8 Golden Points: Game 11 vs Senators

Bruins 5 - Senators 3

8 Golden Points:

1.  After the way the Sens scored their first two goals, I was about to go throw up.  Not because I was rockin' head heat to the tune of 103.6 degrees, but because the B's just can't seem to get ANY bounces.  But to my surprise, we finally saw what made this team champs: resilience.  They kept fighting shift after shift.  At some point the luck HAD to turn, and it finally did.  A complete game effort from these boys.  13 different players with points.  Welcome to the 2011-2012 season boys, only took ya 11 games.  Please don't go back to the way you were playing before... pretty please.

2.  I'm a big fan of the way Chara is playing right now.  He has taken his physical game to a higher level.  I loved that hit on Spezza at the blue line and I loved the hit on Karlsson in the corner.  Both those hits sends a message to both teams.  The Senators want nothing to do with Big Z and the rest of the team follow the lead of the their captain.  He even added 2 helpers.  What a good guy.

3.  My boy, Looch.  He started off slow this year... okay very slow... alright INSANELY slow.  But since he's picked up his physical play guess what has happened?  The scoring has come with it!!  He has 4 goals and 3 assists in the last 5 games.  That puts him tied for the team lead in goals and 2nd in points.  Ahh I can wear my jersey without shame again!

4. Shawn Thornton has stones.  Period.  Hopefully the Bruins have turned a corner or he's going to have 75 fighting majors this year.  Every single time the Bruins need a boost, Thornton has to find the other teams tough guy and play rock 'em sock 'em robots.  I don't love my job either, but I wouldn't want to get punched in the head every night.

5.  The B's power play had 7 opportunities to score this game and did... once.  Hopefully if we are seeing a turning point in this team, we see the power play turn it around too (come on, I can hope).  On the flip side, the penalty killing unit shut down the leagues #1 rank power play unit 3 times.  Yes, I agree that stat is a little shocking.  The Senators have the leagues best power play.  It didn't even look that good.  I'll try and catch a the next Sens game on Versus or NHL Network.  See if it's actually that good or just an early season fluke.

6.  I didn't think our good friends Jack and Brick gave Caron enough (actually any) credit for his play.  On two of the goals (Kelly and Boychuk), Caron drove to the net and put a nice screen on the goalie.  One of those goals he actually got the assist.  More points than Pouliot.  Just saying...  Nice things about Caron - 1, Nice things about Pouliot - 0.  May the best man win.

7.  After it looked like Marchand was picking up where he left off last season, he has gone cold...ice cold.  With an assist this game he broke is SIX GAME pointless streak and he hasn't scored a goal since the fourth game.  He DID punch Subban, so that sort of counts as a goal since it's a goal of many Bruins fans to one day punch Subban, so I don't know how we count this one.  You still haven't scored a goal, Marchy, but I'll give you one mean high five if I ever see you in person.

8.  As cold as Marchand has been, his linemate Bergeron has been hot hot hot.  His beautiful goal this game extended his point streak to 5 games.  Though, I don't know if we can really count this as a point streak.  In fact I'm not.  I'm sorry Bergie.  You literally were eating ice when you "scored" a goal against the Habs.  You just so happen to be the person closest to the puck when it went it.  You're playing well, really well, but you do not have a 5 game point streak in my book.  Only 2.  Everyone knows Golden Spokes keeps the official stats.


Next up: Saturday vs Maple Leafs (9-3-1 and 1st place Northeast Division)