The rules are simple. Just start to follow Hub Hockey on Twitter and then before tonight's game send a reply to my contest tweet today with your guess of which Bruin will score the first goal tonight and during what period and minute. I know guessing the minute is a little extreme but even I have to pay for my own god damn shirts. Also the minute will serve as a tie breaker if I get multiple guesses with the same player and period. So make sure you get your guess in before 7 tonight for your chance. This will also be happening for the rest of the games this season (I know I missed the last few but I'll make sure to post a tweet before the last seven games). Good luck..
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March 2009
March 31, 2009
Game Preview: Bruins vs. Lightning
(Hopefully plan on reenacting this scene a few different times tonight.)
Game Seventy-Six
Boston Bruins vs. Tampa bay Lightning
March 30th, 2008 @ 7:00PM
GAME PREVIEW:
- They're back..... The Boston Bruins are finally playing like a team again and are showing great strides back to the team they were at the beginning of the season. With only 7-games remaining in this long season the Bruins currently hold a seven point lead in the Eastern Conference. With huge wins against Conference rivals in the Flyers and Devils the B's now have momentum on their side which has been proven to be a scary thing for other teams this season. Along with this swing in team chemistry comes some individual momentum swings for David Krejci, Milan Lucic, Chuck Kobasew, Mark Recchi, Michael Ryder and the list goes on. Also the team has began to become shutdown on the penalty kill and a sure thing on the power play again. All while Tim Thomas is playing his best hockey of his career. Could we ask for anything more going into the playoffs?
This is the final game in a four game season series against the Lightning in which the Bruins have posted a 2-1 record. Also notable tonight is that the Bruins will be seeing some familiar faces tonight on the other side of the ice in former teammates Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums who were both involved in the deal that brought Mark Recchi to Beantown at the trade deadline this season. Also former bust of a prospect Brandon Bochenski is currently calling Tampa home too.
INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO OF THE DAY:
CREASE REPORT:
- Bruins: Tim Thomas (32-11-7) had one of his best games of the season on Sunday night making 45-saves and giving the NHL another highlight reel save. Thomas has come up big this season in high-profile games, most recently against the Flyers and Devils. Timmy currently still leads the league in save-percentage and GAA and has been creating an even more space between himself and the rest of the league. I don't know how anyone can not mention his name when thinking of possible front runners for the Vezina this season. Manny Fernandez (15-6-3) finally won his first game since early January on Saturday night but got roughed up in the process. I don't really know what to make of his performance. There was obvious rust that he was trying to work off and he started to settle down as the game progressed but I can only imagine what the 5-goals against did for his confidence. I don't think this will be the last time before the regular season closes that we see Manny but if it was could it have been his last start in the bruins jersey?
- Lightning: Karri Ramo (4-8-6) has been the Lightnings go to guy in the month of March and is still trying to prove himself as a top prospect in the Lightnings system and the NHL. Ramo has only one regulation loss in his last 7-games, coming on Sunday against Ottawa. Even though he is only 2-4-1 in those seven games, he has kept a struggling Lightning team in each game till the end (making 30+ saves in each game). The other Tampa netminder is Mike McKenna (4-5-1) who has basically been backing up Roma while he fills the role of starter in the absence of Mike Smith. McKenna has had mixed results this season, never quite getting on any type of role. Tampa bay has had five different goalies start in net for them this season.
INJURY REPORT:
- Bruins: RW Phil Kessel (undisclosed) missed both games last weekend with an undisclosed injury. Originally coach Claude Julien announced Kessel as unable to play just this weekend but no word has been released on whether or not he will dress tonight. LW Marco Sturm (knee) is out for the rest of the regular season and playoffs while recovering from knee surgery.
- Lightning: C Paul Szczechura (lower-body), D Marek Malik (foot) and D Matt Smaby (lower-body) are all listed as day-to-day by the Lightning and have no real timetables to return to action. There is a slight chance though that one or more could return tonight. G Mike Smith (concussion). D Andrej Meszaros (labrum tear), D Paul Ranger (labrum tear) and D Cory Murphy (broken foot) are all out indefinitely.
GAME PREDICTIONS:
(post your predictions in the comments section)
- Chris: Bruins 4-0
TSN Week Twenty-Six Power Rankings
"5-1-1 in their last seven, the Bruins also have a dozen double-digit plus players -- a solid foundation that keeps them at No. 1. Key Injuries: RW Phil Kessel (undisclosed)."
