Something's Bruin

[SLY]

 

[SLY]

Bruins set for familiar Game 7 territory - Boston Bruins Blog - ESPN Boston

A season ago they dismissed the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of the quarterfinals in Boston with a dramatic 4-3 win in overtime when Nathan Horton scored the game-winning goal.

Then in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 27 in Boston, Horton did it again, scoring late in the game to give the Bruins a 1-0 win in probably the most exciting game witnessed in Boston in recent history. Both goaltenders, Boston's Tim Thomas and Tampa's Dwayne Roloson, were spectacular. Thomas made 24 saves for the shutout, while Roloson finished with 37 in a penalty-free game.

The Bruins' Game 7 dramatics did not end there.

After a crucial 5-2 win in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Vancouver Canucks on Garden ice, Boston traveled to British Columbia and hoisted the Cup on hostile territory as the Bruins finished an historical season with a 4-0 victory.

Boston has a chance to advance to the semifinals this season if they can repeat that Game 7 magic at home against the Capitals on Wednesday.

"Obviously we have guys who are excited to play in those games," said Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference. "Obviously, I'm glad it's going back [to Boston] and it's been the type of series that's been so close that it deserves a Game 7. It's kind of fitting that either team has not given the other team too much in the way of leads, or being able to hold onto leads. It's been a good hockey series and a Game 7 is well deserved on both sides."

Even if many Bruins fans, and some "experts" (including this one) did not expect this series to go the distance, the players did.

Bring it on.

 

[SLY]

Fuck this shit. I am going to breath life into this board. Even if I only speak to myself.

 

[SLY]

As Unfriendly as Possible - Boston Bruins - Features

BostonBruins.com -- It's not shocking that Saskatchewan-born Garnet Exelby, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound defenseman who doesn't mind dropping his gloves, idolized a Boston Bruin as a boy.


Exelby

But it's somewhat shocking that his favorite player wasn't Cam Neely, Ray Bourque or the like.

"When I was very young -- I’m not sure why because I never ended up being a goalie -- but I remember being a big fan of Andy Moog," joked Exelby.

And while the 30-year-old blueliner, who recently signed a one-year, two-way deal with the B’s, doesn't have too many other connections to the current edition of the Black & Gold (including a distinct lack of bouts against anyone currently in Boston) Exelby is certain that his style of play is suited to the Bruins.

"I think I try to play a pretty solid defensive game," said Exelby. "I definitely have always enjoyed and tried to bring that physical aspect.

"I guess the biggest thing is I try to be as unfriendly as possible to the other team while I’m playing, so I guess a byproduct of that is obviously getting in a scrap every now and then or, at least, having someone chase me around by the end of the game.

"That’s kind of the way it’s gone," he said.

The snarl in Exelby's game (and tone) is exactly why he came to the attention of the Bruins, but it's not the only trait that the defenseman brings to the table.

"Garnet is a big, strong player that I think has that big brother approach to be able to take care of some younger players that he will certainly see if he is in Providence," said Assistant General Manager Don Sweeney. "But he’s also at that stage where he’s like 'I’m going to continue to push forward.'

"He’s played a lot of NHL games, has a lot of NHL experience. And if some of the younger kids aren’t ready to occupy in a six-seven role where you’re bounced in and out of the lineup maybe he can continue to step into that role.

"I think he adds to that competitive internal competition factor."

For his part, Exelby comes into the Bruins organization ready for a return to the NHL.

"I think it’d be a pretty special thing to put on a Bruins jersey and get to play NHL game for the Bruins in that city with that kind of history," said Exelby. "That will be really exciting for me.

"With the team being not far removed from winning a Cup I would find it interesting to be there…and see what, you know, the atmosphere is like around the training camp and the dressing room and just the whole organization."

However, the veteran defenseman said his approach wouldn’t change whether he is wearing Black & Gold in the Dunkin' Donuts Center or the TD Garden.

"I’ve had a lot of great mentors along the way," said Exelby, who explained he'd like to thank those players by "paying it forward" with the youngest Bruins.

"I’m just trying to be a pro like I always take pride in doing whether I’m at the NHL level or the American League level," added Exelby. "Because I’ve been to the NHL for a number of years and played a lot of games there that’s just a valuable thing for younger players to see what a guy that’s kind of been there and back, you know, puts into the game and how he treats it as a privilege and treats it as a professional."

But make no mistake, Exelby, who is already deep into his offseason workouts, plans to make a very strong bid for the NHL Bruins roster.

"Just finding a way to fight my way onto the NHL squad is my number one focus," he said.

 

[SLY]

Augmenting the Pipeline - Boston Bruins - Features

BOSTON -- Despite the B's stated intention to remain out of the free agency sweepstakes that commenced on July 1, the Black & Gold remain on the hunt for players to augment the pipeline.


Sweeney


The free agent signings of forward Christian Hanson and defenseman Garnet Exelby, as well as the re-signing of winger Lane MacDermid were clear signs that the B's look to shore up the system as training camp approaches.

"Well clearly you need to philosophically stick to a homegrown plan," said Assistant General Manager Don Sweeney of Boston's approach. "Drafting and developing players I think is the – is the lifeline of National Hockey League organizations in general.

"And I think that you devote an awful lot of time to identifying these players and obviously going through the development process.

"They’re not finished products when you first draft them," he added.

But obviously no NHL club can simply rely on the draft, and when players like Hanson and Exelby hit the market the B's scouting staff and management go to work.

