Game 34: Bruins 3, Panthers 2 (SO)

The Good

• Tim Thomas, bailout king Tim Thomas wasn't as stellar as he's been at times this season, but his play was probably the only reason why this game made it to a shootout. The B's were sloppy and careless with the puck, and handed the Panthers a number of glittering scoring chances, including two breakaways and a 3-on-1. Thomas stood tall, allowing just the two goals and stopping all three Panther shooters in the shootout. If he hadn't been there to bail his teammates out, this one likely would have ended as a 4-2 loss.
  
• Who's that speedy Russian kid? That would be Evgeny Dadonov, a rookie who joined the Panthers when Radek Dvorak went on IR. Dadonov, who was Florida's third-round pick in 2007, appeared in his 13th NHL game last night (ninth of this season) and was a thorn in the Bruins' side all night. The speedy 21-year-old didn't record a point, but twice victimized Zdeno Chara along the boards, leading to two Panther odd-man rushes. Dadonov was dangerous with the puck all night, and looks like he'll be a good player for the Panthers; he's already recorded eight points in nine games this year.
• Party like it's '08-09! Yes, the Wheeler-Krejci-Ryder line appears to be clicking again, just as they did in 2008-2009. One of Wheeler, Ryder or Krejci was responsible for every goal the B's scored last night: Krejci got both in regulation, while Wheeler notched the lone goal in the shootout. Ryder had two assists and Wheeler had one, while Krejci led the line with six shots and nearly got himself a hat trick. If this line can continue to produce, the B's will have a pretty fearsome top-six to throw at opposing teams.

The Bad

• Merry Christmas from the Bruins! The B's looked like they were still filled with the holiday spirit last night, showering the Panthers with gifts in the form of turnovers and sloppy plays. Steven Kampfer's turnover was the most egregious, as it led directly to Florida's first goal, but he was hardly alone. Everyone on defense, from Chara down to Kampfer, needs to take better care of the puck. Such turnovers won't go unpunished tonight against a team as offensively-talented as Tampa Bay.
• SHOOT THE PUCK! Someone needs to remind Messrs. Savard and Horton that the only way to score goals in hockey is to actually shoot the puck. Horton still looks hesitant to shoot at times, and while Savard is a top-notch playmaker, he needs to shoot the puck when he gets his chances. Last night, he passed up more than one scoring opportunity by passing the puck instead of shooting it. Can't score if you don't shoot, boys.
• No letter for Wides Really, Pete DeBoer? Wides doesn't even have an "A" on his jersey? Wides' jersey should read "CAABDAT" for "Captain, Alternate Captain, Alternate Captain, Best Defenseman of All-Time." Shameful display from Florida.

The Rest

• This one really was a pretty lucky win for the B's. Had Tim Thomas not played as well as he did or had the Panthers been able to bury their scoring chances, the B's would have lost pretty handily. They need to tighten up defensively tonight against Tampa, or it's going to be a long night.
• I'm not the coach, but I probably would've given Tuukka Rask the start in this game, mainly because I'm assuming both goalies were going to play in one of the two games in Florida. Rask got shelled last time he faced the Lightning, while he shutout the Panthers in his last start against them. I know Thomas is the number-one goalie right now, but I would've put Rask between the pipes for this one.

Attaboy: WKRP Line. These guys are showing signs of rekindling their '08-09 magic, bad news for B's opponents.

Providence shuttle: The lack of "CAABDAT" for Wides. Come on, Florida. Come on.