Friday, April 25, 2008

Bruins - Inside Shots

Did the Bruins become relevant again?

In Boston sports, we mean.

You see, there’s an interesting dynamic facing this franchise in a town that has become known for its winning. Once called “Loserville” by a local columnist, the sports fortunes of this great American city have changed dramatically over the past several years, while the Bruins languished in mediocrity or even less.

Now, as the Red Sox come off their second World Series win in the last four years, as the Patriots continue to be an NFL power, as the Celtics have been rebuilt after one of their own, Kevin McHale, sent Kevin Garnett their way, the Bruins fight to stay ahead of the MLS Revolution in terms of local fan popularity.

Did the one-and-done playoff run change all that? After all, this Bruins team over-achieved, coming from gloomy predictions into the playoffs and then almost upsetting the top-seeded Canadiens in the playoffs. Did that do it? Well, only if the B’s keep building. So far, it was just a nice week.

Now, to next year.

“We went from a team that wasn’t good enough to a team that’s been good to allow us to make the playoffs,” coach Claude Julien, who had a successful first year behind the Boston bench, said on the day his team packed up and headed home for the off-season. “Now, it’s about being a good team and becoming a better team and that’s the situation we’re in next year.

“We’re certainly looking forward to taking the next step at the start of next year.”

The Bruins made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons and did it while overcoming all kinds of adversity. They brought in Manny Fernandez to be the No. 1 goalie and he was gone early with more knee problems; they lost Patrice Bergeron, likely their best all-around player, to a head injury on Oct. 27; they endured long absences of others. Yet the Bruins hung together and pulled out the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, and then almost beat the rival Canadiens.

Now, they have to keep building.

“It’s going to be an exciting year, we all know that,” said center Marc Savard. “We know what we can do now.”

Season Highlight: When you haven’t made the playoffs the last two seasons, the highlight is the night you made the playoffs, and the Bruins did that with a 2-1 win at Ottawa in Game 81 of the 82-game season.

Turning Point: This was a battle throughout, but Bruins’ folks point to a weekend home-and-home series with the New York Rangers, Jan. 19-20. The Bruins won at home, 4-3 in a shootout, Saturday and then went down to New York and won 3-1 the next day. It started a streak of five wins in six games.

Notes, Quotes

• The Bruins had lost 13 straight games to the rival Canadiens when they won 3-of-4 and forced a Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series in Montreal.

• The Bruins have never rallied from either an 0-2 or 1-3 deficit to win a playoff series. This was the first time in 21 tries they even forced a Game 7.

• Boston is now 7-24 all-time in playoff series against the Canadiens.

• Bruins coach Claude Julien was behind the Montreal bench in 2004 when the Habs rallied from 3-1 to beat the Bruins in the opening round that year.

• The Bruins are now 2-5 all-time in Games 7 against the Canadiens.

• The Bruins went from 35-41-6 in 1006-07 to 41-29-12 this season.

• The Bruins ranked 14th among the 16 playoff teams in scoring this season and entered the off-season ready to add scoring punch up front.

• The coaching staff is set to return intact for next season.

Quote To Note: “You feel like when you start building something you want to be part of it. We’re definitely going in the right direction.”—Potential free agent defenseman Aaron Ward, after the Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs.

Roster Report

Most Valuable Player: G Tim Thomas came into the season fighting for playing time. Manny Fernandez was brought in to be the likely No. 1 and Tuukka Rask was the goalie of the future. So, all Thomas did was go out and become an All-Star, often acting as a one-man gang in keeping his offensively challenged team in hockey games.

Most Disappointing Player: LW Peter Schaefer was brought in to add grit and offense to the front line and really added neither until the final games of the playoffs. What he showed in the last few games is what the Bruins need him to show next season.

Free Agent Focus: The Bruins entered the offseason looking for a big forward who can score and who better than Marian Hossa? Marc Savard’s old Atlanta teammate would be a perfect fit in Boston and could team with Savard and young Phil Kessel on a potent top unit, with the returning Patrice Bergeron set as the head of the No. 2 line. Money might have to be cleared, but people like Glen Murray and P.J. Axelsson can be bought out. There should be some movement on defense, where Aaron Ward is an unrestricted FA and Mark Stuart and Dennis Wideman are RFAs and the Bruins would like to add a puck carrier. The valuable Chuck Kobasew is also an RFA up front, while C Glen Metropolit is unrestricted. Alex Auld, who came in and helped out in goal, is unrestricted and expected to seek a better job.

Player Notes:

• D Zdeno Chara played the last six weeks with a shoulder injury that was reported to be a torn labrum by the CBC. As the players were packing up, he said he would seek further medical advice in the coming days regarding surgery.

• Chara was named as one of the three finalists for the NHL’s Norris Trophy.

• C Patrice Bergeron said he “probably” would have played in the next round had the Bruins gotten by Montreal. Now, he can just concentrate on spending the summer getting stronger. “It is disappointing,” Bergeron said. “Obviously, I’m proud of all the guys, the character they showed. Obviously, it was a tough year. Frustrating. Guess I’ve learned from it. It’s been a long journey.”

• RW Phil Kessel and G Tim Thomas (USA) and C David Krejci (Czech Republic) were headed to join their national teams at the World Championships.

• After registering 11 hits the entire season, Kessel had four in his four playoff games, emerging from his three-game exile (Games 2-4) with a renewed zest.

• C Vladimir Sobotka was set to join Providence for the rest of the AHL playoffs, while RW Petteri Nokelainen was either going to Providence or to join the Finnish team at the Worlds.

• G Tim Thomas said his first NHL playoff experience was more than he ever thought it could be. He said he figured he was ready for the intensity after having played in championship games around the world, but added, “It was one of the most phenomenal experiences of my life.”

• LW Milan Lucic was set to spend the off-season trying to improve his speed, more accurately his quickness off his first step.

• C Marc Savard finished with 1-5-6 in his first playoff series, leading the Bruins in scoring, his six points tying for the series lead.

• LW Peter Schaefer led the Bruins with a plus-2 in the series, while D Mark Stuart was on the other end with a minus-5.

• D Aaron Ward, who has won three Stanley Cups, was an unrestricted free agent-to-be and wanted to return.

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