Tuesday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

To steal a phrase...The Bruins are the Blues' biatch when they travel to Missouri.

Blues ---> :142hump: <--- Bruins

Anyway, here we go!

BOSTON BRUINS vs. ST. LOUIS BLUES
Tuesday, November 24, 2003
Savvis Center; St. Louis MO
Game Time: 8:00 p.m. ET

Tonight?s Game
The Bruins visit the Blues tonight in the only game between these teams this season. The Bruins are 11-3-3-3 thus far this season with a 7-2-1-2 road record. The Blues are 12-5-0-1 thus far this season with a 6-1-0-0 home record. The Bruins are 1-0-0-0 this season vs. Central Division opponents and are 8-0-1-9 vs. Western Conference foes. The Blues are playing their first game of the season vs. a Northeast Division opponent tonight and are 2-0-0-0 vs. Eastern Conference foes.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins are 58-37-18-3 lifetime vs. St. Louis with a 442-341 scoring advantage in those 116 games. On the road, the Bruins are 23-24-9-2 lifetime vs. the Blues with a 195-184 scoring edge in those 58 contests. The Bruins are winless in their last four games vs. St. Louis at 0-1-0-3 with their last win over the Blues a 5-1 victory in Boston on Jan. 30, 2001. The Bruins are winless in their last five games in St. Louis at 0-3-0-2 with their last victory in St. Louis a 7-4 win on Oct. 17, 1995.

Recent Bruins Games
The Bruins lost their last game with a 3-2 setback in Philadelphia on Nov. 22. That snapped a streak of 11 straight games for Boston with at least one point, as they went 7-0-1-3 from Oct. 25-Nov. 20. Their previous regulation loss was a 2-0 loss to Carolina on Oct. 23. They have taken points out of 17 of their 20 games overall this season at 11-3-3-3.

The Bruins are unbeaten in their last five home games at 4-0-1-0 and have taken points out of seven of their eight games on home ice this season at 4-1-2-1.

The 3-2 loss in Philadelphia on Nov. 22 also snapped a stretch of ten straight road games with at least a point for Boston, as they went 7-0-1-2 from Oct. 11-Nov. 19.

Recent Blues Games
The Blues snapped a two-game losing stretch with a 2-1 win over Dallas on Nov. 22. That followed a 4-3 loss in Anaheim on Nov. 16 and a 5-4 setback in Phoenix on Nov. 19. The Blues are 6-2-0-0 in their last eight games overall.

Upcoming Bruins Games
The Bruins next return home for a two-game home stand, hosting Nashville on Nov. 28 (12:00 noon) and Phoenix on Nov. 30 (7:00 p.m.)

Upcoming Blues Games
The Blues next travel to Tampa Bay on Nov. 28 before returning to St. Louis for a four-game home stand, hosting Detroit, Los Angeles, Detroit and Nashville.

Bruins Injuries
P. J. Axelsson: Shoulder injury suffered Nov. 20 vs. Washington; day-to-day.

Bruins Recent Transactions
Oct. 23: Sergei Zinovjev recalled from Providence/AHL; Martin Samuelsson and Milan Jurcina assigned to Providence/AHL.
Oct. 30: P. J. Stock loaned to Philadelphia/AHL from Providence/AHL.
Oct. 31: Ted Donato assigned to Providence/AHL.
Nov. 4: Zdenek Kutlak recalled from Providence/AHL.

Bruins Facts

The Bruins have converted ten of their last 26 power play opportunities over their last six games for a 38.5% proficiency in that span.

The Bruins have won 61.3% of their faceoffs over their last seven games with a 260-164 record over that span.

The Bruins will tonight complete the ninth of their 29 season series. They are 1-0-0-0 vs. Anaheim; 1-0-0 vs. Colorado; 1-0-0-0 vs. Columbus; 2-0-0-0 vs. Dallas; 1-0-0-0 vs. Edmonton; 1-0-0-0 vs. Los Angeles; 0-0-1-0 vs. San Jose and 1-0-0-0 vs. Vancouver.

