Two-Pad Stack December 4th, 2011
A Weekly Crease Full of Information
Welcome to another installment of Two-Pad Stack. It was another big week for the Bruins and around the NHL, where three coaches were fired.
So let’s get started…
WEEK IN REVIEW
This week saw the Bruins extend their point streak to 14 straight games. They are now 13-0-1 over their last 14 games! Both of their games this week were against the Maple Leafs, which is great for them, and terrible for Phil Kessel. Here’s a recap.
Wednesday Nov. 30, Bruins 6 Toronto 3
The bruins completed the month of November without a regulation loss. That’s the first time they’ve done that since January 1969! This was the 3rd meeting of the year between Boston and Toronto and the B’s picked up right where they left off in the other three , crushing the Leafs 6-3. Milan Lucic had 2 goals, Nathan Horton had 2 assists and David Krejci had a goal and 2 assists, as the 1st line clearly dominated for the Bruins in this one.
Another victory for Tim Thomas and the Bruins defense as they once again shut down Phil Kessel, holding him to 1 assist and a -3.
Three stars 1st: David Krejci, 2nd: Milan Lucic, 3rd: Zdeno Chara
Saturday Dec. 3rd, Bruins 4 Toronto 1
Once again the Bruins handled the Leafs with ease, dispensing them 4-1 in front of the 100 straight sellout at the TD garden. Tuukka Rask got the start for Boston and played well, besting James Reimer in his return from a lengthy absence due to concussion symptoms. And it was again the 1st line leading the way as Krejci (1g 1a), Lucic (2a), and Horton (1g 1a) had 2 points apiece. Chris Kelly added another goal, for his surprising 10th goal on the season. Johnny Boychuk had the other goal for Boston.
As usual Phil Kessel was held without a point and was a -2.
Three stars 1st: Johnny Boychuk, 2nd:Tuukka Rask, 3rd: David Krejci
TRAVELING THE NORTHEAST
The Bruins continue to lead the division. but there’s lots going on with the other teams in the Northeast.
Team GP W L OT PTS
Boston 24 16 7 1 33
Toronto 26 14 10 2 30
Buffalo 26 14 11 1 29
Ottawa 26 12 11 3 27
Montreal 27 11 11 5 27
For the latest on the B’s division rivals, here are the links:
Canadiens Sabres Maple Leafs Senators
AROUND THE NHL
3 Coaches Fired
On Monday, The Washington Capitals pulled the plug on coach Bruce Boudreau. It’s a move that many around the NHL have been waiting for for a couple years now. Although Boudreau was arguably the most successful coach the Capitals have had, he was never able to lead the team to any sort of Post-Season success. This could have been due to the players the Capitals chose to build their team with, or Boudreau’s inability to properly motivate and prepare those players for the rigors of a Stanley Cup run. These were the same questions facing Claude Julien until last year. Visit Capitals Outsider for the latest on how Dale Hunter’s doing as the new Coach.
That same day, Paul Maurice was fired as the Head Coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina sits last in the conference and only 3 points from being the worst team in the league. There’s no reason a team with that much talent up front should be close to the bottom of the league. Must be a Kaberle thing! You know Kristina over at Cardiac Cane has the scoop, check it out.
Just two days later, the Anaheim Ducks let Randy Carlisle go after 6 seasons. He did lead them to the Stanley Cup in 2007, but has been unspectacular since then. This year has been particularly bad as the Ducks were 7-13-4 under Carlisle. So who did the Ducks turn to? Bruce Boudreau of course. They’ll hope he be able to do in Anaheim what he couldn’t do in Washington: Win in the Playoffs. For more on this story visit ducks daily blog.
WEEK AHEAD
This is a busy week for the Bruins as they play 4 games, 3 of which are on the road.
Monday December 5th– Bruins at Penguins 7pm. This should be a big test for the Bruins, now that Sidney Crosby’s back. These are the top 2 teams in the Conference and could be a Conference Finals preview. Check out Pens Labyrinth for info on the Penguins.
Tuesday December 6th – Bruins at Jets 8:30pm. The Bruins travel to Winnipeg for the first time since hockey returned to Winnipeg. The Bruins beat the Jets 4-2 back on the 26th of November. Head over to Hockey At The Forks for more on the Jets.
Thursday December 8th – Panthers at Bruins 7pm. Usually, this would be a quiet Thursday night in December, but not this year. After loading up in the off-season, many snickered at Dale Tallons spending spree. But the Panthers sit 1point behind the Bruins and lead the Southeast division. Visit The Rat Trick for more on the Panthers.
Saturday December 10th – Bruins at Blue Jackets 7pm. This is the quiet night in December. The Blue Jackets are terrible this season, sitting last in the NHL with 17 points. Some injuries to key players early in the season didn’t help, but they need some help! Take visit to Fire That Cannon for the latest and greatest on the Blue Jackets.
For the full schedule visit our schedule page.
statistics courtesy of NHL.com