monahan putting the Flames ahead. It was 2-1 Flames with 6:35 remaining.

Not too long after, Matt Grzelcyk retaliated in response to a hit from Dillon Dube on McAvoy and sat for roughing. Monahan added his second of the game just a minute and 12 seconds after his first, putting the Bruins behind by two with 5:23 remaining. The goal came just five seconds into the power play. The coaching staff decided it was time for a change after falling behind quickly.

Things got out of hand and the Bruins trailed by two after 40 minutes. They were outshot 13-12 in the second period, but held the advantage at 21-20. The Flames weren’t shaken by Marchand’s shorthanded goal and didn’t waste much time when it came to turning the game around.

Score: 3-1 Calgary

Third Period

The third period was a weird one. Through the first eight minutes, the Bruins had the only shot on goal between both teams. That’s definitely problematic when you’re down by two goals. In what was a frustrating period for the Bruins for quite some time, Chris Wagner broke through and found the back of the net amongst a scrum out in front of it. Wagner’s seventh goal of the season and second in as many games was assisted by Sean Kuraly (17) and Par Lindholm (3). The fourth line was rewarded in what had been a great game for them.

Rask made a huge save on Johnny Gaudreau with just around two minutes remaining to keep the deficit at one. Shortly after, Backlund decided to do it all himself and ended up sending one past Rask. Backlund also added the empty netter.

It was 5-2 Flames with 49 seconds to go, and that ended up being the final. Rough way to lose the undefeated regulation home record for Rask. The Bruins just didn’t have it. Although the Wagner goal really seemed to give the team a spark late in the third, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

The Flames converted some prime chances and didn’t give up a ton of high danger chances. Shots on goal in the third period were 11-7 in favor of the Flames, giving them a 31-28 advantage overall. Next up are the Dallas Stars on Thursday at TD Garden at 7:30 PM ET. The Bruins are 39-13-12.

Final Score: 5-2 Calgary

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 167 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!

Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston at New York: 2/16/20

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Image result for bruins rangers madison square garden 2019

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: New York Rangers

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Kuhlman

Bjork – Coyle – Heinen

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Lauzon

Goalies

Halak

Rask

New York’s Lineup

Forwards

Kreider – Zibanejad – Buchnevich

Panarin – Strome – Fast

Di Giuseppe – Chytil – Kakko

Lemieux – McKegg – Howden

Defense

Skjei – Trouba

Staal – Smith

Lindgren – Fox

Goalies

Georgiev

Lundqvist

First Period

After a feeling-out process to start the game, things got going when Brad Marchand and former Bruins prospect, Ryan Lindgren found themselves in a scrum in front of the Rangers bench. Lindgren sat for two minutes for roughing as a result – giving the Bruins the first power play of the game with 8:29 remaining. Despite a few good chances, the Bruins couldn’t get one past Alexandar Georgiev.

It appeared the game was going to be scoreless heading into intermission, but a series of bounces following a shot from Charlie McAvoy sent the puck over Georgiev and in.

The goal was originally credited to Chris Wagner, but it was eventually changed to Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy’s third goal of the season was unassisted with 42 seconds remaining in the period. A pretty even period overall ended with an 11-9 advantage in shots on goal for the Bruins.

Score: 1-0 Boston

Second Period

The Bruins held an early advantage in shots, 5-1 through the first five minutes of the period. Things got interesting when David Krejci inadvertently high-sticked Lindgren and drew blood, warranting a four-minute power play for the Rangers as a result. The Bruins managed to kill it off and maintain their lead.

A big scrum in front of the Rangers net and some cross-checking led to Marchand sitting for two minutes. It didn’t hurt the Bruins much, as Charlie Coyle forced a turnover at the defensive blue line on the penalty kill and made no mistake in burying it in shorthanded fashion. Coyle’s 14th goal of the season was unassisted with 1:18 remaining.

Mika Zibanejad took a tripping penalty with 27 seconds remaining. No one scored before time expired in the second period. The Bruins held a 13-8 shot advantage this time around, bringing the total to 24-17 in their favor. Jaroslav Halak was having a very solid game in net.