 

[the mugs]

RECENT TRENDS

RECENT TRENDS

RECENT TRENDS
? Bruins are 13-7 ATS in their last 20 overall.
? BOS are 4-0 ATS on two days rest this season.
? BOS rank 4th in league PP% at 25%.
? STL is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 overall.
? Under is 5-0 in STL's last five at home.
? STL is 9-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

 

[the mugs]

Recent Meetings

Recent Meetings

Recent Meetings
Date Home Away Line ATS
12/3/2002 Bos. 0 StL. 4 -0.5,-115/5.5 StL./U (02-03)

1/21/2002 Bos. 3 StL. 4 0,-130/5 StL./O (01-02)
1/19/2002 StL. 2 Bos. 1 0,-170/5 StL./U

2/24/2001 StL. 3 Bos. 2 0,-220/5.5 StL./U (00-01)
1/30/2001 Bos. 5 StL. 1 0,-125/5.5 Bos./O

3/30/2000 Bos. 2 StL. 3 0,190/5 StL./P (99-00)
12/18/1999 StL. 4 Bos. 0 0,-200/5 StL./U

10/10/1998 Bos. 3 StL. 3 -0.5,-130/5.5 StL./O (98-99)

2/5/1998 Bos. 1 StL. 3 -0.5,130/5 StL./U (97-98)
11/13/1997 StL. 4 Bos. 2 -0.5,-145/5 StL./O

 

[the mugs]

Injuries

Injuries

Boston Injuries
Player Pos Injury Status
Jonathan Girard D Hip out for season
P.J. Axelsson LW muscle injury around his collarbone suffered against Washington Thursday night, hoped to miss just one game, but he won't be making the trip to St. Louis.

St. Louis Injuries
Player Pos Injury Status
Matt Walker D Groin Ques Tue
Al MacInnis D Eye Out indefinitely
Christian Laflamme D Foot Out indefinitely
Eric Boguniecki C Shoulder I-R

=====

Edit - Added P.J. Axelsson

 

[the mugs]

Boston Globe 11.25.03

Boston Globe 11.25.03

Killing time is hard work
Bruins aim to shake shorthanded blues

WILMINGTON -- The Bruins take on the Blues in St. Louis tonight and carry in with them the unfortunate distinction of being the worst penalty-killing team in the NHL.

Through roughly a quarter of the season -- 20 games -- Boston has allowed an average of nearly one power-play goal per contest. In 82 times short, the Bruins have surrendered 19 goals, which is only a 76.8 percent success rate. Saturday night in Philadelphia, it was a power-play goal late in the second period that ended up the winner for the Flyers. Coach Mike Sullivan has addressed the situation with his players, and they've been working on special teams during practice.

The next challenge is every bit as daunting as the last one. The Blues are 6-1-0-0 at home and their home power play is ranked No. 4.

"It will come around but there are definitely some things where we've got to be better," said Sullivan. "Critical moments and our awareness sometimes away from the puck is something we can improve on."

Sullivan said it boils down to better decision-making.

"It's scanning the ice, it's figuring out where the biggest threats are and trying to defend against them," he said. "The power-play goal that Philadelphia scored, we left [Tony] Amonte in front of the net. I thought we could've done a better job there. Once again, that goes to our awareness away from the puck and who is the biggest threat.

"We want to be a penalty kill that's a high-pressure unit. We want to force teams to have to make plays in order to get a scoring chance and at the same time, we don't want to be foolish with our aggression so that one pass beats three of us. There's a fine line there between being a high-pressure group and having so much aggression that it ends up becoming a fault."

Mark Recchi is the one who scored the goal, set up by Amonte and Jeremy Roenick.

"Ian Moran went back for the puck," said Sullivan. "He got real good wood on the dump. He wrapped the puck. I think we probably thought there was going to be a loose puck that we could pressure but I don't know if it hit a stanchion or Roenick was able to block it with his body and knock it down. It was tough to tell in the film.

