Boston Bruins
49 – 17 – 10 (110 points)
5 – 1 – 4
(last 10 games)
1st in Atlantic Division (2 points ahead of Tampa Bay; 1 game in hand on Lightning)
LOOKING TO CLINCH DIVISION TITLE!!
Rule of the Week:
Overtime
With the post season right around the corner, I decided that the rules of overtime would be interesting to dissect considering the format is different in the playoffs than the regular season. I’m sure that most of you already understand the basic fundamentals of overtime in any sport. The NHL complicates this a bit by using different regulations, depending on the stage the season is currently in.
What happens when the game is tied after 3 periods?
During the 82-game regular season each team is bound to come across this situation, at least a few times. If the score is even through regulation time, the game will continue into overtime. The scorekeeper will set the game clock to 5 minutes for 3-on-3 overtime hockey. If a team scores during this time, they win and the game is over.
What happens if there’s a penalty?
Whether there is carry over penalty time for a team from the 3rd period or a penalty is called during overtime, the rules are different. In order to not overcomplicate things, I will just explain the procedure for a single minor penalty. Remember, regular season OT plays 3-on-3 rather than the traditional 5-on-5. If a team receives penalty time, instead of losing a player for the remainder of the penalty, the opposing team gains a player to the ice for the puck drop. Rather than losing a skater on the ice, the team on the powerplay is allowed an extra skater for that time. The team guilty of the penalty DOES NOT lose a skater on the ice, only that specific player to the penalty box. The player who committed the infraction will still do their 2 minutes in the sin bin, but when the penalty time expires that player leaves the penalty box as usual, and the teams would play 4-on-4 until the next whistle or stoppage of play. Then the OT would resume as normal, back to 3-on-3.
What if the game is still tied after OT?
If the 5-minute 3-on-3 overtime does not result in a goal for either team, a shootout ensues to decide the winner. 1-on-1 shooter vs. goalie. Each team is guaranteed 3 shots each, which must be taken by 3 different players. Obviously, whichever team scores more in the best-of-3 takes the win. If the teams are still even after the first 3 shots each, it continues with one shot each still using players that haven’t yet attempted a shootout in that game. The shootout can be compared to a baseball game’s innings structure, at this stage. Both teams are guaranteed a shot, much like the top and bottom of an inning. If the team that shot first scores, the team shooting second has a chance to even the score. On the other hand, if the first team fails to score, the team shooting second can win the game with a goal.
What about the playoffs?
The overtime rules in the NHL playoffs are standard sudden death. The very same gameplay rules apply as during regulation time. 5-on-5 for 20 minutes. Basically, it is just adding a full period to decide a game. Additional OT periods are added, if needed to decide the winner. Once the 3rd period is over in the playoffs, next goal wins.
In the regular season teams get 1 point for an overtime or shootout loss, and 2 points for any kind of win regardless of how it comes. Some players excel in shootouts and can gain their teams those valuable points throughout the regular season. To those not familiar with the NHL: there are reasons for the change in rules for the playoffs. The most obvious motive for this is to keep regular season games from going hours longer than they should, while at the same time making it as fair as possible in determining playoff winners using sudden death OT rather than the possibility of a shootout to end a game. Anyone who watched the women’s USA vs. Canada Gold Medal game from Pyeongchang can understand this. In the Olympics, they do not use sudden death. Fortunately, USA pulled out the win in a shootout to take the Gold off of a disgusting dangle from Jocelyne Lamoureux. I haven’t forgotten about you, ladies!! Shootouts/penalty shots are the most exciting play in hockey; 1 skater vs. 1 goalie. With the right combination of creativity and skill, these are some of the most entertaining moments that can happen in a game of hockey. But should a playoff/medal/championship game be decided on these grounds? The fairest solution is to play by the same rules as always. Only difference: next goal takes the game.
Player of the Week:
Patrice Bergeron
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Bergeron returned from a right foot fracture last week after missing the previous 13 games for the Bruins. In the 4 games that Boston played this week, Bergy recorded 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points to tie for the team lead with his linemate David Pastrnak. This included his game-tying goal with 3 seconds left in the 3rd on Sunday (4/1) in Philly. CLUTCH. As I highlighted in my Player to Watch section last week, he is a big player in big moments. He is a leader on this team, and as the Bruins look to secure the #1 spot in the Atlantic, they need every point possible in these next few games.
Bergeron is hands down one of the top defensive centerman in the game. It is sometimes tough to notice all of the little things that guys like him do, on a shift-by-shift basis. It is noticeable though when he is removed from that Bruins’ top line. Riley Nash did a spectacular job filling in while Bergeron was banged up, but the game just has a different flow to it when Patrice is out there. When it comes to face offs, loose puck battles, forecheck/backcheck, and everything imaginable defensive positioning-wise, he is the best of the best. He’s got to be an extremely difficult player to compete with as an opposing team’s top center. The guy missed 13 games and came back as if that number was zero. He has played 60 games this season for a total of 61 points (30 goals, 31 assists). The Bruins aim for #1 in the Atlantic division starting Tuesday night in Tampa (4/3) and I expect to see more of the same play from Bergeron.