Score: 2-0 Boston

Third Period

A minute and thirty seconds of power play time remained for the Bruins to start the period. Ahead of the Karson Kuhlman interference penalty at 15:37, we saw a similar trend to the one we saw to start the second period, a 5-1 shot advantage. Halak made a big save on Ryan Strome early in the Rangers power play. The remainder of the power play was much calmer after that, and the Bruins killed it off.

Torey Krug took a tripping penalty with 10:55 left. Zibanejad made it hurt when he roped a wrist shot from the point off the post and in. It was a 2-1 game with 9:52 remaining. The screen from Pavel Buchnevich in front of Halak on the goal was key.

The goal gave the Rangers a very noticeable spark as a result. The crowd was into it and they generated a series of dangerous chances. The Bruins were forced into their own zone for much of the final five minutes of the game.

Georgiev was pulled for an extra attacker with around 1:30 remaining, and Rangers head coach David Quinn called a timeout with 35.5 seconds remaining. Patrice Bergeron put the game out of reach with 12.2 seconds remaining, following a nice interception in the neutral zone. Bergeron’s goal was his 26th of the season, Marchand’s helper was his 51st.

Shots on goal were even at nine in the third period, bringing the total to 34-26. Halak was instrumental in the win, making 25 saves. Things got a bit dicey at the end, but the Bruins came out with the win. Next up are the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday at Rogers Place at 8:30 PM ET. The Bruins are 37-11-12.

Final Score: 3-1 Boston

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 164 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!

Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston at Detroit: 2/9/20

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Image result for bruins red wings little caesars arena

Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

 

 

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Detroit Red Wings

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Kuhlman

Kuraly – Coyle – Bjork

Heinen – Lindholm – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Moore

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Detroit’s Lineup

Forwards

Fabbri – Larkin – Glendening

Bertuzzi – Athanasiou – Hirose

Erne – Filppula – Perlini

Abdelkader – Ehn – Smith

Defense

Hronek – Green

Nemeth – Biega

Daley – Lindstrom

Goalies

Bernier

Howard

The second half of a third back-to-back out of the long break awaited the Bruins. They made their way to Little Caesars Arena in Detroit to take on the Red Wings. The first half of this back-to-back featured a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes at TD Garden. The Bruins were looking to win their seventh straight game.

There was a lot going on with the Bruins roster ahead of this matinee. Brandon Carlo made his way back into the lineup after missing yesterday’s game due to a family matter. Jeremy Lauzon was suspended for two games due to an illegal check to the head on Derek Stepan.

Danton Heinen subbed back into the lineup for Anton Blidh. Urho Vaakanainen was called up from Providence on an emergency basis, but didn’t suit up. Joakim Nordstrom was placed on Injured Reserve.

Tuukka Rask started in goal again, making it back-to-back starts for him. It was the first time Rask had played in back-to-back days since March 2017. Jaroslav Halak was initially expected to start, but didn’t in a surprise last-minute lineup change because he wasn’t feeling well. An update was given late in the first period.

First Period

Brad Marchand took an early penalty for tripping, giving the Red Wings the first power play of the game. The Bruins were able to kill the penalty and keep the game scoreless early on. Sean Kuraly later went off for two minutes on a tripping call of his own with 9:05 remaining. The Bruins managed to kill that one off as well.

Just 20 seconds after the conclusion of Kuraly’s penalty, he was on the receiving end of a holding call on Trevor Daley. Fast forward 42 seconds later, and Jake DeBrusk was tripped by Valtteri Filppula, giving the Bruins a 5-on-3. Jonathan Bernier stoned Marchand on two great cross-crease chances early in the power play. The Bruins saw plenty of good looks after those two chances, including another one from Marchand, but Bernier wasn’t giving an inch and the Red Wings killed off the 5-on-3 successfully.

Even strength didn’t last for long, as Charlie Coyle was tripped by Justin Abdelkader with 3:50 left in the period. Bernier kept up his stellar play, stopping a couple chances from the top Bruins power play unit right off the bat. The Red Wings killed the penalty and the game remained scoreless after one, despite five power plays between both teams. Charlie McAvoy and Justin Abdelkader collided late in the period, and McAvoy was shaken up as a result. Shots on goal were 12-6 in favor of the Bruins.

