The Boston Bruins just set a brand new Stanley Cup playoff record during the first period for the fastest 4 goals: 4:14 to be exact. Well done Marchand, Lucic, Ryder and Ference! Now please, boys – allow this penchant for easily manhandling Vancouver to survive the next 6 hour plane trip.

The previous record was 55 years old! In 1956 Montreal accomplished the feat vs. Detroit in Game 4. It was the 6th final series in a row for the Canadiens and the 3rd for the Red Wings. The Habs went on to win the series 4-1.

Also, when Brad Marchand scored the first goal of the night (his 9th of the playoffs) he broke the standing Bruins’ record for most playoff goals by a rookie. An eventful evening to say the least!

Heck of a blowout in Beantown so far – we’ll see what the 2nd and 3rd periods hold. From where we’re sitting, however, it looks like the Bruins will get their Game 7. We hate being right all the time.

I’m back! Like the bad penny you can’t shake, or the burning pee you may have picked up on shore leave in the Dutch West Indies, I am back. For those of you that noticed, and have been wondering where I am thank you for the concern. All is well; I just had a major tech issue. For those of you that didn’t notice, well, just shut up and read.

OK, so where have I been you ask? For those of you that don’t know, MOL and I are expecting a little girl in February. A girl is good, because our girl’s name we had picked out was Robert Gordon Orr. Worked out good. Anyway, we cleaned out our old office, and it is now the baby’s room. In the transition from the baby’s room, to the back room, I could not get my PC re set up. Everything I tried failed, and then I went to Prague and Paris. Then I got back from Prague and Paris, and I couldn’t get my PC set up…..probably because I thought I was dead. I thought that, because I couldn’t power it on anymore. So, long story short, the cable guy was here Thursday for an unrelated matter, and he must have figured out what was wrong with my PC because I was going to move it this morning to make way for a new PC, and the fucking thing powered right up, connected to the internets, and was all, “hey bud. Let’s party!” Now as MOL paints a rocking chair in the baby’s room, I am back in the saddle again.

Gotta tell, it’s good to be back. First off, Prague and Paris was friggin amazing. Prague was so old and had beautiful people, and architecture everywhere. The food was amazing, and the people were all super nice and spoke English. If you drink beer, go to Prague. They love it over there. Every place we ate at, it was the cheapest beverage on the menu. Oh, and the goulash? Oh my word. It’s like pizza here. Everywhere serves it, but each has a different take on the gravy. Just incredible.

The hockey games were pretty cool too. I mean, the first game sucked for the Bruins, but the second was much better. In the interest of fairness to both fan groups, I am glad they split. It would have really sucked if the Bruins lost both games, or if the Coyotes fans that came even farther than Bruins fans saw their team lose two; it would have been a real bummer. The O2 Arena was a nice big clean place, with excellent site lines. One of the better buildings I have been in for a hockey games, and again, the food was pretty darn good too.

Did I mention I met Milan Lucic? Oh, I will now. Sunday we had a stroke of luck and sat right behind Mr. and Mrs. Lucic. They were super nice people, and I saw Mrs. Lucic in between periods and asked her if she would sign something for Louis, the 9 year old kid with us that was desperate for an autograph. She said, “Mama’s autograph isn’t worth anything. We’ll get Milan to do it.” They told us to stay in our seats when the game ended, and they’d take us over to where the players come out to meet him. I also told her we had named our little girl dog after her son because she’s tough and scrappy, and after laughing for a minute she replied, “Maybe I will tell Milan you named the dog after him. Probably not that it’s a girl!”

When the game ended, we waited for Mila to come out, and Mrs. Lucic introduced me and Louis to him. He was very cordial, and thanked us for coming all the way from Boston for the game. I was blown away. I mean, here this kid is, the third star of the game. The last thing he probably wanted to do is meet two total strangers, but he was super nice, and thanked us for coming. No one on earth quite like a hockey player. After taking a picture with us, we got out of his hair so he could get some family time before getting on a plane back to Boston. To say it made Louis’s trip, is the understatement of the year, and it was pretty darn cool for MOL and I as well!

The next morning we flew to Paris where we stayed for another couple of days. I was fully prepared to hate Paris because of all the horror stories you hear about the French being rude and whatnot, but I was totally blown away. Everyone was incredibly nice to us, and again, it is such an old and beautiful city, it’s hard not to have a good time. The only drawback wads the timing of our visit coincided with the first day of a national strike in protest of raising of the retirement age. We could get around the city via the Metro, but all the museums and things were closed. Kind of a bummer, but our hotel was at the base of the Eiffel Tower so, with a view like that, it’s hard to complain.

