Go Nuts! Bruins Back In Playoffs!
“Uhh, not like that, Brad”
After two calamitous late-season collapses kept them from the post-season, the Bruins found their inner Howard Beale over the last two weeks to prevent a third such disaster. Buoyed yet again by a stellar Tuukka Rask performance, the Bs got two goals from 20-year-old star David Pastrnak (33rd, 34th) and one each from Drew Stafford (7th) and Zdeno Chara (10th) for a 4-0 whitewashing of Tampa Bay to propel them into the post-season dance. Rask’s 8th shutout of the season is a new career high and tied for the league lead with Braden Holtby.
As the GIF up top shows, it wasn’t all good on Causeway St. Perhaps in tribute to the late Chuck Berry, Brad Marchand speared Tampa’s Jake Dotchin right in the ding-a-ling. And he put some mustard on it, too. No, but seriously Marchy, cut the shit, bro. You’re too fucking good to keep doing this shit.
Whether he was aiming for genitalia or not doesn’t matter, it was a stupid fucking penalty that is going to cost him money (not only for a suspension but likely a 40th goal incentive) in addition to putting his participation in Game One of the playoffs in serious jeopardy. It’s dumb enough when you hurt yourself. But when you fuck with the team, that’s pretty sucky. Not good, Brad.
(I can’t lie though—I did laugh when Marchand gave him the ‘accidentally on purpose’ stick blade to the mug after he was already down from the nut shot…)
The Bruins likely won’t know who they’re playing until the weekend given all they jockeying that can/will still happen over these last few games. They can ensure themselves a top three spot in the Atlantic, and avoid Washington in the first round, if they beat the Sens and Caps in their final two contests (they could also get one by garnering less than four points depending on how Ottawa and Toronto fare). But for today, they’re in. And Bs fans can celebrate their return to the post-season.
A few more buds for your Hump Day bowl…
*Patrice Bergeron on face-offs last night: 17 for 17. Are you shitting me? The Bs won the dot with a 69-31 ratio. Nice.
*Watching how fired up Big Z was after the game got me fired the hell up. Love the ‘Lucic in a handshake line’ greeting he gets from David Backes. I’m happy that he captained his team back into the playoffs because sometimes it seems like he’s unappreciated around here. The dude keeps his nose clean, is a total pro, alway reps the organization in the best way, and shrugs off/ignores the increase in slings and arrows. Is he the same dominant D-man from 5 years ago? No. But he’s still a huge part of this team and an important piece of their upcoming playoff run.
*Hats off to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Last night, it looked like they finally ran out of gas (even though they’re still technically alive). They were playing short a forward due to childbirth, in addition to the costly injuries to major players they’ve already been dealing with. After dumping their #1 goalie and two middle-six guys at the deadline, it appeared that the Lightning were waving the flag on the season. Instead, the moves seemed to rally the team and they went all Lazarus on the league, rising back into the playoff race until the last days of the season. A pretty commendable effort worth a stick tap.