Score: 0-0

Second Period

The Red Wings got things going early, as Brendan Perlini scored the game’s first goal just two minutes and seven seconds into the period. Adam Erne intercepted a pass attempt from David Pastrnak at the Bruins’ defensive blue line and got it to Perlini who made no mistake in burying it. Tough start to the second period for the Bruins.

A tight angle shot from Andreas Athanasiou ricocheted around and hit Rask in the side of the head. While he appeared a bit stunned by it, he stayed in the game. Not an ideal sight to see with Halak not feeling well.

Pastrnak battled in the corner and sent the puck towards the net where Brad Marchand deflected it through the five-hole of Bernier and in. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the goal didn’t stay on the board as Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill challenged the play for offsides.

A chance to get the goal back came in the form of a power play after Patrik Nemeth took a holding penalty. This, the fourth power play of the game for the Bruins came with 2:56 left. The Red Wings killed the penalty. Shots on goal in the period were 14-7, bringing the total to 26-13. Plenty of chances for the Bruins, but Bernier was making things difficult.

Score: 1-0 Detroit

Third Period

The Bruins didn’t waste much time getting on the board early. Torey Krug buried a tap-in goal off of a feed from Pastrnak with a fake slapshot pass. Krug’s eighth goal of the season was assisted by Pastrnak (40) and Patrice Bergeron (24). The game was tied 33 seconds into the period.

Things went a bit south for the Bruins after the goal when DeBrusk went off for tripping. Athanasiou made it hurt, sending a shot off of the left shoulder of Rask and in. The Bruins were behind again with 12:50 remaining.

More great chances came and went for the Bruins, but Bernier continued to make big stops for the Red Wings. Then Charlie McAvoy sent a one-timer from the point and hit the post. Chris Wagner had a prime backdoor chance and missed just wide. The puck luck was not there.

Dylan Larkin found himself on a breakaway in the final two minutes, but sent it just wide. The pressure was on and Rask was pulled for the extra attacker. It wasn’t enough as Athanasiou added his second goal of the game on an empty netter with 28.9 seconds left.

Tough way to end the winning streak for the Bruins. Bernier’s 39-save performance was instrumental in the win for the Red Wings. Rask stopped 17 of 19 shots on the other side of things. Shots on goal in the third period, like the second, were 14-7 for the Bruins, bringing the total to 40-20 in their favor. Next up are the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET at TD Garden. The Bruins are 34-11-12.

Final Score: 3-1 Detroit

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 164 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

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Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston vs. Vancouver: 2/4/20

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment
Image result for boston bruins vancouver canucks"

Photo Credit: Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Boston Bruins

Away: Vancouver Canucks

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Kuhlman

Kuraly – Coyle – Bjork

Blidh – Lindholm – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Lauzon

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Vancouver’s Lineup

Forwards

Pearson – Horvat – Eriksson

Miller – Pettersson – Boeser

Roussel – Gaudette – Virtanen

Schaller – Beagle – Sutter

Defense

Edler – Stecher

Hughes – Tanev

Fantenberg – Myers

Goalies

Markstrom

Demko

Another back-to-back stood in the way of the Bruins, starting with the Vancouver Canucks. Just recently beating the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild in a back-to-back set the tone for another one. The Chicago Blackhawks are next up after this one, tomorrow night at 8 PM ET at the United Center. It’s definitely an interesting way to get back into the swing of things for the Bruins after their long break.

First Period

Both teams were playing with great pace in the early going. Most notably was the Kuraly-Coyle-Bjork line creating havoc on the forecheck.

Charlie Coyle buried a nice goal off of a shot from Charlie McAvoy, but a challenge was called by Canucks head coach Travis Green to check for offsides. While the play looked to be offsides during the review process at first, it was ruled a good goal and the Canucks were assessed a delay of game penalty for losing the challenge. McAvoy’s helper on the goal was his 18th, Anders Bjork’s was his eighth. It was 1-0 Bruins with 5:36 remaining.

Despite only getting on the board once, the Bruins held a healthy 13-6 advantage in shots going into the first intermission. I don’t think the Canucks didn’t play bad despite not generating a lot of chances.