Now then, to hockey matters. I have been encouraged by the Bruins start this year. I really like this team, and I think they are going to be superb this year. Around the NHL I have been following the Islanders very closely, and out west, I dig the Blues. Darren Pang is one of the best color guys in the league, and he makes the broadcasts very interesting. Hockey is back, and so is Goonblog!

When last we met, dear reader, I was asking for everyone’s help. Marc Savard was in dire need of a group hug from the Goonblog community, and I think he got it. Ready to move on with the season we gave Savvy his hug and went about our daily business. Well, now it seems you can give Savvy a hug, just make sure you talk quietly and meet him in a dark room. Savvy, it seems, will be out indefinitely after some Post Concussion Syndrome symptoms reared their ugly head before camp. It has to make me think these PCS annoyances are the reason Savard is still even in the black and gold.

I wish Marc Savard a speedy recovery, as I think the Bruins are a better club with him, than without. This injury does open the door for Tyler Seguin to start the season at his natural center position (potentially. He’s been playing wing with Recchasaurus, and Bergeron with success) and it most definitely leaves the door open a crack for Joe Colborne to make the club. I guess it’s a good problem to have when a club has too many young kids that can play ready and waiting when a veteran like Savard goes down eh?

The person I am most excited for, and hoping makes the club, is Brian McGrattan. I called for this signing in my Eastern Conference preview because the division is loaded for bear, and the Bruins should be too. Shawn Thornton has done an admirable job doing the heavy lifting fighting as a light heavy in the heavyweight division for a couple of seasons now. The Bruins are counting on Milan Lucic developing into a power forward that can police the ice when he has too, not being the second tough guy. Put it this way, while Milan is certainly a tough kid, I would prefer he not fight the likes of Colton Orr again. That’s why you sign a guy like McGrattan. I say keep him as the 13th forward, and any time they play in the division, he gets a nod on the 4th line with Gregory Campbell, and Shawn Thornton.

I am looking forward to the pre season tilt at the Garden tonight. I went to the first rookie game, and it was nice to be back in the building. The pre season tilts are always a good time, as I feel like a kid on Christmas with a new toy. Prague is a couple of weeks away, and I got MOL a new digital camera for our anniversary last week, so expect lots of pictures upon my return. Hockey is back!

The NHL free agency period has been open for 11 days now, and there has been some movement by teams looking to get tougher or stay tough that I have found interesting. Sure there are some serious players left unsigned, but I’d rather know where Derek Boogaard is playing over some guy named Kovulchuk any day. This was a big season for UFA tough guys, and so far, I have not been surprised or disappointed by the movement of these tough guys to date. I have been particularly excited by the moves in the Eastern Conference. Let’s take a look at how the rosters are shaping up.

In a nod to recently passed Bob Probert, I think it fitting the Atlantic Division be renamed the Bob Probert Division. Here is the breakdown by team. New additions are bold.

NJ-PL3, David Clarkson
PITT-Eric Godard, Mike Rupp
PHI- Jody Shelley
NYR- Derek Boogaard, Brandon Prust
NYI- Trevor Gillies, Zenon Konopka

Gee whiz – that is a lot of goonery. The Rangers and Islanders already don’t like each other, and those four names up there are not going to help the civility at all. Gillies probably wants a giant piece of the Boogeyman after Boogaard scrambled Trevor’s eggs in his first NHL game way back when Gillies was Anaheim property. I am sure those guys will tangle at least once. I am excited Jody Shelley is staying east too. I enjoyed his work with Columbus back in the day, but couldn’t follow him as much when he was dealt to the Sharks. Same with Derek Boogaard. It’s going to be awesome having him on the East Coast, and with Brandon Prust in New York as well, I will follow them closely. Prust is an exciting, scrappy middleweight that will fight up a division. He and Boston’s Shawn Thornton should match up well should Thornton not want a piece of the Boogeyman. The Islanders were one of my favorite clubs to watch last season on Center Ice, and looking at this division now, I will have them slated night in and night out as my Center Ice team.

One of Bob Probert’s biggest rivals, or at least a guy he fought a lot, was Craig Berube. I have renamed the Northeast Division the Craig Berube Division. Some good tough guys here and a message to Buffalo, and Montreal. Add some toughness. Quick.

