Boston, Patriots, &c.

pudge on 2004-04-18T05:50:28

Sigh. The Boston Bruins have forgotten how to play defense, in their first-round series in the NHL playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens. All they need to do is pick up the open men in their own zone, and this series never would have gotten to a Game 7, let alone a Game 6. Go Bruins. Die Canadiens.

So Monday at 11 a.m., in Boston, the Red Sox will host the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, in the final game of four-game series in the biggest rivalry in baseball. Then the Boston Marathon will take place. Then, at 7 p.m., the Boston Bruins will host the Montreal Canadiens, in the biggest rivalry in hockey. And the NFL Network will spend almost all day showing clips of the New England Patriots. Now this could be a Patriots Day* to remember.

* Patriots Day is a holiday celebrated in Massachusetts and Maine, commemorating The Shot Heard Round The World, on April 19, 1775 (remember your Longfellow -- "Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, on the eighteenth of April in Seventy-five; hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year" -- and note that Revere rode the night before the Shot).

It is celebrated on a Monday, and this year, it happens to take place on the actual Patriots Day. Every Patriots Day, the Red Sox play a morning game followed by the Boston Marathon. If you don't live in the area, or care not for sports, you could celebrate by knocking back a Sam Adams or two.

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The joy of the NHL

ethan on 2004-04-18T08:05:04

I sort of envy you for being able to be part of the NHL festivities. You don't have a lot of TV coverage of NHL games in Germany (and our league, which is in fact covered, is crappy).

As for the Bruins defense, I am not quite up to date with who the bigshort defenders in the NHL are in these days. But Gonchar and Slegr sure used to be one.

Maybe the Bruins should have convinced Ray Bourque to play a little longer (and not go for Colorada!)...maybe until he would be 50. He was still damn good, even when he retired. :-)

Re:The joy of the NHL

pudge on 2004-04-18T14:57:59

Gonchar has been terrible defensively at time (including last night). He's a very good player, but defensively, he's average. Their problem has more to do with team defense than individual efforts though, and everyone has been slacking.

Last night all three goals (not including the two empty-netters) were to blame on the team leaving men open. On the first, O'Donnell's man slid past him and another Bruin picked him up, and instead of looking around for another man to pick up, he stood there looking at the puck. A Canadien skated in behind him and deflected the puck in.

On the second, the puck came from the left of the goal to the right, and the entire Bruins defense turned toward the puck. Koivu skated over to the big empty space, with the Bruins defense facing the other way, and accepted the pass for a one-timer. The third was the same basic thing.

Part of it is just lack of focus and intensity. They need to pick it up.

one thing I don't miss

hfb on 2004-04-18T09:03:33

about living near Mass Ave in Arlington is the damn Patriots Day Parade which starts around 9am with drums and bands. Aside from snarling traffic for hours, marching bands before noon should be illegal. :)

Re:one thing I don't miss

pudge on 2004-04-18T14:58:24

Aside from snarling traffic for hours, marching bands before noon should be illegal. :)

I agree with you there. :-)

Re:one thing I don't miss

ajtaylor on 2004-04-19T02:24:04

I lived on Mass. Ave across from the Post Office in Lexington Center when we first moved to Boston. Man were those bands loud... :-) But it was interesting (the first year) to watch the bands going by from my bedroom window.

Hockey & Holidays

clintp on 2004-04-18T16:26:21

My family lived in the Foxboro/Mansfield area of Mass. for about 5 years after living our whole lives in the Midwest. The whole Patriot's Day thing (along with Blue Laws) managed to hang us up pretty good. "You mean, there's a holday that's just a local thing?" "Whaddya mean the stores are closed?" "Stores don't open till noon on Columbus Day? That's not a real holiday anyway!" After a couple of years we'd adjusted, but still..

As for the Bruins, I feel for ya Pudge. That was an *awful* game to watch. Montreal's not as good as the Bruins are making them look. They're leaving men open and they're getting surprised, as if they're playing in the game but they're really not watching what's going on and have no sense of flow.

I'm just kind of sad that Detroit lost their traditional rival (the Leafs) when the East/West realignment happened. Now we're having to make new rivals with the Avalanche or the Blues, since the Blackhawks won't go anywhere in my lifetime.

My favorite playoff scenario is Detroit in the West and either the Leafs or Bruins in the East, and so I'm right there sharing your pain, man.

Re:Hockey & Holidays

pudge on 2004-04-18T18:57:48

Well, the Bruins rarely have gone several games in a row like this, this year, except for a long stretch in Nov./Dec. They clearly can snap out of it, and if Patriots Day in Boston against the Habs in a Game 7 can't motivate them to, then they really don't deserve to win, I suppose.

How can I forget my Longfellow?

jjohn on 2004-04-19T11:39:51

Oh wait, you're referring to the poet, aren't you?

Damn.

but

jmm on 2004-04-20T13:51:31

There was no joy in beantown, the mighty Bruins had struck out.

During the third period last night, I was sure that Boston was going to win - they were totally dominating the game (even more than Montreal had dominated during the second period). Then Montreal scored and the domination fell apart.

Now tonight I get to see whether Balfour can pull off another one for the Leafs.