"But he makes a good play and that's a situation where we have to make better decisions away from the puck and be able to defend against the biggest threats."

Right wing Glen Murray has seen a great deal of the Blues over the years -- from his time with the Kings -- and he said they're a formidable squad.

"No question about it, they're good on [defense]," said Murray. "They've got a tough conference. They're great up front, they're big and fast and they play great at home. It's a tough place to play in. Hopefully we can go in there and steal one. They know we're playing well and I think they'll play their best game."

Right wing Marty Lapointe, who saw the Blues regularly during his seasons with Detroit, said the Bruins expect to have their hands full.

"They're a hard-working team and they're tough to play against," he said. "We'll have to be disciplined and make sure we put a lot of pressure on their defense. They've got good scoring with [Keith] Tkachuk and [Doug] Weight. They can put a lot of goals on the board in a short period of time.

"We're going to face a team who compares to Dallas, Colorado, and Detroit. We'll have to be ready.

"It's a big challenge." . . .One of the reasons the Bruins brought in Lapointe was his leadership. The veteran is soft-spoken, but when he speaks up, people listen. Yesterday was an example. The formal part of the workout was over, and it was getting time for players to leave the ice, which they usually do one by one. Rookie Sergei Zinovjev, who has played just one of the last seven games, decided to make an early exit. Lapointe skated over to the door and strongly suggested, with the Russian translation help of massage therapist Andrei Popandoupolo, that Zinovjev remain on the ice and work on his game. Not surprisingly, the youngster stayed. It was reminiscent of a scene in the 1992 playoffs against Montreal, when Rick Bowness was behind the Boston bench. The enigmatic Rosie Ruzicka decided he didn't feel much like practicing so he bolted the ice and headed for the dressing room. Bowness chased Ruzicka into the visitors' dressing room at the Montreal Forum and in no uncertain terms told him to hightail it back to work . . .

=====

The teal practice shirt was the giveaway. Left wing P.J. Axelsson, who has a muscle injury around his collarbone suffered against Washington Thursday night, hoped to miss just one game, but he won't be making the trip to St. Louis. "It's pretty sore still, so I don't want to go out there and get banged up more," said Axelsson. "If I got another hit, it might cost me another couple of weeks or a month." He has yet to have tests, such as an X-ray or MRI, but if it doesn't get better soon, something likely will be done . . .

=====

The Bruins' next game is a Friday matinee against the Nashville Predators at the FleetCenter.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Herald 11.25.03

Boston Herald 11.25.03

B's play best vs. West: Team, fans prefer faster pace

WILMINGTON - It is the nature of life in the National Hockey League that the Bruins could play their ``Biggest Game of the Year'' on one Saturday - and then another one the following Saturday.

And that the games, for all their hype and fascination, could be so totally different.

At one extreme was the entertainment masterpiece produced by the Bruins and Vancouver Canucks 11 days ago, a game of nonstop, end-to-end action, brilliant individual plays and drama. Even if the Bruins hadn't prevailed in overtime, fans would have gone home figuring they'd gotten their money's worth.

It was the kind of game the movers and shakers of the NHL can only dream would take place more frequently.

And then there was Saturday's affair in Philadelphia - a tedious exercise in cautious, smothering defense in which, basically, nothing much happened.

This was the sort of game, alas, that's all too common in the Eastern Conference, where the neutral zone trap is king.

``That's the two different styles,'' said Bruins defenseman Jeff Jillson [news]. ``And what coach (Mike) Sullivan said (yesterday) is that we have the personnel in here who can play either way. Whether it is a Vancouver or a Philly, we have to adapt to what they're going to give us, rather than trying to force anything.''

At their best, the Bruins are a team probably better suited for the more open play of the West. They've certainly fared well against teams from the other conference, taking an interconference record of 8-0-1 into tonight's game in St. Louis against the Blues.

