New Bruins Schedule Released

I still haven't watched a full baseball game yet, but I'm already itching to get back into hockey.

After coming to an agreement allowing NHL players to participate in the upcoming winter Olympics (YES!), the 2013-2014 schedule has been released.

Here are my top 10 games that I will either be attending or glued to the TV for:

#10 December 10, 2013 @ Calgary Flames
This could be the only time you ever see me put the Flames in a "top 10" games to watch.  This will be Jarome Iginla's first game back to Calgary since being traded last season.  Do you guys remember that?  It was one of those moves that no one really talked about, nor did it ever come up in the playoffs.  Especially not the Eastern Conference finals.  It'll be pretty cool to see the fans react to Iginla and I expect him to be amped up to perform.


#9 November 14, 2013 vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Flames...and now the Blue Jackets?!? I promise I'm not high.  This will be Nathan Horton's return to the garden.  While I wish there was a way to keep him, he clearly desired a market significantly more lax than Boston.  Well, Nathan, you found it.  Still think he'll get a good ovation.


#8 November 5, 2013 vs Dallas Stars
The big trade for the B's this offseason was obviously unloading Plexiglass Peverley and Party Boy Seguin to the Stars in order to increase our Swedishness (Loui Eriksson).  I'll discuss more about the trade in a later post, but it should be interesting to see this game.  I'd assume Seguin will want to show the B's that they gave up on him a little too soon.


#7 February 4, 2014 vs Vancouver Canucks
Boom.  Bring me right back to June 2011....  LLLUUUOOOONNNGGGOO, the Swedish Sisters and the Vegetarian come back to Boston for another 2011 Cup Finals rematch.  They have a new but familar coach in ex-Rangers head coach Tortarella, but mostly the same key players on the team.  Oh man, this is going to be a good one, just for the fact I love our fans and they will never let this team forget what happened in 2011.


#6 November 29, 2013 vs New York Rangers
Besides last year, the B's have always had a home matinee game on Black Friday and I LOVE IT.  Just like they did in 2011, the NHL has decided to piggy-back off of this and air the game on NBC.  I personally think this is a great time to try and get an annual national game.  NFL has Thanksgiving day, and you can't compete with college football and NFL on the weekends.  I'll be recovering from turkey and beer on the couch watching this game!


#5 October 5, 2013 vs Detroit Red Wings
Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you one of our newest members to the Atlantic Division (yes we are now the Atlantic Division, while the old Atlantic division is now the Metropolitan Division).  We add another original 6 team into the fold and our second game of the season is the first time we'll play them as division rivals.  My Swedish crush, Daniel Alfredsson, also spurned us for the Wings.  Just a little added fuel to the fire.  Welcome East, Wings.  Did I mention this is a Saturday NIGHT game??  Get your drank on fans.


#4 November 9, 2013 vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Remember the feeling you had back on May 13th when you thought the hockey season for Boston was ending?  Then the beyond excitement feeling knowing you just completely ruined Toronto fans spring?  I do and I'm sure the Leafs do too.  This should be a very intense match up as the two teams play each other for the first time since Game 7 of the first round.  If Loui Eriksson scores, can we still chant "Thank You, Kessel"?


#3 October 30, 2013 @ Pittsburgh Penguins
The Bruins will have March 27th circled on their calendars (see #1), but I can guarantee you the Penguins will have 10/30 circled on theirs.  That is the date the B's will travel to Pittsburgh in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch.  Remember that one?  The series in which the Penguins were suppose to just man handle us offensively?  Oh yeah..the B's completely embarrassed the team and the two best players in the world by SWEEPING them. #BoomThatHappened


#2 Any game vs Montreal Canadiens
Best rivalry in all of sports.  I'll take on anyone in this argument.  These games never ever lack drama or emotion.  They will be a more skilled team with the addition of Danny Briere and they will definitely be a tougher team with the addition of George "Best Mustache in Sports" Parros.  I guarantee a Thornton vs Parros bout in the first period of the first game against these two teams.  Both teams will be competing for the division title again.  Sad the B's handed it over to the Habs late last season.


#1 March 27, 2014 vs Chicago Blackhawks
Normally the #1 spot is reserved for the Candiens, and while the 4 games against the Habs would take #2-#5, I have to give the Cup Finals rematch the #1 spot.  I'll just say that again, Stanley...Cup...Finals...rematch.  Less than 2 minutes away from forcing Game 7.  I expect the B's and the crowd to be on a different planet with intensity.  I don't even know if that statement makes sense, but it does to me.

Golden Points: Game 37 vs Calgary

Bruins 9 - Flames 0

The Bruins and Flames decided they were bored of a hockey and decided to play an entertaining game of football instead.  Although there were no touchdowns, Bergie and Horton kicked a combined three field goals as Tuukka led a stifling defense to shut out the flames.....  eh.... what?

I'm basically just a dope.  "This could be one of those sneaky 'lose' games since they are looking forward to the rematch against the 'Nucks"  WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG.

Even with the Gnat (Marchand), out of the line up with the flu, for the second straight night the B's laid the smackdown on their opponent.  I actually didn't watch the game and thought the score was wrong when I checked.

Everyone on the first line (Lucic-Krejci-Horton) put in a goal with Horty netting two.  This is a great sign.  This is the second game in a row the 1st line played like the first line with a combined 8 points!  What about that second line?  Bergie netted two, Seguin one, and Pepe Le Pouliot filling in for Marchy had 3 assists for a total of 9 points!!  You can't touch these lines.. do dodo do...do do...do do... can't touch these lines.

Pick your poison with who's between the pipes.  Rask got the start tonight and didn't disappoint with one of the easier shutouts of the Rask's professional career.  A fun game to play is "let's look at where the B's goalies rank".  Rask is number one in goals against with 1.49 while Thomas is slacking at number 4 with 1.90.  Rask ranks number one in save % with .940 while Thomas is again slacking at number 2 with .938!!

While this is awesome, it's also a problem...though a good problem.  Rask's contract is up after this year.  The B's need to sign him and sign him ASAP.  If it doesn't get done until the summer time, some team is going to present him with an offer sheet that the Bruins may not be able to match.  Granted, the B's will get many draft picks, but we'd be letting possibly the best young goaltender in the league go.  PAY HIM!!

I hope everyone has a great morning... 1pm you better be glued to the TV or like me AT THE REMATCH!!!
No Luongo though.  Although that sucks because I want to boo the crap out of him, it's a classy move by their coach to let the back-up, Corey Schneider, get the start.  He's a Marblehead, MA native and Vancouver rarely comes to the town, so letting him start in front of his friends and family is nice.  It's also a way to protect the mentally soft Luongo.