Hub Hockey's Take: This couldn't have come any sooner. I even had myself worried for a little bit. The Bruins have been on a role recently playing end-to-end hockey and showing that they have not lost the flare they possessed during the first half of the season. Currently on the three-game win streak the Bruins need to only win four of their last seven games to clinch first place in the Eastern Conference (even if every other team wins their remaining games). Most recently the B's have dropped the Maple Leafs, Flyers and Devils and look to continue their success against the lowly Lightning tomorrow night. On top of this the young stand-outs are contributing again putting up points night in and night out. With this recent success hopefully fans can stop talking about how the Bruins will blow it in the playoffs and everything else they are crying about. How about a little dedication to your team.
March 30, 2009
Thomas Stands On His Head As The B's Drop The Flyers
Game Seventy-Five
Boston Bruins @ Philadelphia Flyers
March 29th, 2009 @ 7:00PM
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
(credit: Getty Images)
Hard Hitting Game Ends With The Bruins On Top
Lucic Returns: Milan Grabs 2-Goals (5-Points In 3 Games)
Recchi Scores Again With A Top Of The Crease Snipe
Playmaking!: Krejci Connects With Teammates For 3-Assists Tonight
Wideman Ends 22-Game Scoreless Drought With A 1st Period Goal
Thomas Makes A Season High 45-Saves Tonight (Save Of The Year?)
Bruins Finally Played A Full 60-Minutes... Rejoice!
Great To See Guys Like Lucic, Krejci & Kobasew Streaking (No Homo)
Montador Dropped The Gloves Again Tonight By The Way
Bruins Outscore Leafs In A 12-Goal Game
Game Seventy-Four
Boston Bruins @ Toronto Maple Leafs
March 28th, 2009 @ 7:00PM
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | 3 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
(credit: AP Photos)
Manny Returns As Bruins Drop The Leafs In Back & Forth Game
Recchi Leads The Bruins With 2-Goals (What A Pickup)
Hunwick & Wideman Both Have A 3-Point Night (3-Assists Each)
Ryder & Krejci Both Have A 2-Point Night (Goal & Assist)
Kobasew, Wheeler & Thornton Other Goal Scorers
Manny Allows 5 GA But Gets First Win Since January
Not A Great Game But A Win Is A Win As The Bruins Hit 104 Points.
Montador Returns To The Lineup As A Forward & Drops The Gloves
March 28, 2009
March 27, 2009
Lighting the Lamp: The Emmanuel "Manny" Fernandez-Lemaire story
Emmanuel Fernandez was born August 27th 1973 in Ontario, Canada. By several accounts Manny exhibited his butterfly style right from birth as he dropped to his knees and attempted to block the doctor from cutting his umbilical cord, alas Manny was unsuccessful and the doctor was the first of many to score a victory on Manny. Manny didn’t let this hold him down though and never gave up hope on his butterfly style.
In the mid 80’s while Fernandez was attending high school he would always get picked on by his fellow classmates. Not having the most traditional last name for a native Canadian, his classmates would tease him and say he had Canadian envy. They would glue Maple Leafs to his locker, leave Canadian bacon on his car, and call him names in French, even though he could speak and understand French perfectly. One day one of the bullies saw Manny going to his car after school and decided that he’d introduce Manny to hockey… by shooting a crate of pucks at him. Manny barely saw what was about to happen out of the corner of his eye and braced himself for the onslaught of pucks that were coming his way. Standing in front of his car he dropped to his knees and starting flopping around like a fish out of water. 20 pucks were shot in his direction and he was able to knock a solid 11 away. The other 9 did result in several dents and 3 broken windows but the bully was still impressed with Manny’s style he invited him to try out for the schools hockey team. The rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward to 2009 and Manny was able to take all this adversity and create a decent career for himself. He was able to work on his save percentage and get it up from the 50% during that brief try out to a 91% today. He has also been able to produce a career win/loss/tie record of 141-121-24. Not too shabby considering he did not play for some of the leagues all time best teams. Of course with the Bruins he is 16-8-3 in his two years not necessarily earning his $4.7M contract unless you count the stats he has racked up on the injured reserve (missing somewhere around 100 games with a knee injury since 2007, impressive to say the least). Of course injuries do happen to the best players in the world and you can’t blame Manny for his knee and back woes. It’s the life of a butterfly goaltender really. You can’t expect a human being to be able to contort themselves as Manny has for the last 13 years and not expect to have some wear and tear. Although some would argue that Jenna Jamison has been contorting in every angle imaginable just as long as Manny has and she hasn’t lost a step, but I digress.