It's an important match for the Bruins, who've delivered three flawed performances in succession against Eastern clubs - an uninspired win, a loss and an OT setback. Perhaps a Western foe is the tonic for whatever ails them.

``I would say the last five, six, seven years, definitely, the Western games have been more exciting games,'' said Bruin Sean O'Donnell. ``I definitely think now the up-tempo game is in the West. The West is more wide open and definitely more fun to watch.

``You look at some of these Eastern games . . . we were just talking about that. I mean, there was a 0-0 game (Sunday between Tampa and Carolina). That's awful hockey. They're no fun to play in and they're no fun to watch.''

O'Donnell spent much of his career with Los Angeles, a team that's generally been fairly offensive. So, too, has San Jose, where Jillson previously played.

``At times, the style between East and West is a little different,'' said Jillson. ``The speed is the same, but it's a different kind of speed in the West - a little more open and north-and-south. In the East, there are the teams that trap and you've got to be careful with the puck. The nice play isn't necessarily there as much as it is in the West.''

Anyone who watched the B's play the Canucks, and then the Flyers, would concur.

``It's a little more open out West, not as defensive,'' said goalie Felix Potvin, an ex-King. ``There's a little more scoring and skating in the West. I'll tell you, though, for a goalie, it's kind of nice in the East.''

Of course, the interests of a goaltender are not necessarily shared by the paying customer - who hopes to see a hockey game in which some hockey is actually played.

 

[ddubs]

I'm playing the B's tonite, mugsy. GO B's!!!!!!

Good luck, bud.

 

[sashi patel]

Thanks for the write-up. I'm looking at the Bruins ML +130.

~Patel

 

[the mugs]

Go get 'em Dubbah & Sashi!

 

[Chenker]

gl Mugsy- Dunham will most likely be back tonight in goal

 

[ND2002HORNS]

Thanks for posting buddy!

HORNS

 

[yak rider]

bruins?

bruins?

mugs thanks for all the posting. did you make a pick? i been a bruin fan since the mid 60's and am always rooting for them, but sometimes i don't see them winning and tonight if i were to bet i would be betting on blues, however i don't bet against the bruins. do you ever make a pick or just do the write ups? thanks

 

[the mugs]

Yakker...I was posting picks early in the season. Started out something like 5-1 before the bottom fell out. I was down almost 16 units on November 3rd...I took almost 3 weeks off - no bets at all - before last week then I posted a couple "dancing with the devil" parlays and hit both recovering almost 7 units back - 6.9 units to be exact.

I haven't posted any plays since. I have coat tailed a couple of the boys here and while I'm still down, it's only 4.5 units now.

As most of the crew knows, Mrs Mugs & I purchased a house and basically tore out the kitchen and now the 2nd bath out and started over. Most of my time goes to putting the house back together again. I proved when you aren't putting in the time, you get killed by the books so my plays are mostly coattails of some of the guys I really respect here. Spend some time here and you will figure out who they are real fast.

I know I'm late but my leans are to the Bolts, Sens & Blues tonight. It's rare for me to bet against the B's but I have done it. You can ask HORNS about it...Pssst, a little secret. The B's haven't won in Ottawa since something like 1995. It kills me to do it and watch the game but in Ottawa, I go against them. I'm not betting against them tonight as I have my black and gold sunglasses on and I'm hoping for a rebound after the Philly game.

I have some painting to do so I'm splitting for the night. Got to have the painting done before I put in a new floor on Friday & Saturday. Get my e-mail addy from MadJack and I will talk B's/NHL with you almost anytime. Everyone is always welcome to post info pertaining to B's games in "my" threads so if you ever get a juicy tidbit, throw it in here...even if it's something about the team they are playing that night. I just try not to get too cluttered as many articles take a while to read and there are other games to cap.

Sorry it's so long winded but I wanted to answer you as best and completely as I could.

BOL with all your picks

Mugsy


P.S. - THANKS DUBBAH