Score: 1-0 Boston

Second Period

The Canucks were assessed two penalties in quick succession – delay of game on Troy Stecher and tripping on Alexander Edler. As a result, the Bruins were given a brief 5-on-3 with 13:14 remaining. Solid play from Jacob Markstrom helped lead to a huge penalty kill for the Canucks, and the score remained 1-0.

David Pastrnak had six of the first 20 Bruins shots, and Markstrom stopped them all. He also stopped a shorthanded breakaway chance from Chris Wagner, while Wagner was working to kill of Bjork’s hooking penalty. The Bruins went on to kill the penalty successfully. Tuukka Rask made a nice save of his own on Canucks captain, Bo Horvat.

Matt Grzelcyk got the sequence going from behind the Bruins net for Brad Marchand’s goal. Patrice Bergeron (21) and Charlie McAvoy (19) ended up with the helpers though. A great sequence from the start increased the lead to two with 4:35 remaining.

Shortly after the goal, Wagner went off for two minutes for hooking. Coyle saw a great shorthanded chance come his way, much like Wagner earlier in the game, but was denied by Markstrom. The Canucks failed to convert and the period eventually ended without any more goal scoring. Shots in the period were 17-9 in favor of the Bruins, bringing the game total to 30-15.

Score: 2-0 Boston

Third Period

Markstrom continued to make big saves for the Canucks, robbing Jake DeBrusk on a give-and-go in the slot. The game could have been much more lopsided if he wasn’t in net. Despite trailing, in the game, Markstrom was fantastic.

Torey Krug went off for slashing with 7:22 remaining, giving the Canucks a huge opportunity to cut their deficit to one. The trend of solid shorthanded scoring chances continued, this time with Sean Kuraly toe dragging and his way to a chance that was stopped by Markstrom. In doing so, he forced a slashing penalty on Quinn Hughes, making it 4-on-4. David Krejci made it hurt on a nice play with Kuraly. Brandon Carlo had the secondary assist, his 13th of the season, while Kuraly’s was his 14th.

Jay Beagle collided with Rask and McAvoy didn’t like it, so they had a tussle. Beagle received a two-minute minor for goaltender interference and ten-minute game misconduct as a result. Tyler Myers then took a delay of game penalty and created a 5-on-3. Karson Kuhlman buried one on the man advantage with 1:50 to go, marking his first goal of the season. Coyle (19) and Grzelcyk (13) had the helpers.

Rask held on for the shutout in this one, making 25 saves for his third of the season. The final shots were 42-25 in favor of the Bruins, 12-10 in the period. The win marked four straight wins dating back to Jan. 21 against the Vegas Golden Knights. Next up are the Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow night at the United Center at 8:00 PM ET. The Bruins are 32-10-12.

Final Score: 4-0 Boston

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 164 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!

Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston vs. Vegas: 1/21/20

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Alex Tuch (89) and Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug (47) chase after a loose puck during the second period at TD Garden.

Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

 

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Boston Bruins

Away: Vegas Golden Knights

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Coyle – Bjork

Heinen – Krejci – Kuhlman

Blidh – Kuraly – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Lauzon

Goalies

Halak

Vladar

Vegas’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchessault – Stephenson – Smith

Pacioretty – Stastny – Stone

Carrier – Eakin – Tuch

Nosek – Roy – Reaves

Defense

McNabb – Schmidt

Holden – Theodore

Hague – Engelland

Goalies

Fleury

Subban

David Krejci returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with an upper-body injury, centering Danton Heinen and Karson Kuhlman. Anton Blidh slotted into the lineup for the first time this season, as he has been sidelined since September due to shoulder surgery.

Jeremy Lauzon jumped right into the lineup after being called up earlier today. He suited up once for the Bruins earlier in the season on New Year’s Eve against the New Jersey Devils. The Vegas Golden Knights, now led by head coach Peter DeBoer, stood in the way of the Bruins.

First Period

The Bruins came out of the gate with plenty of intensity, but Mark Stone put the Golden Knights on the board first just a minute and 24 seconds in, on their first shot of the game. Nicolas Hague took the first penalty of the game for the Golden Knights, 15 seconds later for interference. Luckily for them, they killed the penalty and held onto their lead.