OTT- Matt Carkner, Chris Neil
BOS- Shawn Thornton, Jeremy Reich
TOR- Colton Orr, Jay Rosehill

Boston welcomes back Jeremy Reich! The REEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIICHEEEEERRRR! Love it. He brings nice energy and a veteran presence to the dressing room in Providence if he goes down. Colton Orr and Matt Carkner had a well documented rivalry last season that shows no signs of slowing this season. Jay Rosehill had a great tilt with PL3 last season, and is a very big guy. Chris Neil might feel he owes Boston’s Milan Lucic one as well, but after the beating Lucic gave him last year, he may not want to go there. Speaking of Lucic and not wanting to go somewhere, I think he owes Colton Orr one after the fight he had last year. You remember the scarp? It was the one where Don Cherry was in the house and accused Lucic of “quitting.” I think Boston wins the division on team toughness on paper right now, but Toronto has it based on enforcer tough. Colton Orr, in my opinion is the reigning heavyweight champ in the NHL right now. I’m interested to see if anyone can take the belt this season.

The Southeast Division will be renamed the Andre Nazarov Division. They need to get tougher if they want to hang with the true heavies, but have enough experience to win some every now and then.

ATL- Eric Boulton, Ben Eager
CAR- Tim Gleason
TBL- Mitch Fritz

Atlanta should dominate the division physically, as they have been reaping the rewards of the Chicago Blackhawks fire sale and have gotten better, and tougher. Carolina never really has a tough guy on the roster, but Tim Gleason can do the heavy lifting if needed. Mitch Fritz may be the worst skating NHLer ever.

So there’s the Eastern Conference right now. On paper it looks to be a very exciting, and fight filled season. I called Comcast, and not only are they not taking Center Ice deposits right now, they suggested I might want to calm the fuck down. Looking forward to a great season of goonery galore!

It would appear Christmas has come roughly six months early this year for Boston Bruins fans! PC and the Crew (sounds like an early 90’s boy band) swung a lovely deal yesterday sending the poster boy for the Bruins woes, Dennis Wideman, the 15th overall pick this year, and another pick in 2011 to the Florida Panthers for 2003 3rd overall Nathan Horton, and Gregory Campbell. This is a little like trading a bag of cancer for a 19 year old huge hootered blonde that can fry a steak like a Texan. It’s a great trade for both clubs, and ironically enough, probably the first domino to fall in a series of deals for both clubs.

Why is this a great deal for both clubs? Glad you asked. Dennis Wideman needs a change of scenery worse than Whitey Bulger right now. He was consistently booed at home, and was the target of the best heckle I heard all year. A guy over my right shoulder had been screaming “Wideman you suck!” all game against the Rangers. Well, don’t you know, Wides scored the game tying goal, or game winner, I can’t remember. Either way, it was a big goal. As the arena is quieted and play is about to restart the guy screamed, “Wideman! You still suck!” He just couldn’t win for losing, and it affected his play. There were some really big gaffes on his part defensively, and that’s doubly bad because he’s not very good defensively, that cost the Bruins some goals at timely points in games. The guy’s confidence was totally shot, and you could see it in his body language.

I think the change of address will only help Wideman get his game back together. It’s gotta really suck getting constantly booed at home the way he did, and I don’t think he’ll find that in South Florida. I wish him nothing but the best, and I hope he can get his game back together.

What the Bruins got in return has me downright giddy. Nathan Horton is a prototypical Bruin. He’s rough and tumble, and would just as soon god through you, as around you. I have been a big fan of this kid since his arrival in the league, and I don’t buy his reputation as a guy that doesn’t give his all every shift. I have been impressed with him every time I’ve seen him play, and I think some of the alleged attitude issues may stem from the fact that the Panthers are constantly sucky. I’d have a hard time giving it my all every shift if I played for them too. What it really gives the Bruins, is a finisher to play with Savard that can put you in the 4th row if need be to retrieve a puck. Look at the potential first line, and tell me you aren’t as happy as a little girl.
Lucic-Savard-Horton
Really? How eager are opposing defensemen going to be to retrieve a puck when the Bruins start chip and chase with those two bearing down? I love it, and I think it gives them the swagger they need to play their best hockey.

