Last night, the Bruins squared off against the Rangers for the 2nd time this young season. Unfortunately, the Bruins lost (or fortunately, the Rangers won, depending on how you look at it) in OT.
This game had it all. A hat trick. Saves. Blocked shots. A geek fight. And a boy named Dougie.
Thing #1 – A hat trick for Marion Gaborik
Gaborik was salty last night and gathered up his first hat trick of the season. He’s partnered with Rick Nash and Brad Richards on the Rangers’ first line. With that combination I’m thinking that there are going to plenty more of these to come.
Especially impressive was the hand/eye coordination on his OT winner.
Not impressive was my failure to put him in my fantasy hockey line up last night.
Thing #2 – Tuukka Time
Two Us. Two Ks. All saves. Tuukka Rask played an exceptional game last night, thwarting a number of Rangers’ chances that looked like sure things.
But especially this one…
Thing #3 – Block It Like It’s Hot
The New York Rangers blocked 5,157 shots. Okay so maybe wasn’t nearly that many, but this aspect of the game is something the Rangers defensemen (and the forwards, to some extent) have on LOCK. They are not afraid to sacrifice their bodies to prevent pucks from getting to Lundqvist.
It is frustrating as an opponent, exciting as a fan, and surprisingly kinda sexy.
Thing #4 – Darth Quaider vs. Inigo Montoya
We like Brian Boyle. He seems like an affable, goofy guy and we appreciate that. But damn is he annoying. He’s like Brad Marchand…if you exposed Marchand to intrastellar radiation resulting in a genetic mutation, comic book-style. Boyle is not shy about getting right up in there, getting under your skin, and taking some shots to frustrate you.
Be careful, Inigo. The force is strong with this one.
And Thing #5 – Welcome to the NHL, Dougie Hamilton!
Everyone, all together now! DOUGIE, TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGIE!
You’re all still dancing right now, aren’t you?
That’s cool.
We’ll wait.
……..
All set? Got it out of your system? Okay, let’s move on.
Dougie is our newest member of the HFC – the Hockey Fetus Club. He is only 19, which is just “inconceivable” and in three games this season has proven himself to be a poised, controlled presence on the Bruins’ back line. As our friend Pez from Days of Y’Orr said “Dougie is wearing big boy pants now”. And they fit him quite nicely.
Hamilton moves the puck well and has apparently impressed Coach Claude enough to earn some time on the PP and PK units. Best part of the night – his first NHL point. DH27 had an assist on Brad Marchand’s power play goal. The potential with this kid is scary good. I predict an influx of Hamilton 27 jerseys in the TD Garden stands very soon.
It is not entirely out of the realm of possibility that these two teams could meet in the Eastern Conference Finals. This game had an incredible playoff-like intensity from start to unfortunate finish. It was on like Donkey Kong from the moment they dropped the puck. Rangers dominated in the 1st and then the ice tilted to favor the Bruins in the 2nd. The pace of the 3rd evened out as both teams looked to control the play and secure the win.
Although the Bruins lost in OT, they did get a point, bringing them to 5 and first in the Eastern Conference standings. The teams will face off again on February 12th in their final meeting of the 2013 season.
Tags: Adam McQuiad, Boston Bruins, Brian Boyle, Dougie Hamilton, Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers, tuukka rask
My favorite thing about that last gif (the awesome Dougie shot and ensuing goal aside) is the perfect demonstration of point #3: two of the three Rangers players in between the puck and the net drop down SO FAST to block that shot. Which they fail to do, but still. Downnn they go!
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a team drop it like its hot so many times. Every time the Bruins went to take the shot from the net, the Rangers players would drop and manage to get a body part on the puck. #RangersDown
Tough times at MSG for the B’s last night but I loved their resilience. Dougie has impressed me so much. I loved his style of play at World Juniors and I was hoping he could bring that to the table eventually. I never thought it would be three games in! The way he works the point is unreal.
But last night posed a new question for me – What do you do when your two favorite players fight each other?
‘Errybody Dougie! You’d never think that he is only 19 the way that he presents himself out there. I can only imagine that being around guys like Chara, Ference, Seidenberg in the locker room, showing you the ropes has got to help.
I just don’t know. Cover my eyes and wait until it is all over? It was hard yesterday because I love Rick Nash and every time he took a shot I was hoping he would score but not score. I was a woman conflicted.
(Meant to put this here…)
Luckily most of my other hockey loves are in the Western Conference so it doesn’t come up too much, but Brian Boyle and Adam McQuaid punching each other’s faces was a little too much for me to process. I have tickets for the next B’s/Rangers game on the 12th so I am praying I don’t have to witness this in person. Lord knows, I’ll be getting escorted out of TD in no time.
Luckily most of my other hockey loves are in the Western Conference so it doesn’t come up too much, but Brian Boyle and Adam McQuaid punching each other’s faces was a little too much for me to process. I have tickets for the next B’s/Rangers game on the 12th so I am praying I don’t have to witness this in person. Lord knows, I’ll be getting escorted out of TD in no time.
It was a great and entertaining game last night. Thing #6 should be the B’s PK. Awesome! Best of the best right there.