Game 27: Bruins 5, Islanders 2

There wasn't really much to this game; it was a gritty, grind-it-out affair that the B's were expected to win, and win they did. I'll try to keep this brief.

The Good

• Brad Marchand Marchand has been a pleasant surprise this year (as has been the play of the entire fourth line, really). The B's resident pest is now tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals with three, and has been providing energy, hustle and grit every time he steps on the ice for the B's. Marchand is emerging (in my opinion) as an early 7th Player Award candidate.
• DiPi! DiPi! If not for the Isles' dreadful team overall, Rick DiPietro would be emerging as a nice story right now. The Massachusetts native has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, and this season is the first time in what seems like a decade that he's been healthy for this long. He played very well last night, making 32 saves and serving as the reason the B's weren't up 4-0 after the first period. His numbers aren't great, but that's to be expected when he's playing behind this borderline-AHL bunch from Long Island. Wouldn't be surprised to see DiPietro get the Masterton nomination from the Islanders. (By the way, the "DiPi!" in the title refers to a time a couple of season ago when the Islanders were decent and they were playing the then-woeful Dave Lewis era Bruins at the Garden. My brother and I were at the game, surrounded by Islanders fans who made the trip, and pretty much every time he made a save, they'd stand up and start chanting "DiPi! DiPi! DiPi!" Needless to say, that game wasn't a ton of fun to be at.)
• Lucic scores again (and again) Milan Lucic is emerging as the B's best player (right now, anyways). Lucic now leads the team is both goals (15) and points (25) and is now tied for seventh in the league in goals scored (with Vancouver's Daniel Sedin). He is skating much better and is much more of a threat out there on the ice now than he was at any point last season, which just goes to show how hobbled he was by that high ankle sprain. Looch looks like he'll be a force to be reckoned with this season, good news for B's fans.

The Bad

• Will someone save the Isles? This is pathetic. One can't help but feel bad for players on the Islanders, as they seem to be playing for an owner who simply doesn't care about winning anymore. It's tough to see a bright young talent like John Tavares toil away in obscurity because the Isles management doesn't seem to care anymore. I think that if not for the team's storied past, they'd be first on the list for relocation right now. Their attendance is brutal, the team isn't looking better any time soon and there are two other pro teams within miles of the Nassau Coliseum. Something's gotta be done, because the team is in utter disrepair.
• The Islanders Yes, again.

The Rest

• Zdeno Chara's kill count reached two last night, as he sent two Islanders limping to the bench in pain after felling them with his ferocious slapshot. The first victim was Radek Martinek, who took a slapper off of the wrist-area. He returned to the game later on. The second victim was Tavares, who looked like he caught the shot in the bicep/elbow area. He didn't return to the game, but according to Katie Strang of Newsday, x-rays were negative. Chara should start collecting the helmets of the players he takes out, Brad Pitt-style.
• The B's are quietly hitting their stride here. I don't think the team has been playing all that well for entire games lately; instead, they've been playing well for a period here or there, then taking another period off. But they're finding ways to win, and that's what counts. The B's are now 4-0-1 in December, and they'll need to keep playing their best to survive the month. Here's a look at the B's upcoming schedule, through the rest of 2010: vs. Philly, @ Buffalo, @ Montreal, vs. Washington, vs. Anaheim, vs. Atlanta, @ Florida, @ Tampa, and @ Atlanta. Only three of those teams (FLA, ANA and BUF) are currently out of playoff position. (And Buffalo and Florida are eighth and ninth in the East, respectively). The rest of this months should show fans what the B's are made of.

Attaboy: Marchand. Providing the spark the B's need throughout the year, and potting a few goals hasn't hurt either.

Providence shuttle: The Islanders' ownership/management. On second thought, don't send them to Providence. They might find a way to run the P-B's into the ground too.