Bruins vs. Maple Leafs Game Two Diary

The Bruins and Maple Leafs play their second game of their first round series tonight. The Bruins won game one handily, but the whole hockey world expects Toronto to fight back. Join me on the inevitable roller coaster ride of emotion that this game will be!

6:14 p.m. – So if Senators coach Paul MacLean is a “fat walrus,” Claude Julien is just a regular walrus, right? Or are they both fat, even by walrus standards? The one thing I know is that this man damn sure looks like a walrus.

6:18 p.m. – “Phil Kessel has to be better.” 0-0 with 1 shot on goal. Yeah.

6:21 p.m. – Julien says the choice for the player to take Ference’s place is down to Hamilton and Bartkowski. Well, considering Bartkowski is in Providence right now, I think Dougie is a pretty safe bet.

6:24 p.m. – NESN is showing highlights from the Rangers-Caps game. Holtby, man. He killed us in the playoffs last year and now it looks like he’s doing the same to the Rangers.

On the other side of that is Marc Andre-Fleury. Is he going to kill the Pens this year? I think everyone in Pittsburgh is a little unsure about him in net. It’s definitely their Achilles’ heel – a metaphor that’s even more apt than usual, because that really might be the only thing keeping them from being invincible.

6:26 p.m. – How ‘bout that symbolism in the Okposo-Niskanen fight? Okposo drew blood, and his team followed suit in the third period.

6:31 p.m. – If Julien is a walrus, Horton is a monkey.

6:32 p.m. – Everyone says Krejci isn’t worth the money, but 49 playoff points and +23? Sign me up. (And, yes, I hate +/-. Stupid stat.) He stepped it up in game one too, and the Bruins first line looked like, well, the first line for the first time in months.

6:38 p.m. – Has anyone ever seen a hockey pregame show where they didn’t mention the forecheck as a key to the game?

6:39 p.m. - 

Dougie Hamilton takings pregame warm-up rushes paired with Wade Redden ^CS
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 4, 2013

This is what I was hoping for. Redden is an experienced veteran and looked very comfortable last night while playing with energy. Perfect partner for Dougie.

6:46 p.m. – “… Things like quiche, which is egg pie, believe it or not.”

6:47 p.m. – I wonder if Jordan’s Furniture is regretting their whole Red Sox perfect game promotion after learning that every last one of them is throwing a spitball.

6:49 p.m. – Van Riemsdyk has the most playoff experience of any Maple Leaf?? Damn. Toronto fans definitely have something to be optimistic about with this team. Assuming that PDO doesn’t turn around and bite them in the ass.

6:54 p.m. – Highlights from the Sharks-Canucks series. lol

7:02 p.m. – I expect a much tougher game for the Bruins today. No way the Maple Leafs come out that flat again. With Lupul, Kadri and the Artist Formerly Known as Kessel, they just have too much talent. They need to be more active on defense. The Bruins were in their zone for huge chunks at a time in game one.

7:04 p.m. – So I can just black out the last six weeks and pretend like the Bruins have played like one of the league’s best teams all year, right?

7:05 p.m. – BAUMAN! YES! Love that guy. What a story. (Yes, I am completely ignoring the flag thing.)

7:06 p.m. – Hamilton and Peverley officially in. Kaspars Daugavins out. I’m not sure what made Julien stick with Daugavins. He’s a sometimes-useful player, but Peverley is much better.

7:16 p.m. – Back just in time for the draw. Good chance already for Seguin, about 15 too many spastic dekes. That’s Seguin for ya.

7:17 p.m. – And the “KESSEL” chants start. Never mind that he is one of top playmakers in the league, let’s jeer him anyway.

Aw, who am I kidding? KESSEL! KESSEL! KESSEL!

Wait, is that Chara behind him?

7:24 p.m. – Seguin looks active already in these playoffs after seeming listless for much of the regular season. That’s a very good sign for this offense. If he could tap into his potential, this offense would be intimidating. OOH! Reimer almost lets Campbell’s shot slip through. Good recovery by a goalie who has been more than solid this year.

7:26 p.m. – Should I be embarrassed that I laugh when the Capital One guy who talks to the kids says “castses”? Don’t answer that.

7:28 p.m. – Thornton lost his stick. Not that he can do much with it anyway.

7:32 p.m. – Maple Leafs already look much better this game. This is shaping up to be an exciting game already. Good opportunities for both with Kessel squandering the most recent one for the Leafs. Yep, I had to say it. That was a bad pass.

7:34 p.m. – Nice play by Bozak off of Boychuk’s turnover. He had Seidenberg on his heels, but a nicer save by Rask. What’s a guy gotta do for a “Tuukka” chant up in here?!

7:38 p.m. – Seguin with his patented hurried-through-three-defenders pass that somehow gets to McQuaid then follows it up with third shot of the game.

7:40 p.m. – GREAT opportunity for Toronto. They had a three-on-one with Peverley as the lone Bruin. Pass from Lupul went into Kessel’s skates and too close to Rask as he makes the stop and holds onto it. Scary moment for the Bruins – both defenders caught far out of position and the Maple Leafs were quick to take advantage of it.

7:46 p.m. – REF GOES DOWN! REF GOES DOWN!

7:50 p.m. – Marchand gets under Phaneuf’s skin and draws a roughing penalty (See, Brad? You don’t have to fall to the ice to draw a penalty!) and then gets called for a questionable trip eight seconds later. I assume Julien asked for the penalty, given the disadvantage for the Bruins that a powerplay is.

7:54 p.m. – “There’s a traffic jam behind the Toronto goal.” Welcome to Boston.

