Event: Boston Bruins vs. Winnipeg Jets
Date/Time: Saturday, November 26, 2011 - 7 p.m. EDT.
Location: TD Garden (Capacity: 17,565), Boston, MA.
Broadcast Info: Saturday's game between the Bruins and Red Wings will be broadcast live on NESN and CBC. The game can also be heard on the 98.5 the Sports Hub Radio Network, with Dave Goucher providing play-by-play, and Bob Beers providing analysis.
Last Time Out: Both teams could be a little bit sluggish coming out of the gate today because both played in games yesterday. Winnipeg was in Carolina for a 7 p.m. game last night and traveled to Boston after they clinched a 3-1 win. The Bruins on the other hand had a game at home against Detroit that ended in a 3-2 loss against the hard-nosed Detroit Red Wings.
However, despite the fatigue, the Jets are coming off a little point streak themselves. They are 4-0-1 since they took a five-game losing streak prior to that and one of the biggest reasons for that has been forward Evander Kane. In that five game span, Kane has four goals and two assists. The Jets have not lost a game in which Kane has scored a goal, and have a record of 2-9-4 when he doesn’t.
The Bruins on the other hand are starting with a clean slate. They don’t have their 10-game winning streak anymore, and no player on the team has a streak of any kind. However, Dennis Seidenberg said last night that it doesn’t matter that they lost their winning streak because today’s game gives them a new opportunity.
"No one is hangs their head right now because they know we played a solid game," Seidenberg said. "The good thing is we can go back and start a new winning streak tomorrow. We just have to stay positive."
Storyline: Former Bruins players Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart will return to face the Bruins for the first time since the B’s won the Stanely Cup last year. Wheeler played 58 games with Boston last year before being traded along with Stuart to Atlanta, for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik.
Wheeler had 11 goals and 16 assists as a Bruin before leaving for Atlanta. Stuart had one goal and four assists.
The Bruins have history on their side for the game. They haven’t lost to the Winnipeg franchise (when they were Atlanta) at home since March 31, 2007. That’s eight straight wins.
Players To Watch: Obviously Kane will be a big key player for the Jets, and currently leads the team with nine goals. As mentioned previously, the team has gone 7-0-0 when he scores, so that’s someone the Bruins are going to want to keep an eye on.
Last year Patrice Bergeron had two goals and two assists in four games against Atlanta. Michael Ryder and Wheeler were up on the list for most productive against this team, but currently on the Bruins roster, Daniel Paille had one goal and two assists last year.
Prediction: I think this will be another fun game to watch, though both teams are on limited rest. However, the Jets are currently allowing a little more than three goals per game, and with the way the Bruins score, and with Tim Thomas in net, I think the Bruins start a new winning streak today. Final Score: Bruins 4, Jets 1.
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