Also coming over in the deal was Gregory Campbell. He’s Colin Campbell’s son, and a grinder that the Bruins need to sign. I hope he’s not a salary dump like the Eaves deal from Carolina last summer because I think he can really helps this club. It sets up a 4th line of:
Campbell-Sobotka-Thornton
Here I am, all giddy again. Thorton fights the heavies, Campbell the lightweights, middles, and light heavies. Lucic fights whoever he wants. It’s a great situation to be in, and the deal also frees Boston up to decide on Johnny Boychuk’s future with the club and Mark Stuart’s future as well. I would hope PC and the Crew could deal Wheeler and Ryder too, as they both found their way onto my shit list this past season too, but I may be asking too much there.

The bottom line is it looks like the Bruins brass is willing to look at themselves in the mirror and realize there is an issue. This deal changes the complexion of the team for the good, and hopefully they don’t totally fuck up the draft on Friday. Also, with free agency looming the week after, they need to keep their focus sharp and not do anything stupid. So far, so good.

One of Goonblog’s biggest fans called me last night, and made an excellent point. To paraphrase, and cut out the profanity, Taz brought up the notion that the NHL GM’s shouldn’t need to come up with a new rule regarding head shots after the Matt Cooke pasting of Marc Savard, they simply need to get the on ice referees to call what they see properly. Cooke’s hit, in my opinion, could have/should have been called for an elbow, with intent to injure tagged on there for good measure. Cooke will not be suspended by the league, and the GM’s now apparently have a headshot rule in place for next season. Well, LA-DE-FRICKIN-DA! What a golden opportunity they squandered to make an example out of something that was clearly the type of hit they are talking about making illegal…..next year. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This is the same league that has a stupid fighting in the last five minutes rule that is only enforced when it’s not Wayne Gretzky sending his guy out, or Gino Malkin doing the dirty work.

Listen, I don’t want to be a homer on this, and to prove it, I will say there is equally no place in the NHL for the hit Michael Ryder administered on Saturday on the Island. We all know I am a big Bruins fan, but the hit Cooke put on Savard Sunday was dirty and totally uncalled for. I am all for “finishing a check”, but when a guy is prone like Savard was, there is no need to hit him like that. It speaks to a lack of respect the players have for one another these days, and it also speaks to the evolution of body checking as a whole.

Body checking used to be a tactic to separate a person form the puck, but now I think it is a predatory thing where players are trying to smash each other when they are vulnerable. I have zero problems with a guy crushing someone with their head down coming out of the zone, but I do take issue with a guy crushing another guy after he’s released a shot, and is prone. It isn’t what body checking is about, and is dangerous.

As far a as lack of response from the Bruins is concerned, I don’t think anyone saw it. I should hope Lucic didn’t, as he was on the ice when it happened, and seemed to go over to Cooke only after he saw Ryder racing in. I would hope the 4th lines would start next Thursday night, and the boys will settle it off the opening faceoff, but who can be sure these days? Either way, I am disappointed in the league for not suspending Cooke, and wish Marc Savard a speedy recovery.

Congratulations Canada, you barely beat America at the game you invented. No, I kid. I saw that on the site, Texts from Last Night. Go there for hilarity. For hockey hilarity, you stay here. Now then, Canada won gold last Sunday in a game I saw maybe 20 seconds of due to a prior engagement. I will say I enjoyed the tournament, as the hockey was up and down in every game, and who will forget Pavol Demitra hitting the cross bar with about 22 seconds left against Canada Friday night? That goes in, and it easily could have been USA and Slovakia for gold in Vancouver.

Naturally, after a game like the gold medal game, the talk turns to will this help the NHL, or not? From my seat in the stands, I prefer NHL hockey over International play because a lot of the cheap shit that went on in the Olympics has to be answered for. I don’t care how inspirational Saku Koivu’s story is, he’s a dirty little fucker and the stick work he deployed during the Olympics would have been dealt with in the NHL. Same with Alexander Semin’s late hit on Dan Boyle. Shifty Euros get smaller and less brave with their sticks in the NHL, and that’s the game I like. Will the tournament help the NHL? Maybe short term. Long term reality of the situation is this. You are either a hockey fan or you aren’t. One exciting game, gold medal or otherwise, will not turn the tide of a niche sport.

Tonight should feature why I love the NHL so much, as the Battle of Ontario rivalry between Toronto, and Ottawa is on again. When we last left our heroes, Goonblog favorite, Matt Carkner, had been beaten soundly by another Goonblog favorite, Colton Orr. Look for these two to get after it again early in tonight’s contest.