7:55 p.m. – First period over. Bergeron nowhere to be seen for the last five minutes.

8:01 p.m. – Just saw Lupul’s pirouette after Marchand grazed him. Very pretty, Joffrey. Fun fact: the kid-king from “Game of Thrones” was named after Lupul.

What? No, I’m not just upset that I drafted him in my fantasy league only to have a Phaneuf slapshot shatter his forearm in January…

8:13 p.m. – And we’re back! And so is Bergeron! And so is Seguin with a great chance right after the faceoff.

8:15 p.m. – Jack Edwards accidentally calls Seguin “Kessel.”

8:15 p.m. – GOAL! HORTON ON THE REBOUND! Beautiful pass off the boards by Krejci to Horton who leaves it for Lucic. The hard, low shot gives a rebound that bounces off Horton’s skate (not a kicking motion) and ricochets off Franzen’s leg into the net.

8:19 p.m. – “His legs turn to paper,” Jack Edwards says of Ryan Hamilton as he goes to the ground after Chara’s stick hits his skates. Chara to the penalty box. Boychuk with a solid shot on Rask right off the faceoff.

8:21 p.m. – Kessel with some nice skating into the offensive zone and almost gets the assist but Rask steals a goal away with a great in-traffic save.

8:23 p.m. – Lupul with the powerplay goal! Rask knocks down a shot from Gardiner and Lupul finds the back of the net on the following shot attempt. Strong passing on the powerplay and a good shot into Rask’s shoulder by Gardiner. Tie game. (New text message: “Oh poop.”)

8:25 p.m. – Grabovski is getting killed this series. Ference elbows him in the face, Boychuk crushes him and now Lucic sends him flying sideways into the boards.

8:27 p.m. – That “it’s still breakfast” McDonald’s commercial is bullshit. No one, no one gets to McDonald’s in time for breakfast.

8:28 p.m. – And Peverley heads to the box for a delay of game penalty. Can I take back what I said about Daugavins again? Peverley is having a tough year and you have to think he is wearing on Julien. Penalty box to doghouse?

8:31 p.m. – The Bruins PK out-chances the Leafs on the man advantage. That’s the best the kill has looked in weeks.

8:33 p.m. – The Leafs look fast. Kulemin’s backhand rings the post. I’m nervous.

8:38 p.m. – Another goal by Lupul. That was a beautiful backhand. Rask hung out to dry. 2-1 Toronto.

8:40 p.m. – TUUKKA STANDING ON HIS HEAD! Toronto with shot after shot and Rask diving all over the crease. He bailed out the defense on that one. Followed by a great chance by Krejci, who waits just a bit too long to fire the shot and Reimer saves it. Maple Leafs controlling the game right now.

8:43 p.m. – Marchand dives after a Chara slapshot hits him, hoping to send the puck to the penalty box.

8:48 p.m. – The Bruins are making a push. The first line continues to wake up from their two month slumber and Seguin follows with some quick hands and shot, but solid positioning by Reimer and he makes the stop.

8:50 p.m. – Kessel misses the net by a mile. What? That was the punchline.

8:53 p.m. – And the second period ends with the Maple Leafs up 2-1.

8:57 p.m. – I switched over the Nets-Bulls game and it only took two seconds for Joakim Noah to scream audibly, reaffirming my love for hockey because when I asked myself “Who is the Noah of the NHL?” and drew a blank.

9:10 p.m. – And we’re back for the third. “Not Getting His Phil” was the message on a banner sponsored by Twisted Tea. Hehe.

9:12 p.m. – Kessel scores the breakaway goal. 3-1. Welp, that’s Karma if I’ve ever seen it. I’m going to go read Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton pre-draft scouting reports now.

9:18 p.m. – Little happening now as Bruins struggle to gain the zone. Bozak gets kicked out of the circle – probably a good thing seeing as he has won 34.8% of his drops tonight. Following by icing after icing. Four faceoffs in 12 seconds.

9:20 p.m. – Marchand has been a nonfactor. Whiffing on passes and turning the puck over. He drew one penalty, but received his own eight seconds after.

9:22 p.m. – Chara heads back to the penalty box after he knocks Kadri over with a moving pick. The Bruins gave up a goal the last time their top penalty killer was in the box. Bad play by big Z.

9:26 p.m. – Tuukka just took-ka away a goal from Kadri on the powerplay.

The Bruins are losing by two and Kessel scored, give me a break here.

9:27 p.m. – The captain’s teammates bail him out as they kill the penalty. The Bruins have a bit more than 10 minutes to make a push here.

9:32 p.m. – Seguin actually goes to the net and it ends with a goal! The puck rolls down Reimer’s back and into the net. One goal game! Playoffs! I mean, we’re due for an OT game in this series, right? It’s the second game already.

9:35 p.m. – Thornton makes a play with something other than his fists – great backcheck there. The pace is picking up at the Garden, going up and down the ice. The dog can pee inside for all I care, I am not walking away from this TV.

9:44 p.m. – Too nervous to write.

9:45 p.m. – Absolutely gorgeous goal by van Riemsdyk. Wow. And a nice pass from Grabovski.

9:52 p.m. – A woman behind the Bruins bench is holding up a sign that says “Chara and the Bruins are ALL candy-asses.” I have no idea what it means, but I know it’s important.

9:54 p.m. – Thornton kicks Fraser’s ass. At least the B’s won something tonight.

9:56 p.m. – The clock runs out and the Leafs tie up the series. Well played game by Toronto and an uneven effort by the Bruins. Despite the four goals against, Tuukka had a good game. The back line was the weakness.

Game three will be on Monday. That one has to go to overtime, right?