Later in the period, Stone found his way to the box for tripping with 12:45 to go in the period. The Bruins couldn’t beat Marc-Andre Fleury despite playing with such intensity and generating some high-quality chances. Through the first ten minutes, they held a 9-3 advantage in shots.

Lauzon loves playing against the Golden Knights. Last season, he scored his first career goal against them. This time around, he sent a shot through traffic and past Fleury to tie the game 8:20 remaining in the period. His first of the season was assisted by David Krejci (22) and Karson Kuhlman (3).

Zdeno Chara sat for two minutes for tripping with 4:05 remaining. A solid penalty kill from the Bruins kept the game tied. Jake DeBrusk nearly broke the tie off of a great pass from Krejci not too long after the penalty expired, but was stopped by Fleury. The final shots through an entertaining first 20 minutes were 14-8 in favor of the Bruins.

Score: 1-1

Second Period

An early Bruins power play came when William Carrier went off for interference just a minute and 42 seconds in. The Golden Knights killed the penalty, but were caught with too many men on the ice just 25 seconds after Carrier’s penalty expired. Despite taking four penalties very early on, they managed to kill them off successfully.

Brandon Carlo took the second Bruins penalty of the game for high sticking with 10:45 remaining. Hague made it hurt on a booming one-timer from the point for his first career NHL goal. With 9:01 remaining, the Golden Knights regained the lead. Hague’s goal magnified how the struggles on the power play that the Bruins were experiencing can really sting.

Charlie McAvoy went pretty hard into the boards head first following contact with Chandler Stephenson. As a result, Stephenson sat for two minutes for boarding and McAvoy surprisingly remained on the bench, but in some pain, understandably.

Power play chances came and went, but the Bruins couldn’t convert on their fifth power play. They went into the third period 0-for-5 on the man advantage for the game with just three shots. Through 40 minutes, the total shots 23-16 overall and 9-8 in the period, both in favor of the Bruins. Converting on their opportunities was the problem, and they needed to fix it fast if they want a chance to win.

Score: 2-1 Vegas

Third Period

DeBrusk saw some good opportunities come his way throughout the game and was rewarded for his efforts in the third. His 15th goal of the season came in the form of a sweet snipe to tie the game. Charlie Coyle’s 18th assist helped set it up, as did Jaroslav Halak’s second assist of the season with 15:34 remaining.

Matt Grzelcyk made his way down the tunnel after a collision with Cody Eakin. Not good, although he eventually returned to the bench. Krejci’s goal was good though. A great effort by Kuhlman began to establish offensive zone time and with some help from Carlo, Heinen, and the hand-eye coordination of Krejci, the Bruins took the lead. The goal marked Krejci’s 12th of the season, plus Carlo and Heinen’s 12th and 14th assists respectively. The Bruins led for the first time all night.

Fleury was pulled for an extra attacker and Stone made an incredible effort to thwart Krejci’s bid for an empty netter, but it wasn’t enough for Vegas to tie it up. The Bruins held the advantage in shots at 14-13 in the final frame, bringing the grand total to 37-29 in their favor. They really had to grind to earn two points ahead of the long break that awaits. Halak made 27 saves in the win. Next up are the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 31 at MTS Centre at 8:00 PM ET. The Bruins are 29-10-12.

Final Score: 3-2 Boston

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 162 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!

Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston at Pittsburgh: 1/19/20

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment
Image result for bruins penguins january 16

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Pittsburgh Penguins

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Coyle – Bjork

Heinen – Lindholm – Kuhlman

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Moore

Goalies

Halak

Vladar

Pittsburgh’s Lineup

Forwards

McCann – Crosby – Simon

Kahun – Malkin – Rust

Galchenyuk – Agozzino – Hornqvist

Aston-Reese – Blueger – Tanev

Defense

Johnson – Letang

Pettersson – Marino

Riikola – Ruhwedel

Goalies

Murray

Jarry

First Period

Scoring 11 seconds into a game is a good way to make your presence felt. Patrice Bergeron did that, burying his 21st goal of the season. David Pastrnak and Brandon Carlo had the assists on the goal, their 33rd and 11th assists of the season respectively.