I had the privilege of watching Orr soundly beat Boston’s Milan Lucic in person this week. Everyone in the building, including Don Cherry, was on Milan for “giving up” on the fight. Well, what we didn’t know was Orr had broken the big Serbians nose early in the fight, and when they got separated Lucic wanted no more part of sticking the already formidable beak back in there. I can’t say I blame him, as it is my opinion Colton Orr is the best in the business right now. Damn I wish he was still in the black and gold! Glad the NHL is back boys!

If I may borrow a bit of old Charlie Dickens, this weekend was like the beginning of “A tale of Two Cities”, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” I don’t want to get overly dramatic here, but it really was the best and worst of the Boston Bruins on opening weekend. I will start at the worst of times.

On Thursday the Bruins opened against The Washington Capitals. I had friends up from DC for the tilt, and to say they were excited is a gross understatement. You know my Math book? Picture that times ten. So, Ginger, Cindy and I met in Boston around 2 O’clock and went to Porter’s across from the Garden. We had a lot of laughs, and good natured teasing back and forth all day about who was going to win. As other patrons filed in, they joined in, and the fun continued right on into the Garden. Then, after about 10 minutes in, it stopped. At least for me.

The only thing more documented here on Goonblog than my need for a math book when excited, is my ability to always be seated next to, or very near, “That Guy.” It is said, I have even been “That Guy” before, but that is here nor there. Thursday evening was no different as we definitely found “TG” early.

From the second they sat down, I knew we were in trouble. For starters, neither guy could heckle. I pride myself on being able to provide a very well timed (albeit often times inappropriate) heckle, and these guys didn’t have it. They were yelling stupid things at people that weren’t even on the ice for starters, and while they were loud, they were very unfunny. A good heckle needs to give the rest of the people around you a good chuckle I feel, and these guys were making me anything other than chuckley. Furious is more like it. Neither nit wit knew the game either. They spent a good 20 minutes arguing over Blake Wheeler, and if he was a rookie or not. No, no he’s not. Both claimed to play in hockey leagues, which I find slightly more believable than me having to leave MOL because Jenny McCarthy has threatened to kill herself if I didn’t become her man. Anyway, they were awful, and should be ashamed of themselves.

As for the Bruins? Well, they played well for 10 minutes as a group. After that, the only persons that stood out were newcomers Steve Begin (who had better look out for MOL before starting his car. FURIOUS he is wearing 27. She has a thing for Glenn Murray. What can I say?) Derek Morris (whom that guys refused to believe was a New York Ranger) and Patrice Bergeron. Other than that, they played like a group that was not sure about the schedule, and when the regular season actually started. I would like to say as well, the Washington Capitals are no joke. They came out firing on all cylinders. They are dangerous enough when their opponent is playing at their level. When they play a team playing like the Bruins were the other night, you get the 4-1 result. No need to panic Bruins fans.

Saturday, on the other hand, is what Bruins fans should expect from the Boston Bruins this season. When they play the old Lunch pail AC style, they are arguably the toughest team in the NHL to play against. They got on Cam Ward early and often, and gave Carolina no room all night. I was very surprised it took as long as it did for Carolina to fight back, but after seeing the ill advised fight Jay Harrison had with Milan Lucic, and the beating Andrew Alberts took at the hands of Shawn Thornton, I can see why they were reluctant to get physical with Boston. Kudos to Harrison and Alberts for fighting, especially Harrison. Despite being bloodied by Milan Lucic, he landed a couple of very hard right hands himself. The trouble is punching Lucic in the face is probably similar to punching a block of stone.

Shawn Thornton again had a very impressive tilt against Andrew Alberts. After another very good bout against John Erskine Thursday, he laid a beating on former Bruin Andrew Alberts that Alberts won’t soon forget. Or maybe he will after that many shots to the mind eh? I could tell as soon as 22 stepped on the ice, he had no intention of playing hockey. He made a B-Line for Alberts, and made him answer the bell for roughing up Marc Savard at the end of the second. Alberts obliged, and Thornton used his face as a punching bag. This fight was as one sided as could be, as it appeared Alberts really didn’t want to fight Shawn Thornton. I give him props though as the code dictates he needs to answer for the Savard thrashing. As they were being separated, it looked like Alberts said something to the effect of, “you had to do it” to Thornton. I think this is going to be a career year for Shawn Thornton, and I am excited for this Thursday as his former club is in town.

