Game 57 Recap: BRUINS 2 PREDATORS 2 SO LOSS DAMN YOU DAVID LEGWAND

Yup, that's now 4 in a row.  That's a year-long high.  In fact, the Bruins are the only team in the Northeast that hasn't won their last game.  The only other team in the Eastern conference top-8 that lost their last game is the Rangers, and they (Rangers) are 3-5-2 over their last 10.

The Bruins are 5-2-3 in their last 10.  It's not quite freefall, but it's close and I think that's the worst last 10 they've had all season.  This is the midseason slump that tests any team.  This is where the Bruins have the option to stand up and prove that they really are as good as they've been playing most of the season, or to show that they're frauds, this year's 07-08 Ottawa Senators.  The big names they're missing at this point are Ryder, Sturm, and Kobasew.  We really need them back.  Calling up Sobotka and Bitz has been good.  Personally, I'd like to see St. Pierre and more skill players come up so the Bruins can score more goals.  Throwing big bodies around can only go so far.

Speaking of Kobasew, hello to reader Kelly, who I met at an afterparty for a friend's band.

Anyhow, onto the game.  Due to the valentine's day thing and a couple of friends bands playing shows, I couldn't watch the whole game.  But here's what I gathered out of it.

In the first periods, the Bruins extended their scoreless streak to a full 6 periods, from after the first in the San Jose game through the whole devils game and the first period of the game against the predators.  Getting points from western conference teams is kinda important in the eastern conference race.  Looking at the top teams in the west, the Bruins are actually 3rd vs. the west, going 7-4-2.  The two teams doing better vs. the west are the Habs (8-3-1) and the Sabres (8-6-1), in terms of total points for.  

Oh, and David Legwand scores a goal.

0-1.  Whatever.

Second Period, and the first ten minutes have a lot of nashville penalties, giving the Bruins the opportunity to go 0-for-4, bringing their total to...2-for-35?  I think that's actually how bad it's gotten.  Come back soon, everyone.

David "what the hell kind of name is" Legwand puts in a short-hander. 

0-2.  Disgusting.

Luckily, Blake Wheeler knows that the best way to react to being scored on is to turn it around and answer with your own goal.  You have to watch some crap ad because you missed the game first.  Whatever.  David Krejci tries for a one-timer off Sobotka from between the hashmarks, but the blade of his shoddily-constructed stick just falls right off.  The Bruins pay over $400,000 a year for sticks because of things like this.  Blake wheeler picks up the rebound and backhands it over YoungStars teammate Pikka Rinne for the Bruins first goal in 138:31 of play.

1-2.  You now have an argument for that guy who said he still doesn't "believe in" Blake Wheeler, whatever that means.

The rest of the second doesn't show up in the highlights.

In the third, the Preds and Bs were back and forth or maybe they just danced around the neutral zone.  Looks like Boston took two penalties in the first half.

Then the Captain decided that dammit, if nobody else was going to work the front of the net, somebody had to.  Chara in front of your net = goal-time.  With less than 2 minutes to go, Chara ties it up.  He gets checked right afterwards, too.

2-2.  Still a chance.  Let them get a penalty in OT, and let's do this thing.

Hnidy gets a penalty one minute in.  Well, crap.

Shootout time.

Wheeler scores on the first attempt, then a couple of saves and misses later...

Yup, David Legwand scores both shootout goals for the Predators.

Game

Shootout Loss.

Nice tie, guys, now get out there against Carolina on Tuesday and win something.  Dammit.  Don't be so scared of your 40th win.

vs: NSH: 0-0-1

Record: 39-10-8 (L 4)

Away: 20-6-4 (L 4)

L10: 5-2-3

February: 3-2-2

GO BRUINS!