Game 36: Thrashers 3, Bruins 2 (SO)

Quick hits

• Andy Brickley harped on it last night during NESN's telecast of the game, but it was good to see the Bruin defenseman jumping up into the play and making smart, aggressive decisions. Everyone from Zdeno Chara down to Steven Kampfer seemed willing to pinch when necessary and lug the puck up ice when necessary, and while it led to the B's getting slightly out of position a couple of times, it also led to a ton of good scoring chances. It's something worth watching as the season progresses, and something the team needs to do more often.
• Where is Nathan Horton? Has anyone seen him? The big winger was supposed to be the pure goal scorer that the B's lacked, but he's been nearly invisible for weeks now. Horton got benched for a large chunk of the third period in the Tampa Bay game, and responded by landing one shot on goal and recording zero points last night. Simply not good enough. For someone who's supposed to be a pure goal scorer, Horton sure had a subpar December: he recorded just six points. I don't think he'll stay slumping forever, but this is the second prolonged slump of the season for a guy who has had his heart and work ethic questioned in the past. Troubling to say the least...
• Good to see a large crowd in Atlanta last night. Surely some of the fans were drawn in by the prospect of pugilism and scrums, but all of the fans were treated to a fantastic hockey game from start to finish. That's two games in a row for the B's that have been filled with fast-paced play and back-and-forth hockey. Considering that both games have been against Southeast Division opponents, and also considering that the Caps call the Southeast home as well, and one could argue that this could be the NHL's most exciting division to watch on a nightly basis.
• I hope Tuukka Rask gets the start tomorrow in Buffalo. Tim Thomas said he was tired after the Tampa Bay game, and Rask hasn't started since the middle of December. Rask played well against Buffalo in last year's playoffs, so I hope Claude Julien gives the youngster the nod on New Year's Day.
• Trying to keep it short today because I'm working on a 2010 highlight/recap piece that I hope to publish later today. Stay tuned, and Happy New Year!