While very much out of a playoff spot, The Boston Bruins have the chance to do something VERY funny.
Just the Facts
- The Time: 6pm ET
- The Place: Centre Bell, Montreal, QC
- Place to Watch: NESN, SportsNet, RDS
- Place to Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub
- An Opposing Viewpoint: Eyes on the Prize
Know Your Enemy
- The Montreal Canadiens have a record of 35-30-9 through 74 games, and 79 points in the standings. That’s good for the 2nd wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, and a very tenuous 8th in the Eastern Conference.
- Nick Suzuki was drafted by the Golden Knights and for that I will never forgive them for effectively gifting our rival a #1 Center. And for what…a Stanley Cup eventually? What a pittance. Anyway Suzuki has 79 points in 74 games and leads the Habs in points.
- Cole Caufield is a stark reminder that it really does not matter how big you are if you’re just good at hockey; he’s got a team-leading 34 goals in 74 games.
- Patrik Laine is still here; and he’s a weapon on the power play…and almost nowhere else. He leads the Habs in power play goals scored, with 15 of his 19 tallies coming on the man-advantage.
- Lane Hutson has been a revelation for the Habs; being a major force multiplier for their offense in the form of 57 assists in 74 games.
- The Goaltending of Montreal is not what it used to be whatsoever; with Sam Montembeault, newcomer Jakub Dobeš, and man forever in waiting Cayden Primeau all being sub-.900 in SV%. Montembeault has the most starts with 54, Dobeš has 13, Primeau has 7.
Game Preview
Okay. So.
The Bruins are playing some real bad hockey, to the point that they have at long last fallen through the hell-basement the Sabres have set up permanent residence in and have become the worst team in the Eastern Conference. This is the goal. If they cannot catch the Blackhawks, Sharks, and Preds…then maybe they can permanently overtake Seattle. As of right now, if the odds held, Boston would have a 9.5% chance at the first overall pick. The Habs meanwhile, have been in that four team dogfight for the final Eastern Conference wildcard spots, and as of right now currently hold the 2nd position. Their many many years of gathering young players and letting them play has at long last found something resembling a step forward.
By all accounts, this should be a major emotional win for the Habs, and give Boston Sports Radio that only engages with the Red Sox/Patriots something to talk about for the next couple of days. You ought to do yourself the favor now and just hurl your radio out of your car as hard and as fast as you can.
However, there is an alternative; the Boston Bruins could win this game.
I know! I know! This team is absolutely awful and plays down to the very bleak standard it sets for itself! It would even be good for the Bruins to the lose this game, as it gives them valuable ability to stay with some of the very worst in the league as they wander the desert looking for hope in the Draft. It should be the right thing to do.
My counterpoint is a very simple one.
It would be funny, though.
The Canadiens are clinging quite precariously to their spot in the Eastern Wildcard; having traded places with the Rangers and Blue Jackets multiple times over the last two weeks. While they’ve put together two very solid wins over the Florida Panthers in the last week or so, they needed those wins badly; they had come off of a gruesome five game losing streak against a number of decent teams…but a lot more that they probably should’ve beaten; namely Philly and the Islanders.
Further, if there is an unambiguous weakpoint of the Habs these days; it’s in net. Both Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobeš are not great, and in any given game; they can make that abundantly clear with the issues in defensive depth that Montreal has otherwise continued to fail to address. Further, while Boston is not a great possession team by any stretch of the imagination; Montreal is quite a bit worse and has been so throughout the season. If there is any team that the Bruins could find a way to break this miserably necessary losing streak against for one night and then go right back to being as bad as they’d ever want to be, not only could it be Montreal, it should be Montreal.
I know that other, better things await us once the playoffs begin and the draft lottery balls are selected. I know that Michael Misa or Jimmy Hagen or Matthew Schaefer or Porter Martone are twinkling in our eyes, but that can wait for one day.
Even with this rivalry as cold as the playing surface, I still see a magnificent chance to make a bunch of Habs’ fans very miserable for a few hours. I think there’s a chance they could win this and scare the living daylights out of Quebecois hockey fandom. If they can’t even beat the Bruins…what does that mean when the games matter?
I think the Bruins should do everything in their power to make that happen for no other reason than it would be hilarious.