Imagine how boring and predictable it must be to be a fan of the Boston Bruins?
A well-run organization off the ice and on the ice all they do is win hockey games. Where’s the drama? Where’s the intrigue? Where is the trading of an entire top line in the span of a week? Honestly, what does BruinsChirp even write about?
The Boston Bruins play a game tonight. The Boston Bruins will almost certainly win that game tonight. Keep an eye on those line combinations because while they haven’t changed in about three seasons, there are rumours among league insiders that Head Coach Bruce Cassidy, who definitely isn’t losing his job anytime soon, has been considering a change. In other news, our important players are all signed and happy and our centrally-located and well-maintained downtown rink will be full again tonight, as it usually is. Tickets to our first round playoff victory are available at 10:00 AM this morning.
Borrrrrrrring.
The Ottawa Senators pay a visit to the league’s hottest team, the Boston Bruins. Should be a hoot.
Listen, I’m not trying to scare you or anything, but this Bruins team is sort of terrifying right now. They have won five straight and haven’t dropped a game in regulation since the middle of January. Remember that Tampa Bay team that sort of toyed with Ottawa last weekend? Ya, the Bruins beat them 4-1 and barely broke a sweat.
All I’m saying is I would hate to face this Bruins team in round one of the playoffs, especially if you had any hopes of actually winning a playoff series for the first time in 15 years.
A quick note on Ottawa’s Head Coach search as there are already rumours starting to swirl about Ottawa’s search for a new bench boss. Bob McKenzie touched on the topic during a recent edition of Insider Trading and suggested that the Senators will start with a list of about 40 guys, including me obviously, before narrowing it down to about 8-10 guys prior to the interview process.
As of now, the plan is to wait until at least the end of the regular season to see if any other names join the list of available guys. One thing we know for sure is that Ottawa wants to have the new guy in place by the time the draft rolls around in June. Presumably because they want that individual to feel the same level of embarrassment as everyone else in the organization when Colorado takes Jack Hughes at first overall. An initiation of sorts.
Another interesting note from McKenzie suggests that while last time around the team was looking at more experienced guys, this time they’ll lean towards younger guys including AHL Head Coaches and NHL Assistants. Experience less significant than it was last time around.
Ya know, I may actually have a chance at this thing.
Anyway, the current Head Coach will have his team on the ice for the morning skate later this morning so we’ll find out the line up for sure then. Expecting something similar to Thursday night though with Christian Jaros still dealing with a hamstring injury.
A best guess for now.
Tkachuk-Pageau-Duclair
Balcers-Tierney-Paajarvi
Smith-White-Ryan
Gibbons-Lindberg-Boedker
Chabot-DeMelo
Wolanin-Ceci
Borowiecki-Harpur
Craig Anderson starts in goal for Ottawa. Puck will drop at centre ice at 7:08 PM but don’t worry if you’re a little late because I’m expecting another centre ice face off around 7:10 PM. And then again around 7:13 PM.
The game is available on Sportsnet One so basically any hope you had for a pleasant hockey-watching experience is out the window.
Here’s a table to help make up for it.
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 23-39-6 (52 pts) | 41-17-9 (91 pts) |
| Goals For | 2.96 (16th) | 2.99 (T-13th) |
| Goals Against | 3.74 (30th) | 2.45 (2nd) |
| Power Play | 20.5% (13th) | 26.7% (3rd) |
| Penalty Kill | 79.1% (23rd) | 81.2% (11th) |
| Shots For | 30.2 (23rd) | 32.7 (9th) |
| Shots Against | 36.1 (31st) | 30.2 (9th) |
| Leading Scorers | Chabot- 48 pts Tierney- 41 pts Ryan- 37 pts |
Marchand- 80 pts Pastrnak- 66 pts Bergeron- 62 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Craig Anderson 14-22-4 3.54 GAA, .903 sv%
|
Tuukka Rask 23-8-5 2.31 GAA, .921 sv% |
