Bruins DieHard: Kicking The Hangover
BOSTON (CBS) - A week and a half into the new season and the Boston Bruins are still trying to figure out what team they are.
Will they still have this so-called hangover, or will they at least get back some of the fire that led them to said hangover.
From Diehard's eyes, there doesn't seem to be the cohesiveness that should signify what they had at the end of last season, even before the playoffs.
The Bruins put what looked to be a solid effort on Saturday against the Blackhawks in Chicago. Coming back from a 2-1 deficit on Nathan Horton's first of the year and sophomore Tyler Seguin scoring in the shootout for Boston's second win of the year.
In that win, Coach Claude Julien registered his 300th win as coach with 181 of those victories behind the Bruins bench. Julien is one of
13 active coaches to have that many wins and 42nd all time. You would think it would be a sound foundation in which to build upon.
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Then Tuesday night happened! WOW. Pure implosion and frustration as they lost the game and their composure against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins could not sustain any pressure after the first half of the first period and when they did put quality shots on Cam Ward, he was solid as he was last week when he helped his team beat Boston down in Raleigh.
Ward had been taking all opportunities when the Bruins weren't finding ways to screw up the one given to them. then in the second period, they tried to do what they have done many times before. They tried to fight their way out of it, literally. Hoping to get themselves and the crowd into what had become a slow and boring contest.
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With Captain Zdeno Chara garnering 17 minutes in penalties for instigating a dust-up with Hurricanes Jay Harrison the Bruins were two-man short and already trailing 2-0. But they survived and gave themselves a chance and with nine minutes left in the third period, they final solved Cam Ward with of all things, a power play goal.The crowd, what was left of them, was back in it and the B's had every right to think they could get this game tied.
But alas, the implosion happened. Horton, Brad Marchand & Milan Lucic were all hit with 10-minute misconduct penalties. Chris Kelly had a fight with Brett Sutter, several other Bruins minor penalties and last but certainly not the least, the Coach was dismissed from further action for abuse of officials. this was not the best way to pull yourself from the Bermuda Triangle.
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They have one win at home against three losses with the next three at the TD Garden against the surprising Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday, the San Jose Sharks Saturday night leading up to a home and home series with the Montreal Canadiens on the 27th, & 29th, Halloween weekend mind you!
For those of that follow hockey closely, this is eerily like the "Hangover" start that the aforementioned Blackhawks had last season. A season in which they did not clinch a playoff spot until the last week.
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It seems that there will be some line adjustments when the puck is dropped Thursday, with Kelly skating with the first line and Horton bumped to the second. What will come out of it is anyone's guess.
Let's just hope the Bruins find a good remedy for what ails them. And fast!
Ric Duarte has covered hockey and the Bruins for various media outlets since 1986. You can follow Ric at BruinsDieHard.com and at twitter @bruins_diehard.