If this is Manny’s last hoorah in the NHL than I only wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors. When some people hear that a goalie named Manny Fernandez is retiring they will think Mexico is going to need to find someone to fill the void in time for the next World Cup, of course they will be foolish and obviously were not privileged enough to be able to watch Manny during his prime (FYI that lasted for approx. 2 periods during a game against the Kings back in 2003) I joke of course. My street hockey goaltending skills are nothing to write home about that’s for sure. But from here on out every time I flop to the ground and make an awkward save using my calf, forearm, neck or any other appendage I can flail around aimlessly I will do so in honor of you Mr. Emmanuel Fernandez. You sir have inspired a generation of kids to know that you don’t have to be perfect but to just look funny doing what you do can get you far enough and most importantly, paid.
-Hub Hockey Guest Blogger
Sean Dykens
March 26, 2009
"Bring Back Rancourt" Campaign
It's about time the Boston Bruins very own Robert Goulet, Rene Rancourt fist-pumps his way back into the hearts of the Bruins faithful at the Garden as the one and only singer of the pre-game National Anthem(s). Rancourt has been singing the National Anthem at the Garden for over 30 years and has become a cult icon during his tenure in Beantown. So much so that he is even mentioned in the Dropkick Murphy's song "Time To Go". But recently he has been absent only to be replaced by some young up and comer with the last name Thomas. Well the Garden is only big enough for one Thomas, and you ain't him. So wake up Bruins, you just ruined the best thing you ever had. I don't care if Rene sounded like he was being shaken uncontrollably while he sung. The man tore the house down. From holding high notes, to saluting us fans watching at home, to even rocking the stache harder than any other man in the business... Rancourt has been the B's secret weapon all season long. Anyone who is anybody must have noticed that once he stopped singing the Bruins started to struggle. Then what was that, oh he made his return before the B's last game against the Devils when the Black & Gold won the Division and shutdown their biggest competition for the Conference title? What a coincidence.
So right here and right now I am putting my foot down to make sure that Rene Rancourt is front and center throughout the rest of the season and playoffs. Do we really expect to win without the famous fist-pump to get us going before the puck drops? I don't think so... But I can't do this alone and need your help, the fans. I need ideas and support from you guys on how to spread the word about the "Bring Back Rancourt" campaign. Create banners and other things and start spreading the word. Help me, help you, help the Bruins. RENE RANCOURT FOR THE 7th PLAYER AWARD!
I would like to thank Marc Tremblay for bringing this to my attention. Myself and some friends have been talking about this and thought it was only us that missed good ole' Rene. But thank to Marc I now know I am not alone and that their are other people out there you love him. Marc is the brainchild behind this campiegn so lets all make sure we thank him. You can also find him over at the Bruins forums he runs.
"Jeremy Jacobs: The Devil In A Wrinkly, Old, Greedy Pricks Body"
So lately I have been slacking with keeping up on Bruins news and current events, I mean it has been a long season and never thought I would even last this long. Or this site would ever become as popular as it did. It was just an idea I came up with before the season with some friends and turned from a hobby to an actual "job". With that said the Bruins have recently clinched the playoffs and I don't want to disappointed so I'm giving some friends the chance to help out here to give you guys the best everyday. So today I present my friend Sean Dykens. let me know what you guys think of his work and if I should add a new member to the Hub Hockey team.
As a young boy growing up in the Boston area in the late 80’s my dad always preached two things when it concerned the Bruins: First, Bobby Orr was the greatest defenseman to ever play and anyone who thought otherwise was obviously retarded. Second, if I were ever to see Jeremy Jacobs crossing the street I was to do whatever it takes to make sure he didn’t make it to the other side. By the time I was 12 I had been suspended roughly 150 times for defending Bobby Orr’s honor and made sure anytime I were to go to the Bruins game to keep one eye on the ice and one eye on the owners box, were my target sat in his perch.
My dad had a lot of animosity towards Jeremy Jacobs but I never understood why until I reached high school and could grasp simple economics. This man was Bill Gates rich before little Bill found out the hard way that sticking your dick in a electric socket would be a bad idea. Yet since he took over the team in 1975 the Bruins have not only NOT won a Stanley Cup but he has seemingly shipped out anyone who even had an ounce of talent the second their contract was up and were demanding more money.
Anyone with half a brain can see this man has only one objective and that is to suck as much money out of our pockets as humanly possible. Not only does this douche own the Bruins but his Delaware North Companies owns the concessions which enable him to profit off of every single event that takes place at the Garden, which by the way he owns as well. So going back to high school economics if you add up the profits from concessions, his Bruins take, the rent he charges the Celtics, the fee’s he charges everyone else to hold their concerts, circus, conventions, etc you are looking at a man that can afford to wipe his ass with a million dollar bill if there were ever such a thing. As Dave Chappelle would put it “He’s rich bitch!!”