Anders Bjork made it 2-0 just a minute and 51 seconds later. With such a fast start, it was apparent early on that the Bruins weren’t totally satisfied with their 4-1 win over the Penguins. As a result, it didn’t take them long to make a statement in enemy territory. Bjork’s eighth goal of the season was assisted by Charlie Coyle (17) and Jake DeBrusk (14).

It continued to be pretty much all Bruins throughout the first period. While Jaroslav Halak made key saves when needed, the way the Bruins controlled the flow of play stood out the most. After two quick goals early on, Pastrnak added his 37th goal of the season to extend the lead to three with 4:53 remaining. Brad Marchand (44) and Torey Krug (27) had the helpers.

Not all was bad for the Penguins, as they managed to get one back thanks to Dominik Simon and a great pass by Sidney Crosby to set him up – making it 3-1 Bruins with 3:26 remaining. Brandon Tanev had a great chance to cut the deficit to one, but Brandon Carlo went all out to thwart the chance.

Teddy Blueger took a late hooking penalty with 1:37 remaining. Although the Bruins failed to score on the power play before the end of the frame, the final 23 seconds of the penalty awaited them to start the second period. The Bruins held a 13-6 shot advantage and won 72 percent of faceoffs.

Score: 3-1 Boston

Second Period

The Penguins wanted an early goal of their own, and they got one. Blueger scored shortly after serving the hooking penalty he took late in the first period. Crosby made another great pass to set it up. A two-goal lead for the Bruins was quickly cut to one just 33 seconds in.

Chris Wagner took an interference penalty at the 12:09 mark of the period. Just 51 seconds later, Marchand and Kris Letang got tied up to Matt Murray’s left and received matching roughing penalties as a result.

After the Blueger goal, it was a battle of wills for the majority of the period. Murray bounced back after a rough first period, and Halak made some timely stops of his own. The Penguins held the advantage in shots at 12-10 and set up what was sure to be an eventful third period. The shots through two periods were 23-18 in favor of the Bruins.

Score: 3-2 Boston

Third Period

Keeping with the trend of eventful starts to each period, Letang went off for elbowing just 20 seconds in. Jack Johnson took advantage of a huge opportunity tied the game with a shorthanded goal. The game was tied with 18:19 remaining and things got a bit chippier as this grudge match rolled on.

The Bruins were generating chances, but weren’t getting results. Murray continued to play very well after a bad first period and the Penguins didn’t relent. Bryan Rust made it four unanswered goals and gave his team the lead with 7:25 remaining in regulation.

Halak was pulled with 2:19 remaining for an extra attacker. While they managed to prevent an empty netter, the Bruins couldn’t tie the game back up. A tripping penalty assessed to Matt Grzelcyk in a successful effort to prevent Tanev from adding an empty netter late was the nail in the coffin in this one. A 14-4 advantage in shots in the final frame wasn’t enough to secure a win. The final shots were 37-22 in their favor. Next up are the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at TD Garden at 7:00 PM ET. The Bruins are 28-10-12 at the 50-game mark on the 2019-2020 season.

Final Score: 4-3 Pittsburgh

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 162 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!

Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston vs. Pittsburgh: 1/16/20

/ Mike Cratty / 1 Comment
Image result for bruins penguins td garden

Photo Credit: Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Boston Bruins

Away: Pittsburgh Penguins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Coyle – Bjork

Heinen – Lindholm – Kuhlman

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Moore

Goalies

Halak

Vladar

Pittsburgh’s Lineup

Forwards

McCann – Crosby – Simon

Kahun – Malkin – Rust

Galchenyuk – Agozzino – Hornqvist

Aston-Reese – Blueger – Tanev

Defense

Johnson – Letang

Pettersson – Marino

Riikola – Ruhwedel

Goalies

Jarry

Murray

Tuukka Rask was honored for playing in his 500th game back in October before things got underway. NESN showed an awesome congratulatory video made for him before the ceremony that took place on the TD Garden ice. Congratulations to Tuukka Rask on this incredible achievement.

First Period

Sidney Crosby made his presence felt with a goal just 24 seconds into the game. A mere 52 seconds later, Zach Aston-Reese went off for roughing in response to Charlie McAvoy’s hit on Brandon Tanev. The Bruins didn’t score on the power play, but the fast pace continued after a cross-check by John Marino on Chris Wagner that wasn’t received well.

