No panic for Bruins- they’ve been here before
Nobody said it would be easy. The Bruins are down 0-1 to the Red Wings after an opening game that seemed to be skated on eggshells. It was a tight defensive showdown. The lone goal was scored late in the third period, and it just didn’t feel like this one would be pushed to overtime.
The Bruins didn’t look like a Stanley Cup favorite for the first two periods, although they came out swinging in the third. Remember, there is a long, long road ahead for the B’s- in the first series alone. If everything stays true to form, round one will go seven games and probably end in overtime, just like it has for the last three years.
The post season fireworks started with a dud, but there was no panic coming from the Bruins room after game.
” Eventually it came down to whoever was going to score one goal,” said captain Zdeno Chara. “It was a lot of battle. The goalies were very good, and there were some chances on both sides. Eventually it went for them. It’s going to be an even series.”
Pavel Datsyuk‘s goal with three minutes left in regulation sucked the air right out of the building. This was a defensive duel from start to finish. The Bruins were missing both Chris Kelly and Daniel Paille. No excuses though. They had enough healthy players to win, and they had a goaltender that stopped every Detroit shot but one. They had a defense that was played tighter than shrink wrap. They just couldn’t put the darn puck in the net.
“I think it’s two teams that play pretty solid systems and stick to it,” said Patrick Bergeron. “There wasn’t much on both sides of the ice. We’re going to have to expect that for the rest of the series and find ways to create some offense.”
Detroit was careful not to “poke that B,” and it was plan that worked. The Bruins had just one power play, and it was fruitless. Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard snuffed the Bruins 25 times.
“Just trying to establish myself outside the paint,” Howard said. “They are such a good team, and they are so deep, have so many weapons, I just want to give myself a chance to stop as many pucks as possible.”
The Bruins worked hard to finish with the most points in all of hockey. They are still thinking about how it all ended last year. This is just one game- the first game of what promises to be a hard fought series.
“We know they’re a good team,” said veteran Detroit winger Drew Miller. ” You don’t win the President’s Trophy for not being a good team. We know they are going to come out hungry the next game, and we’ve got to play our best in Game 2.
Next up- an afternoon get together on Easter. The Bruins will need to show up in their Sunday best.
