After viewing all 82 games last year then their disappointing loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, I came away with some expectations for this season. Now, just past the midway point of the season I can see my expectations are completely out the window. Was it that I saw something in the players last year that I don’t see this year or only sporadically? Maybe I thought I knew more than I did and I over-gaged their skill and potential. I think it’s a little of both.
I remember going to a Toronto game last year right around Christmas. It was a home game, at the TD BankNorth (I think it was BankNorth, the Garden has changed sponsors so many times I usually negate them) Garden and the Bruins were in first. The final was 8-5 – just an overall wacky game with both starting net minders getting pulled, then re-entering the game later on. I mention this specific game is because it best relates to the state of the Bruins now – inconsistent and up-and-down.
I became accustomed to the Bruins scoring with ease and usually, quite frequently. But, now, it seems that I’ll have to change this mentality and simply pray for a goal or two. Throughout the 2009/2010 season, the Black and Gold have failed to put up a goal and have been held scoreless in the first period more than 14 times. There have been times when the Bruins could only muster a goal one night then come out and score five the next. As of late, the Bruins have a tough time even scoring once. In their last five games the B’s have notched 11 goals while their opponents scored 13. Pretty close comparatively, but over the long haul a defensive-minded club will start to fatigue.
Reigning Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara’s numbers are down, but his solid and overwhelming defensive play is still there. One thing that Chara is known for, however, is his emotional and physical play – a part of the Bruins’ game that has been absent for almost the entire season.
Much like the way they scored with ease last season, the Bruins also brought the hard hits and if it came to it, fights, to each game. This year, though, neither has been evident in game time. A large part of their lackluster play has been due to the absence of Milan Lucic. Lucic has played in only 12 games this season due to injuries and has just recently returned to play earlier last week. Still, Lucic is skating the rest off, but continues throwing hits and using his physical play to his advantage. For the rest of the team, though, it’s as if they left their emotions in the locker room or back in the hotel.
Game-in and game-out you could tell that the Bruins played with emotion. They were sticking up for one another, throwing their bodies around as if they were just plush dummies. A good example of all of this was their game against the Dallas Stars back on Nov. 1 of 2008, which you can see below.
Chara, though, isn’t the only defenseman worth mentioning. Dennis Wideman is having his worst year since he started wearing the Spoked B. He currently sports a plus/minus -5, second worst on the team and if that wasn’t bad enough, the Kitchener, Ontario native can’t seem to handle the puck when forced to keep it in the offensive zone, nevermind play sound defensively.
The Bruins have also been hit hard by injuries. The Causeway Boys have four starters currently on injured reserve. Mark Stuart is out with a broken sternum that he suffered on Dec. 14, Bergeron, the Bruins’ MVP this season, is out for at least two weeks after fracturing his thumb on Jan. 4th against the Rangers, defenseman Andrew Ference will miss six weeks after injuring his groin and most recently, Marc Savard, is out for the next two-three weeks with a knee strain.
When you add the skill and value of all the absent players the Bruins become a team that has to play at a near-perfect level. But even when the healing is done the question remains: are they good enough?
Ryan Fleming can be reached at ryanrfleming@gmail.com.