Saturday was the kind of win that brings a club together. Reader Greg made an excellent point about how Saturday’s game was reminiscent of the Dallas tilt last season. That Dallas tilt brought that club together after they beat the Stars in the alley, and on the score board. I think this Saturday’s game was the same thing. I think the rest of the NHL should be wary of the new Lunch pail AC.

In about 11 hours, the hibernation ends. That’s right; the beloved Boston Bruins are skating back onto the ice tonight at 7 PM against the dreaded Washington Capitals. Boston and Washington will both come into tonight’s opener with the weight of huge expectations on their shoulders after both lost out in the second round of the playoffs last season. That is the past; I am in need of the old math book right now, as it’s finally here! Hockey season is FINALLY here!

Tonight should be a dandy. Ginger and Cindy are winging their way in from Washington right now, and I will be meeting them at the Garden at 2ish. MOL will follow at 4ish, then the group will be complete, and the mischief can begin. Two seasons ago, MOL and I visited our Nation’s Capitol and took in a Caps game against Atlanta with Ginger and Cindy. It was a lovely time, except for Ginger spilling a whole giant beer on herself! Tonight will be a night of good natured ribbing, and a great hockey game.

The Capitals have a couple of guys that can go. Gone is Donald Brashear, but Matt Bradley, and John Erskine are still on the roster. Milan Lucic gave Bradley a sound beating two seasons ago right off the opening faceoff as pay back for Washington soundly thrashing the Bruins like 10-1 or something earlier in the week. Lucic has also lost to Erskine, so those two could hook up again. Shawn Thornton has looked more than willing to drop em in the pre season as well, so look for him to get in the mix too. I know I say this a lot, but I am as giddy as a little girl right now! Go Bruins!

It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here! The NHL announced the schedule for the 2009-2010 NHL season last Wednesday, and I for one, am more excited than Chris Nilan walking into the men’s swimsuit section to find the guard off getting a sandwich. I have gone over the schedule, and chosen a couple of games I am the most excited for.

Thursday October 1. Washington Capitals: Opening night. Finally the stupid summer is over.

Saturday October 3. Carolina Hurricanes: Honestly, I am probably more excited for this game than any other on the schedule. I love the fact the Bruins won’t have to wait long to exact revenge on the Hurricanes, and more specifically, Scott Walker. It’s time to answer the bell. Carolina also signed Tom Kostopoulos who was one of the chief punks on the Canadiens last year. He’s one of the dirtiest players in the league in my opinion. This game has the chance to get very ugly.

Saturday October 10. NY Islanders: Our first look at John Tavares in an Islanders uniform. I am interested to see if his skating is “Glen Murray Bad” or if it’s just NHL bad.

Thursday November 5. Montreal. I can’t believe they don’t play these guys until November. I am eagerly awaiting Hal Gill stepping out on the ice to a chorus of boos like he’s never heard before. Oh, and I hate the Canadiens.

Saturday December 5. Toronto Maple Leafs. Speaking of bell answering. Mike Komisarek, it toll for thee. Milan owes you one big time, and I hope he drops you like a bad habit. I am also looking forward to Colton Orr and Shawn Thornton having a go.

Friday January 1. Philadelphia Flyers. This once in a lifetime event is the talk of the town right now. To say this is going to be the toughest ticket to get is the understatement of the year. Season ticket holders are guaranteed the right to buy seats for as many as you own at the Garden (so if you have 2 seats at the Garden, you can buy 2 seats at Fenway) at a price point to be determined later. I would love to get out on the Monster, or up in the Pavilion, and would expect to pay at least $500 for the right to do so. Am I paying that? Hell yes. Don’t tell MOL.

Saturday February 6. Vancouver. The annual game I take my brother too. I hope Darcy Hordichuk plays, and goes completely mental. Oh, the “Baby Faced Enforcer” Shane O’Brien will be in the barn as well. Good times.

Saturday March 27. Calgary. Jay Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf, and Brian McGrattan all in the building at the same time? Are you kidding?! Remember the dudes head at the end of Scanners? That could be me.

Saturday April 10. Carolina. Finishing it off pretty much right where they started. I hope there is a ton of bad blood between these two teams all year, and I’d love to see it boil over at the last home game of the year before the playoffs start.

So, there you have my important dates. If Boston plays the crash and bang style they played most of last season, and no one gets hurt at the Olympics, they should have a shot to be one of the best in the league next season. Fire up the Zamboni, it’s almost time to make ice!