Last Skate of the Day, January 2, 2014
Jan 2, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins left wing
Brad Marchand(63) keeps the puck away from Nashville Predators defenseman
Shea Weber(6) during the third period at TD Banknorth Garden. The Bruins won 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Bruins were trying very hard to avoid their first three game losing streak of the season. They were taking on the Nashville Predators at the TD Garden with a low grade blizzard battering the Boston landscape. The Bruins played their ‘Good Bruin/Bad Bruin’ game, and it required them to take it to overtime to decide the match. Thankfully, Brad Marchand engaged in a brilliant up ice maneuver to outplay two Predators and fire one past Marek Mazenec in the first minute of OT to give the Bruins a 3-2 win.
Here’s a quick highlight from the Boston Bruins homepage: (Bruins)
For the opposing view on the game, here is the feed and opinion from the Predators site: (Predators)
It was Niklas Svedberg’s first ever NHL game, and for those of us who had a need for Swede, it got satisfied tonight (more or less). There were a lot of rebounds given up, and that mixed in with some sloppy play is why the Bruins had to solve it outside of regulation. The Bruins already announced that they’re reassigning Svedberg back down to the AHL Providence squad.
Why? Here’s the answer courtesy of Twitter, Caryn Switaj, and Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien.
Julien said Svedberg will be heading back to Providence but "there's a good chance you're going to see him again here very soon" ^CS
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 3, 2014
Julien, on Svedberg, who got the W in his NHL debut: "he just showed he's a guy we need to look at, keep an eye on & consider" ^CS
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 3, 2014
Svedberg’s play in the AHL and training camp earned him this shot, and he did earn a win for Boston. I do have to wonder if the Bruins organization was shopping out their Swedish netminder, and were given other teams a little taste of the goods. While Johnson does seem to have trouble with the wraparounds, Svedberg was giving up a lot of ugly rebounds. I guess we’ll see what the Big Bruins have in store as they keep playing ‘Providence roulette’ with their AHL roster.
The Bruins (27-12-2) are still atop the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. They are also undefeated in 2014. The Bruins will attempt to continue to capitalize on their success with a Saturday matinee against the Winnipeg Jets.