- Timmy Saves Tim Thomas hasn't had to steal many games for the Bruins this year, and I'm not so sure he "stole" last night's either. However, he was on top of his game, as he has been for about a month now. Thomas has now won his last ten starts in a row, a remarkable personal streak. He's got three shutouts in that span, and his save percentage is 0.946. Timmy's on fire.
- #MyBoyBenny I could tell from the beginning of the game that Benoit Pouliot had a lot of jump last night, and he proved me right with that second period goal. Pouliot was moving his feet and was physically engaged. That wrister he scored on was a thing of beauty, remarkably similar to his shootout-winner in Buffalo.
- Soup for you A great night for Gregory Campbell, including the first goal and a dandy of a fight with Joe Vitale. I've been mildly disappointed with the B's fourth line at times this season, but when they're on, they can wreak havoc on opposing teams. Last night, the grinders were hitting and were very involved, keeping the momentum going for their teammates. Campbell's defense of Thomas was admirable as well.
- Geno! Crosby gets the lion's share of the attention, but Evgeni Malkin is a joy to watch. I've liked him since I first saw him play back in the Turin Olympics, and last night was no exception. A very fun player.
The Bad
- Nastiness Two bits of "I don't like seeing that" from last night: Brad Marchand's slew-foot of Matt Niskanen is something that has no place in the game. It's only going to lead to injuries. I'm glad Marchand fought Niskanen, which to me was a bit of a "mea culpa," but I hope he doesn't do it again. Also, Joe Vitale tainted his fine bout with Gregory Campbell by throwing his last punch, the one that knocked Campbell to the ice (though it was more of a fall by Campbell) with a gloved hand, something reprehensible in hockey fights. Bad move by Vitale.
- Oops Orpik I thought Brooks Orpik, usually one of Pittsburgh's more dependable defensemen, was pretty terrible last night. His awful giveaway led directly to Pouliot's goal, and he wasn't really much of a physical presence either. An off night for Brooks.
- Matt Cooke scoring Come on. Really? It had to be him?
What went right:
- While Tim Thomas made the important saves, the biggest one of the night may have belonged to Dennis Seidenberg. During one of Pittsburgh's 5-on-3's, Steve Sullivan had a puck sliding his way with a wide-open net to shoot at. Seidenberg whipped his stick around and was able to deflect the puck away before Sullivan could get the shot off, saving a sure goal. The B's were up 2-0 at the time, and a goal there would've changed the entire complexion of the game (obviously). The B's PK came up huge in this one, as it's not often a team is forced to kill off two extended 5-on-3's. Seidenberg's stickwork was just one part of those PKs, but it was a big one.
Attaboy: Gregory Campbell. Scored a goal, stuck up for his teammate with a great fight. Good night for Soup.
Providence Shuttle: Matt Cooke. Because he's Matt Cooke.
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