Player to Watch:
Charlie McAvoy
HE’S BACK!! Charlie McAvoy will return to the Bruins’ lineup on Tuesday night in Tampa Bay! Although, for the most part, the Bruins defense has been playing great over the last 16 games without him, and Torey Krug & Zdeno Chara for a portion of that as well. His return could not have come at a better time, as we just heard that Brandon Carlo has gone down with a broken fibula.
Last week, McAvoy also received NESN’s Seventh Player Award, which is given to the Bruins player annually voted to have exceeded their expectations on the season. It was definitely well deserved. He played top line defense with Chara in his rookie season, spending lots of time on the powerplay and putting up great offensive numbers of 7 goals and 25 assists for 32 points in 59 games played. He is also +26 in plus/minus rating in that time. That particularly stood out to me considering he is a puck-moving offensive defensemen. That means he is not sacrificing his defensive game in order for offensive chances. He has played like a seasoned vet all year long. Look out for him this week! Oh, and he joined the team for the playoffs last season and got 3 assists in 6 games vs. Ottawa Senators. With all of the young guys on this Bruins team with zero playoff experience, it is nice to know McAvoy has some solid post-season games under his belt already.
Upcoming Games This Week
The final week of the NHL regular season begins on Monday, which the Bruins have off after playing back-to-back games this weekend. With 4 games remaining in the season, the next couple are extremely important for them.
Tuesday (4/3) @ Tampa Bay Lightning – 7:30 PM
TBL: 52 – 23 – 4 (108 points) 4 – 6 – 0 (last 10 games)
Including this game, the Bruins have 4 left. Tampa has 3. Tampa has been beaten in all three previous meetings between these two teams this season; most recently last Thursday (3/29). The Lightning trail the Bruins by 2 points in the Atlantic Division. This game right here has the potential to be the game of the week, NHL wide. The top two teams in the Eastern Conference and Atlantic division. They are only separated by 2 points in the standings. The Bruins win: 4 point lead on Tampa with a game in hand. PUT DOWN WHAT YOU ARE DOING AT 7:30 ON TUESDAY AND WATCH THIS GAME!! It’ll be worth it, as the Bruins can essentially solidify an Atlantic division title with a win.
Thursday (4/5) @ Florida Panthers
FLA: 40 – 30 – 8 (88 points) 4 – 4 – 1 (last 10 games)
The Panthers have four games remaining in their season. They basically need points in each game in order to maintain playoff aspirations, trailing New Jersey by 5 points for a wildcard spot in the East. It doesn’t help that they have to play the Nashville Predators once, and the Bruins twice in that stretch. Even though these are tough games, the Panthers are not going to back down. The two teams have split the season series at a game each with 2 more remaining, including this tilt. Florida needs these games more than the Bruins do so it will be important for the black and gold to come out with the same intensity that the Panthers do.
Saturday (4/7) vs. Ottawa Senators
OTT: 27 – 41 – 11 (65 points) 3 – 7 – 0 (last 10 games)
With three games remaining in a disappointing season in Ottawa, the Senators have already been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Early in the year they acquired Matt Duchene in a 3-way trade with Colorado and Nashville hoping that he was the missing piece to that team. Bad move, not gonna lie. That may just be hindsight, but just look at the Colorado Avalanche since the trade. Duchene controlled almost everything offensively for that team. Take him out of the picture and great players like Nathan MacKinnon can blossom into the elite players that they are. MacKinnon is top 5 in goals league-wide on the season and the Av’s are currently in a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Senators are not. Ottawa sent Kyle Turris to Nashville in that deal strengthening that squad with even more offensive fire power to the reigning Western Conference Champions and currently the #1 team in the NHL. The abysmal year that Ottawa has had since defeating the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs last year only got worse when there were rumors that the Ottawa GM was shopping their star defensemen and team captain Erik Karlsson. Maybe that deal will happen during the offseason?? Who knows, but for now they will need to finish out this year with a game against a top team in the East, Atlantic Division foe Boston. Have fun golfin’, boys!! Haha
Sunday (4/8) vs. Florida Panthers
FLA: 40 – 30 – 8 (88 points) 4 – 4 – 1 (last 10 games)
Final game of the regular season for both teams. At this point, playoff seeding should be determined for both teams. The Bruins could be 1st or 2nd in the Atlantic division. If the Bruins secure the #1 spot earlier in the week, you may see some key players for Boston as a healthy scratch entering the playoffs, in order to avoid injuries. Florida is fighting for every point possible in their remaining games. They may have already been eliminated from the post-season before this game takes place. Either way the Panthers are looking to finish out their season on a high note.
PLAYOFF SEEDING THIS WEEK
LET’S GO B’S!!!!
As always, any feedback is appreciated.
Love it, hate it, chirp it!
Comments/ideas/recommendations always welcome!
Wheels, buddy! 
Great job Bruins !! Way to go!!
LikeLike