We’re rapidly approaching the end of the season, with less than 15 games left now. And the race is still on. Boston has a three-point cushion and a game in hand over the Rangers for the last spot in the East, Detroit just has three points over Calgary out West, and thanks to an embarrassing blowout loss in Dallas by San Jose, Chicago is just one win away from the top dog in the West. And the more time goes by, the more it looks like Buffalo will take the division. And the Devils are once more one win away from retaking the division. So much on the line with so little time left, so let’s look at what would happen if the playoffs started as of Tuesday, March 16 at 11:30pm:

West:

#1 San Jose Sharks vs #8 Detroit Red Wings

With an 8-2 loss to Dallas, San Jose has lost three in a row, while Detroit has won three in a row. Detroit won the season series 3-0-1, only losing one of the two shootouts (both in Detroit) and winning both games in San Jose. Looking at the stats, you’d think the Sharks have the advantage, but looking at the momentum, San Jose doesn’t seem to like the first round. Continue reading If The Playoffs Started Today – NHL Week 22 »

In a season-long, seven-game stretch on the road that went a long way in defining the season, the Bruins actually fared decent, especially considering all the drama with Marc Savard’s near-decapitation and the league’s support of its ridiculous rules instead of its own players.

All that aside, the Bruins took the ice Tuesday night against the surging Hurricanes, who have been playing like a Category 5 storm as of late. Seemingly out of the playoff race by Christmas, the ‘Canes have gone 13-4-1 since late January to help get them back into the playoff race. Somehow, Carolina entered Tuesday’s game just eight points behind the Bruins for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

In their final game of the long trip, the B’s halted the Storm’s surge, winning 5-2 thanks to three third period goals. Continue reading Bruins End Road Trip With Win Over Hurricanes »

Last stop: Raleigh, NC.

It’s been a bumpy road for the Bruins (30-26-12), who make their seventh and final stop on their season-long road trip this evening, where tonight they will take on the resurgent Carolina Hurricanes (28-32-8). Don’t look now, but once the laughing stock of the league, the ‘Canes have rebounded in astounding fashion, now just two wins and eight points behind Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot. Their playoff hopes are still a long shot, but to still have hopes of the postseason at all is a major accomplishment for a team that seemed out of contention by Christmas.

Instead, since beating the Bruins on January 24th, the ‘Canes have gone an impressive 13-4-1, and since losing starting goalie Cam Ward to injury just before the Olympic break, Manny Legace and Justin Peters have backstopped the team to a 9-3-0 record.

Meanwhile, the B’s just keep on floundering around mediocrity. Last night, it was Tim Thomas who dug the team into a deep hole, giving up three first period goals to New Jersey on just 10 shots. It was a deficit the team just couldn’t come back from, as the team fell to Martin Brodeur and the Devils, 3-2. With a win tonight, the B’s could post an even 3-3-1 record on the road trip, before heading back to Boston for Thursday’s highly anticipated meeting with Matt Cooke and the Penguins. Continue reading Ice Breakers: Bruins-Hurricanes, Tuesday March 16th »

The Boston Bruins traveled to New Jersey Monday night to take on the Devils and right away it looked like an absolute blowout. New Jersey jumped on Bruins’ starter Tim Thomas and scored their only three goals in the first period. Thomas was later pulled in the second period, marking his fifth time this season that he has been pulled in a game.

The Bruins made things interesting in the third period after they pulled Tuukka Rask out of goal to have the extra skater on the ice and Patrice Bergeron scored to bring the game to within one with about a minute left in the game. Boston tried the same strategy, but could not get the puck past Martin Brodeur and the Devils went on to win by the score of 3-2. Continue reading Devils Jump on Bruins Early, Hang on to Win »

The NHL announced Monday that Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is suspended for two games following his hit Sunday in Chicago on Brian Campbell 12:16 into the 1st Period. The Capitals won 4-3 in OT. Ovechkin will forfeit $232,645.40 and is now considered a repeat offender for his earlier suspension for kneeing on November 30 on Carolina’s Tim Gleason (and his boarding major / game misconduct on Buffalo’s Patrick Kaleta on November 25 for which he was not suspended).

As Campbell was getting rid of the puck by his own net, Ovechkin shoved him into the boards. Campbell collapsed, and Ovechkin tripped over him. Ovechkin was given a boarding major and game misconduct. Campbell suffered a broken clavicle and broken ribs, though he seemed well enough all things considered when he sat up, and was further evaluated by the team’s medical staff Monday.

NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell (remember that guy?) called the hit “reckless” when making his ruling on Ovechkin’s suspension. Dictionary.com defines “reckless” as “utterly unconcerned about the consequences of some action.” Sound like any other hit we’ve seen recently? Continue reading Ovechkin Suspended Two Games By NHL »

The road continues for the Black and Gold this evening, as they take their act to the Garden State to skate with Ilya Kovalchuk, Martin Brodeur, and the rest of the New Jersey Devils (40-24-13). The Bruins (30-25-12), who have gone a mediocre 2-2-1 so far on their season-long seven-game road trip, wrap up this voyage with back-to-back affairs. The team will fly to Raleigh after tonight’s game to take on Carolina tomorrow night.

Both New Jersey and Boston are coming off disappointing performances over the weekend. The Bruins couldn’t do enough to keep pace with the Canadiens Saturday, losing 3-2, while the Devils fell to the lowly Islanders, 4-2. New Jersey’s had an odd march through their March schedule, with huge wins over San Jose and division rival Pittsburgh, while also losing to the likes of Edmonton and the New York Islanders. A date with the B’s might be exactly what the Devils need though, having won eight of the last 11 meetings over Boston, including a pair of 2-1 victories in this season’s two previous meetings. Continue reading Ice Breakers: Bruins-Devils, Monday March 15th »