After stealing a point in New York City, but failing to snatch the second one -- both literally and figuratively thanks to the Rangers’
Marian Gaborik’s baseball-swing of a
Tuukka Rask rebound in overtime -- the Boston Bruins returned to home-ice for a rare Friday night showdown against the New York Islanders.
Facing off against an Islander team they took three-of-four from in 2011-12, the Black-and-Gold’s showdown came with their first game against
Rick DiPietro in almost a year and a half, when they chased him by way of a three-goal first period that left the goaltender without an answer for his 10-save performance.
But a year-plus later, DiPietro showed up ready and able.
Despite surrendering a goal to the Bruins’
Shawn Thornton just 4:52 into the game when the B’s enforcer was able to get hold of a
Dougie Hamilton rebound, New York’s goaltender would battle back for a 13-save opening frame that ended with a 1-1 tie thanks to
Keith Aucoin’s second goal of the season (and second in as many nights).
Trading chances and saves at each end, it would be the 25-year-old Rask that blinked first when the Aucoin had ample time to wind up and fire his second of the night home, giving the Blue-and-Orange a 2-1 edge midway through the second.
Yet, for Boston, a team that sputtered on two power-play chances but managed to leave with a 2-2 tie thanks to a Gregory Campbell rebound goal, some much needed change came following the second intermission.Successfully killing off a high-sticking penalty to
David Krejci early in the third, the Bruins finally broke through the strong play of DiPietro with a
Zdeno Chara wrister that beat the Winthrop, Mass. native cleanly, giving Boston the lead for the second time on the night.
This time, however, it wasn’t going back.
Adding an insurance marker on a beauty of a
Patrice Bergeron breakaway, good for his first goal of the season, Boston saw Rask finish the night with 24 saves, enough for third victory of the season.
Teach Me How To Dougie: Hamilton’s night earns praise from sellout crowd
It seems as if each game for the 19-year-old
Dougie Hamilton has come with more praise than the previous one. Tonight was no exception. Following a trip to Madison Square Garden that saw the former ninth overall pick record his first NHL point -- assisting a power-play tip-in goal from the Bruins’
Brad Marchand -- the 6-foot-5 defensemen outdid himself once again. This time in front of 17,565 people just waiting to sing his praises.
Skating on the club’s second defensive-pairing, reunited with
Dennis Seidenberg in his first game back since a lower-body injury kept him out of the previous two contests, Hamilton logged just over 16 minutes, finished the night with two hits, a plus-1 rating, and a blocked shot. But that’s not what they were clamoring about in Boston.
In addition to the aforementioned assist on Boston’s first goal, the 19-year-old’s outlet pass that led to the B’s fourth goal was simply out of this world, and gave No. 27 the first two-point game of his four-game-old career. Oh, and the first “Doug-ie!” chant from Boston’s faithful.
“I was going back to get the puck and I thought that’s what I heard,” Hamilton said of the chants. “I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t fumbling [the puck].”
At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, the kid has appeared far more ready for the National Hockey League than anybody seemed to anticipate, even his teammates. “It’s amazing that he’s 19 years old. It’s just a number for him on the ice,” B’s alternate captain Patrice Bergeron said. “His poise is, he’s unbelievable and, it’s great to have him on our side.”
Now with four games in the book, and with three assists and a plus-1 rating, it’s safe to suggest that No. 27 isn’t going anywhere near an Ontario Hockey League rink this year.
Fourth line continues to shine
Outside of Bergeron’s third period marker, you wouldn’t be wrong if you said that Boston’s best chances didn’t come from anybody on their top-six tonight. Or even their top-nine for that matter.
Instead, tonight’s victory was the work of the Bruins’ fourth line.
Often dubbed one of the best fourth lines in all of hockey (if not
thee best), the scoring began with Shawn Thornton, and while Gregory Campbell’s equalizing tally in the second put an end to the line’s scoring on the night, the results were there in the form of giving an Islanders defense absolutely no rest when it came to the ever important matchup game. “They’re a big, important part of this team,” top-liner
Milan Lucic said of the fourth line’s trio featuring Thornton, Campbell, and
Danny Paille. “We view them as the best fourth line in the league. They play with a lot of pride, and they got rewarded for that tonight.”
Combining for eight of the club’s 27 shots on net tonight, the points continue to tally for center Greg Campbell, the focal point of the line’s nightly assault, who finished tonight’s game tied as the club’s leading scorer, recording a goal and two assists in four games.