Marino sat for two minutes as a result, giving the Bruins their second power play of the game just 3:23 into the game. While Tristan Jarry was kept busy early on, he kept the Bruins off the scoreboard on their first two power plays.

Minutes later, Chris Wagner and Kris Letang exchanged pleasantries, creating a 4-on-4 as a result as both of them went off for roughing. The extra open space on the ice didn’t lead to much, but Sean Kuraly got on the board for the fourth time this season shortly after the 4-on-4 ended. It was 1-1 with 9:57 remaining. Karson Kuhlman had the primary assist, marking his first point of the season. Charlie McAvoy had the secondary assist, his 17th of the season.

Kuhlman made his mark yet again on the scoresheet, sending a shot on net that Par Lindholm tipped past Tristan Jarry to make it 2-1 Bruins for his third goal of the season. Karson Kuhlman was buzzing early on in his first game back with the Bruins since October 19th following his injury recovery and a stint with the Providence Bruins.

Not too long after the goal, Patrice Bergeron went off for tripping, but the Penguins failed to convert on the man advantage and the Bruins held onto their lead. It was a wild first period and after a fast start from the Penguins, the Bruins didn’t shy away. The shots in the period were 12-10 in their favor as they went into the intermission.

Score: 2-1 Boston

Second Period

Wagner went to the box early on for tripping, just 1:39 into the period. Brad Marchand nearly gave the Bruins a two-goal lead in shorthanded fashion. Wagner remained in the mix after leaving the box, laying a huge hit on Tanev that caused some chaos as a result.

Anders Bjork went off for two minutes for slashing just around the halfway point of the period. Joakim Nordstrom blocked a shot Juuso Riikola and went off in some pain, but eventually made his way back and powered through the pain.

Speaking of the halfway point, the Bruins outshot the Penguins 5-1 up until that point in the second period. The Bjork penalty was killed, the third successful penalty kill of the night. Brad Marchand nearly extended the lead to two, but couldn’t bury it.

Things got chippy again late in the period, leading to Torey Krug and Patric Hornqvist having a tussle, with others getting involved. A 4-on-4 ensued thanks to roughing penalties going both ways with 3:52 remaining. No one scored on the 4-on-4, again. Chaos later came as a penalty was called, Bergeron made contact with the puck with his glove, the puck crossed the goal line, but the goal was called off after a review.

Krug and Hornqvist reconvened and dropped the gloves after exiting the penalty box  Marcus Pettersson went off for holding with 1:19 to go. Five minutes for fighting followed. In the final ten seconds, the Penguins found themselves on a 2-on-0 that led to Jaroslav Halak making four saves in rapid succession to preserve the lead. The shots were 12-10 in favor of the Bruins, yet again, bringing the total to 24-20. The craziness of the second period set the stage for fireworks in the third period.

Score: 2-1 Boston

Third Period

Bergeron extended the lead to two 3:19 into the period, marking his 20th goal of the season. He has now hit the 20-goal mark in a season 11 times in his career. David Pastrnak had the lone assist, his 31st of the season. It was a pretty sweet sequence.

The pace calmed down a bit in the third period, but things got interesting again when the Penguins took a too many men on the ice penalty. The Bruins saw a golden opportunity in front of them to extend their lead to three with 8:18 left. Although they didn’t score, they still managed to hold their two-goal. Jarry being pulled for the extra attacker late led to a chaotic bunch of chances out front, but the puck couldn’t make its way past the scrum out front. A review followed the scrum and went in favor of the Bruins, keeping the game at 3-1.

Marchand notched the empty netter for his 21st goal of the season to seal it. Pastrnak’s second assist of the game and 32nd of the season helped set it up. The Penguins held a 10-6 shot advantage, bringing the shot total to 30-30 for the game. They had 10 shots in each period. When it all came down to it, the Bruins powered through in a physical game to come out on top. Next up are the Penguins again at 12:30 PM ET on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena. The Bruins are 28-9-12 and have won four of their last six games.

Final Score: 4-1 Boston

Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 162 that we recorded below! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

Please subscribe to our new Black N’ Gold Hockey YouTube channel! We’d really appreciate the continued support. Click HERE for exciting Black N’ Gold online content!!