| 18 October 2011
Tonight's Bruins game was attended by none other than GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brian Burke. When asked if he expected Thursday night's game to be any different than tonight he simply responded, "no, I expect that this is how they'll be playing for awhile now". The Bruins that appeared tonight, while they left with another loss under their belts, played the type of game fans expect of them and the type of game that gives them an edge- a strong, physical and emotional game. The type of game that has been missing since the end of last year's playoff run.
While tonight's game lead the Bruins down a path that pushed them further from a win, it might be exactly what helps them in the long run. Until this point, the Bruins have been tamed, unemotional and in a state that many have described as the "Stanley Cup Hangover". Going down for a 2nd time in a week to Carolina did something though- it made the team angry, it made them involved and it made them actually take on accountability. Before tonight, the team was on a hall pass- the excuses were given; they ran up against good goal tending, they're being gunned for, guys were hurt. But tonight- the team decided they needed to become involved and it started with their leader, Zdeno Chara.
Chara's jumping into the fight with Harrison set the tone- not only were they going to fight, they were going to pull up whoever they were fighting and make sure they got their shots in. Up and down the line up guys were involved, going to bat for each other and asking whoever they could if they wanted to go. While some fans might complain about this, this type of play is what drove them last season. The games that they were involved in emotionally, they dedicated their game to. Dallas, Vancouver- these games the team came out fired up, and became hardened and sharp- willing to exchange blows as needed but focused to a point on getting the win. The emotion also carried over often and helped them get through streaks of games.
It seems to work and is needed this season because the physical and emotional game help them create havoc, force turnovers and frustrate opponents. While the Bruins can play a strong puck possession game and dictate play, it doesn't always seem as though they can generate the right chances like a team such as the Red Wings are able to in a similar style. Blame it on them not being a Euro-style team or what you will, it just doens't work out often. When that possession game collides though with that physical and attacking style it leads to a flow that isn't seen really elsewhere in the league currently. What comes out is a crash the net, force guys out of position, get rebounds and force goals type of game. Exploited defenses, frustrated opponents, and a home crowd making the Garden feel like, the Garden.
So where does tonight's game leave us? It leaves us with a disappointment in another loss but with the hope that we might actually see the team that carried our emotions on a rollercoaster high last season back again on the ice. It opens the door for a group of guys to come out Thursday night against a hot division rival and be a force for a full 90 minutes. And it leaves the Bruins at a fork in the road with one leading to a hot streak digging the Black and Gold out of a rut and the other to more suffering and a range of questions to ask about the state of this team. Which path they'll take we'll find out Thursday night.
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