So with this no shortage of money it baffles me as to why this BILLIONAIRE has not once gone out and splurged on some talent. I'm not saying go and be the Yankee's of the NHL, but I'd of settled for the Marlins, bring in some guys win a couple of Cups and call it a decade. For the last 38 years and counting this city has yet to sniff a Stanley cup. For Christ sakes even the Lightning and Hurricanes have won the cup! It’s gotten so bad that every NHL game produced since 1995 has a chip that forces the Bruins to lose in the first round of the playoffs when you make it and if you try to sign a high priced free agent it’s overridden by the computer. Go ahead try to win a Stanley Cup in franchise mode using the Bruins, the game will self destruct.
Some may think it’s crazy to complain about him given that the Bruins are in first place and poised to make a decent run this year in the playoffs with a young team. But to quote some dude who knew what the hell he was talking about “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. I’m afraid come this time next year or the year after we are going to be seeing Kessel, Wideman, Bergeron and anyone else who ends up looking like a franchise player be that player with another franchise.
Mr. Jacobs for your sake I hope you don’t cross any streets that I am driving on. I’m pretty sure at your age you’d be an easy target.
-Hub Hockey Guest Blogger
Sean Dykens
Tim Thomas Needs A Nickname!
Every badass in history has had a nickname. Just look at the UFC, every fighter no matter their record or background has a nickname such as one time poster boy Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell. Simply put Tim Thomas really doesn't have that "great" nickname and after this season it's the only thing missing. Yeah some call him "The Tank" and others have even started calling him "The Black & Gold Ninja" but neither has really stuck. I personally am a fan of "The Tank" but others seem to hate it. So I'm calling out to you guys to come up with a new nickname for Tim Thomas. As we get closer to the playoffs I can't think of any better way to kickoff the first round. So this is an open call to you guys. The best nickname will have a Hub Hockey playoff run shirt designed after it and the winner will receive a free version of the shirt. So start submitting your ideas in the comment section. I will choose the top ideas and then hold a poll next week to decide the winner.
March 25, 2009
March 24, 2009
History Of The Bruins DVD On Sale Today
"In conjunction with the 85th anniversary of the Boston Bruins, NHL® Studios tells the story of the revered Original Six franchise in this The History of the Boston Bruins DVD set. With rich tradition, a parade of vibrant characters, a legendary home arena and a passionate fan base, Boston has been the flash point of some of the NHL®'s most important events over the last century."
TSN Week Twenty-Five Power Rankings
"3-1-1 in the last five, the Bruins needed a big win over the Devils on Sunday and Tim Thomas stopped 41 of 42 New Jersey shots to hold off the surging Brodeur. Key Injuries: None."
Hub Hockey's Take: The Bruins are back on top. After suffering through some tough losses and major set-backs the boys in Black & Gold look to have finally got their shit back together. Even though the wins are still hard to come by, at least they are playing as a team again and the individual breakout performances are starting to become more current and frequent again. To top this off they owned the New Jersey Devils at home on Sunday too, giving themselves more distance atop the Eastern Conference. By the way, anyone who calls the game a fluke due to bounces and deflections is a retard by the way. That's what hockey is about and its part of the game. The bruins and more importantly TIMMY just outplayed the Devils. Deal with it. The Bruins are back into the mix and are looking to finish the season strong.
PS: The Canadiens still suck...
March 23, 2009
B's Beat Devils: Clinch Northeast Division Title
Game Seventy-Three
Boston Bruins vs. New Jersey Devils
March 22nd, 2009 @ 3:00PM
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| New Jersey Devils | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
(credit: Reuters Pictures)
Bruins Drop The 2nd Place Devils To Clinch The Northeast Division (102 Pts.)
Ryder & Savvy Each Finish The Day With 2-Points Each (Goal & Assist)
Lucic Ends 16-Game Drought With 2nd Period Goal
2-4 On The Power Play: Bruins Looked Great With The Man Advantage
PK Unit Goes Perfect Killing Off All 5-Penalties
Thomas Runs Wild: Season Best 41-Saves While Outplaying Brodeur
Media Consoles Marin By Calling This Game A "Fluke" Due To Bounces?
Recchi Grabs 2-Assists In Great Offensive Game
As Much As I Hate To Say It... I Love Having Axelsson On The PK
Playoff Bound Bruins Next Play Saturday Against The Leafs
Continue reading "B's Beat Devils: Clinch Northeast Division Title" »
March 21, 2009
LAST FIVE GAMES: 03/29 Buffalo L 3-2 03/30 @ New Jersy W 1-0 04/01 Florida L 1-0 04/03 @ Toronto W 2-1 04/05 @ Washington L 3-2
NEXT FIVE GAMES:04/08 Buffalo - 04/10 Carolina - 04/11 @ Washington - FULL SCHEDULE 
36-30-13