“I felt like I worked hard in the lockout in the last four months and I feel good right now,” Campbell, who was named the second star of the night, said of his offensive contributions four games in. “I’m just trying to contribute, whether it’s goals or assists, it doesn’t really matter. It’s just helping the team win.”
Rick DiPietro has strong showing in return to Boston
New York’s Rick DiPietro has been the butt of too many jokes. Whether it’s been in regards to his ever-worsening injury woes, his 15-year contract, or the potential of an amnesty clause buyout this summer because of both of the previously mentioned concerns, it seems as if the 31-year-old has heard enough of the jokes.
In his first appearance since Dec. 3, 2011, DiPietro looked good. Real good, actually.
Stonewalling the B’s on 23 of 27 shots faced, and hung out to dry by his defense on Boston’s fourth goal, the embattled Islander felt, well, good. “It’s always exciting playing back here in Boston, and I always look forward to playing in this building,” DiPietro said of playing back home. “I was excited. I think I hate losing more than I like winning. This is not the result I was looking for.”
Perhaps not the best of nights for a goaltender wreaking havoc on the Islanders’ cap from now until the sun burns out, there were far more things to be pleased about than upset about in regards to his play tonight if you’re an Islander fan. While certainly struggling in the rebound department, DiPietro undoubtedly kept the Islanders in this game, with key stop after key stop before the walls finally closed in on him thanks to Bergeron’s goal.
In 2013, the Islanders are not expecting DiPietro to be their starter. What they are expecting, however, is that he’ll provide the club with a legitimate alternative to
Evgeni Nabokov when necessary. Tonight, Ricky did that. Keeping it going though will be his true test.
Third world problems: Bruins need more from Kelly line
Zero goals, one assist, and a minus-8 rating. Through four games, those are your combined totals for the Bruins’ third line, centered by
Chris Kelly and featuring
Chris Bourque and
Rich Peverley on the wings. Bruins, your third line -- woof.
But when it comes to the struggles of the club’s third line, where does it all begin?
“It’s hard to make that assessment because, you know, we’re in the fourth game of the season,” Boston coach
Claude Julien said when asked about the line’s struggles through four. “And I watch some games on TV, and you know I could be a lot more disappointed in situations I’ve seen from other teams. But we’re hanging in there, and we know it’s just a matter of time for certain guys to turn it around.”
Undoubtedly not the biggest line the B’s trudge out there on a nightly basis, with Bourque skating at 5-foot-8 and Peverley allegedly six feet tall, the problem hasn’t come from a lack of trying according to Julien. Namely in the case of Bourque, who’s come under fire as of late for a lack of production in both the even-strength and power-play department.
“I thought tonight was probably [Bourque]’s best game. I thought he made some good plays, I thought he was skating better,” quipped Julien when pressed regarding the strides the son of Ray Bourque has made since joining the club. “His confidence with our team is coming around and we’re seeing him getting better. And that’s why you have to be patient sometimes, and give those new players an opportunity to fit in and feel their way through. Like I said, we’ve seen him enough to know what he’s capable of doing and our confidence is certainly with him.”
With
Jordan Caron a little ways away from returning to action, Bourque’s trial with the club will continue, but in the now, and with the other three lines clicking so well, it’s hard to envision any sort of change coming soon.
Lighthouse Funhouse: Islanders among most interesting teams to watch in 2013
I think pretty much everybody knows that I’m a pretty big supporter in what the New York Islanders are doing on Long Island. I think that when it comes to rebuilding a franchise, the Isles have it under control. Many will criticize everything they do, but I can’t help but think that general manager
Garth Snow has a read on what he’s doing. While letting his talent develop, Snow’s brought countless veterans in to be role-players and help this team make the strides that they’re honestly not too far away from.
One of those veteran players is Massachusetts’ own
Keith Aucoin.
Scoring both of the Isles’ goals tonight, Aucoin, who was claimed off waivers by the club right before the start of the season, now has three goals and an assist in his last three contests, and has provided a stabilizing presence to a speedy New York line featuring touted AHL players
Colin McDonald and
David Ullstrom.
“That’s why they have us in the lineup; they need secondary scoring,” Aucoin said of his trio. “You can’t count on the top two lines to do it every night, and we have good chemistry going right now, so hopefully we continue to do that. We can’t take a night off, we have to go out there every night and do the same thing.”
Beyond Aucoin and the rest of the castaways that the Islanders have turned into key cogs in their lineup, this is a downright fun team to watch. They can beat you with speed, finesse, and even have their goaltenders steal a game, which almost happened tonight.
Again, sticking by what I said when the lockout ended: This team will be the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed when it’s all said and done. Crazy or bold? I don't know.
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