Event: Boston Bruins vs. Ottawa Senators
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 - 7 p.m. EST.
Location: TD Garden (Capacity: 17,565), Boston, MA.
Broadcast Info: Tuesday’s game between the Bruins and the Senators will be broadcast live on NESN. The game can also be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with Dave Goucher providing play-by-play, and Bob Beers providing analysis.
Last Time Out: The Bruins had a couple days rest after Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Senators--the final game of their six-game road trip. But they haven’t forgotten about the game at all.
Though Patrice Bergeron scored the empty netter goal with 18 seconds left to go to earn the two points, no one on the team was completely satisfied with how the game went.
In the third period, they lost one of their top defensemen, Johnny Boychuk after he was drilled early on in the final frame by Chris Neil. He did not return and since then has been diagnosed with a mild concussion and will not be playing tonight.
Meanwhile, Zdeno Chara tried to step in to stand up for Boychuk minutes later, but it seemed like the Senators found the momentum from that fight, and captain Daniel Alfredsson scored two goals in a minute and a half to put Ottawa within one goal late in the third.
Bergeron scored the first goal of the game for the B’s as well as the last, and in between were Brad Marchand, Carter Camper (first NHL goal) and David Krejci.
The Senators on the other hand played a game on Sunday against the Islanders where they took a 5-2 win.
Islanders forward John Tavares picked up the first goal of the game in the first period, but they didn’t hold the lead long into the second.
Both Milan Michalek and Jason Spezza scored their 28th goals of the season and put the Senators up 2-1 with two power play goals.
Storyline: Though these two teams are divisional rivals, Saturday’s game was the first time you really sensed any bad blood between Boston and Ottawa. The Senators currently sit second behind the Bruins--three points behind. However, they have played four more games than Boston, so the three points is a far away three points.
However, with the way the Senators almost came back in the third period on Saturday, it will be interesting to see the backlash from it all.
Not only did the Boychuk hit cause an uproar in Boston, but also the hit on Joe Corvo from Kyle Turris. With no suspension slapped on Turris from Brendan Shanahan, know that the Bruins are going to add a little extra to their physical play.
Players To Watch: Obviously Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek are two players that you need to keep your eyes on. They are constantly moving their feet on the ice, and--as fans saw on Saturday--without Chara on the ice, putting them with Alfredsson and Erik Karlsson, is one of the most dangerous combinations in hockey.
For the Bruins, they should be showcasing some of their news players tonight, with both Nathan Horton and Boychuk out. B’s will welcome back Brian Rolston to Boston and one of the two defensemen the Bruins picked up before the trade deadline yesterday--Greg Zanon or Mike Mottau.
Prediction: This game could be the opportunity the Bruins are looking for to kick start the rest of their season. With 22 games left to go, and not having won back-to-back games since mid-January, a couple hits, a couple goals and a couple new faces could be all they need . Final Score: Bruins 5, Senators 2.
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