Dec 11, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Milan Lucic (17) controls the puck in front of Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Michal Rozsival (32) during the third period at TD Banknorth Garden. The Chicago Blackhawks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Bruins seemed to have only brought half their team to tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The B’s let in the first three tallies of the night, and it took being shamed in their home and several line changes to get them back into the game. It’s hard enough to dig out of a 3-0 hole. It’s gets even harder when the team you’re facing is the Chicago Blackhawks. Reilly Smith and Torey Krug earned their goals tonight, but the B’s failed to bring a full sixty minute effort and thus fell to Chicago 3-2.
Here are some of the highlights and lowlights in tonight’s game.
Milan Lucic isn’t playing three period hockey. Yes, Lucic had a solid third period. It’s a pity it took him looking like Alex Ovechkin on the Patrick Kane goal and him getting demoted down to the fourth line for him to get fired up. What really hurt was that Lucic was the trigger man on a 3-on-1, and fanned on an open side with what would have given the B’s at least a point tonight. Lucic proven he can be a world class player. Tonight’s third period play just validated that, and his supporters can no longer use the ‘Lucic doesn’t have David Krejci‘ argument any more. Maybe Claude Julien should put him on a grinder line for a whole game to remind him that it’s a three period effort that wins games in Boston.
Zdeno Chara was rusty. We knew that was going to happen. Chara ended up playing 24:11 tonight. He started out slow and tentative, but he certainly picked up his game as the game progressed. The Bruins were 11-7-1 without him, and it can only get better for the Bruins blue line now that he’s back.
The Bergeron line was the best line on the ice tonight. The Bruins top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and Reilly Smith was certainly the best line for Boston, and the most consistent line on the ice. Reilly Smith earned the B’s first goal, and the line were active the whole game. The PBR line put in eleven of the thirty-three shots on net tonight. Patrice Bergeron was much better in the face off circle as well. He went twenty-two for thirty tonight. Bergy led all forwards with penalty kill on ice time (3:09) Brad Marchand had some outstanding moves on the ice, and it was a pity his individual effort couldn’t be awarded with a goal tonight. (He did get an assist on the Smith goal.)
The Bruins penalty kill. Welcome back to the NHL! The Bruins were four for four down a man, and had to deal with two separate five-on-three situations against one of the hottest power play squads in all of professional hockey.
Dennis Seidenberg. There are rules on hitting players. However your opinion lies on Seids’ hit on Jonathan Toews, there are a few things most of us can agree on. If you put a grinder or an AHL player into the boards awkwardly, you get fined. If you put Matt Cooke in the boards, you get asked when you would like to pick up your Order of Canada award. If you hit a player like Toews or Sidney Crosby, you will likely get a suspension. The Department of Player Safety will certainly give that hit a review. While Seidenberg is not known for dirty play and has no serious history of problems with the league, he may get two or three games for this (I certainly hope not though.)
Still no David Krejci. Krejci has missed eighteen games this season, including the last nine. Krejci’s scoring has been missed terribly by the Black and Gold. It only exacerbates the cold hard fact the Bruins never found a suitable replacement for Jarome Iginla in the off-season.
Torey Krug and Zach Trotman were a mess. Krug and Trotman seemed to miss many of their assignments in the first period, and it led to two goals for the Blackhawks. Julien had no choice but to split them up. Krug redeemed himself partially by scoring the only goal of the third period, but the damage was done. Krug finished with a -2 tonight.
Outside looking in. The Boston Bruins are about to find themselves on the outside when it comes to the playoff hunt. Sure, it’s only December. The Bruins are usually thick in the hunt the entire season. You can choose to blame it on the injuries, or the bad calls, or whatever grinds your gears. The ugly fact is that the B’s will likely get kicked out of the playoff group, and they’ll get kicked off the pedestal by the Florida Panthers. Hopefully, that will inspire the Black and Gold to play with a serious fire in the belly.