"You see a need, you go out and try and identify it whether or not a player can grow in and fulfill that role," said Sweeney, who thinks bringing in useful players from the outside is also important.

"I think the internal competition aspect of it is really healthy," said the assistant GM of creating depth at every position. "You bring in some players that have gone through other organizations that played in roles that can come in and challenge the current people or if injuries present themselves that generally means there’s an opportunity and that’s when doors open and people step through them and realize that 'Whoa, okay, this kid can fill that role for us.'"

Given the time of year, it's not exactly certain what role, if any, any player will fulfill for the Boston Bruins during the 2011-12 season, and that's exactly the situation players are looking for - a chance to compete for an NHL job.

However, not everyone will get a chance to wear Black & Gold, and the B's hockey operations staff makes sure that any player who shows up to camp has the right make up.

Oftentimes, it's simply a staffer asking himself whether they can see a potential player as a Bruin.

"I think the fact that we’ve been able to maintain our core and guys that want to be a Bruin is a big factor in this," said Sweeney. "You’ve got players that come up through our ranks and want to graduate to wearing the spoked-B and I think that’s healthy as well.

"They want to push through and develop into the player we see them as and with potential they have.

"That’s ultimately what you have to do," added Sweeney. "You have to push somebody out of a job and nobody’s giving anybody anything."

 

[SLY]

Go Ahead and Ask... - Boston Bruins - Features

Bruins sign Christian Hanson

BostonBruins.com – There is no shortage of times that Christian Hanson has been asked about his father Dave’s famous role as a Hanson brother in the hockey cult classic “Slap Shot.”

But for the younger Hanson, the aura of the Hanson brothers has been a welcome byline attached to his name.


Related: Hanson Brings Versatility to Bruins Forward Corps


“I love it. I love it, honestly I do,” said the forward recently signed by Boston.

“I’ll sit down and talk about it all day and all night. I think it’s the greatest sports movie of all time. You may call me biased but I think you’ll find a couple people who would back that argument up with me.”

Hanson will find more than a few people to back that up – the 1977 flick in which his father dons No. 16 for the Charlestown Chiefs has sparked a following through the years that still has the famed trio drawing more fans.

“I think the Hanson brothers are awesome,” he said. “My dad [Dave Hanson], Steven [Carlson], Jeffrey [Carlson], three great people and I think the movie’s fantastic.

“And to be able to see what they do now – I mean the movie came out in ‘77 - it’s 2012 and they’re still able to go tour around the world and just raise money for charity. They raise millions and millions of dollars for numerous charities.”

In the neighborhood of $12 million, to be exact. In addition to teaming with the Carlsons to raise funds for various causes throughout North America and Europe, Dave Hanson set up the Putting on the Foil Foundation, which works with Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Camp, as a way for him “to chip in to help Paul continue his legacy of helping those children who are dealing with serious illnesses.” And Christian has seen the effects of “Slap Shot” firsthand.

“To be able to see what they do now so far removed from the movie and see the positive impact that it has on the game – I mean they go to rinks now and they have 7-year-old kids come up to them reciting movie lines to them.

“It’s crazy, it’s something that they never thought would happen when they first filmed the movie. But just to see how large it is today is just fantastic.”

But Hanson hasn’t just seen the positive aspects of the sport through the movie’s aftermath – his father spent 10 seasons in professional hockey, reaching the NHL and World Hockey Association.

“My entire life through my father I’ve been around hockey, so even at a young age I’ve had the influence of being around the locker room and growing up with professional athletes and just seeing the way that guys handle themselves.”

In addition to growing up in a hockey family with a father in the pros, the Pittsburgh, PA native has ended up in hockey hotbeds throughout his entire career. From growing up in Pittsburgh, to playing four years of collegiate hockey at the University of Notre Dame, to signing as an undrafted free agent with Toronto, not to mention spending the past season with the Hershey Bears.

“Notre Dame has really turned into a hockey hotbed, and I think you can see their name as a contender for years to come,” said Hanson, who helped the Irish to their first-ever Frozen Four berth in 2008. “And then going up to Toronto - I mean, Toronto is hockey.”

But the versatile Hanson is excited for the opportunity to come to hockey-heavy New England and help out the forward depth in a Bruins organization looking to contend for the Cup every year.

“They’re two years removed from Stanley Cup Champions,” he said. “Year in and year out they’re a contender and they just seem to be a great organization.”

“When I sat down and met with my agent, we wanted to come somewhere where I would have an opportunity to come into camp, to show them what I can put on the table.”

As the 26-year-old readies for his possibilities with the B’s, he’s also carving out his own identity. Though he’s quick to acknowledge that he doesn’t mind having Slap Shot’s Hanson brothers as part of his hockey repertoire.

“It’s great. I truly do love it. Anytime I’m around em’ - the three of them together, they’re a hoot, they’re an absolute riot. You’ll be hard-stricken to find somebody who isn’t a fan of the Hanson brothers.”

Whether it’s the Charlestown Chiefs’ style of play, “old-time hockey” or the Black & Gold’s system in Providence and Boston this season, Christian Hanson has a riot on the ice. It’s the style he knows best.

“The best advice my dad’s ever told me - and it’s one that I still hold true – is ‘If you’re not playing for the love of the game, you’re playing for the wrong reason.’”

“I just truly enjoy the game.”

 

[dboy97]

We need some life on the Bruins board man.

 

[SLY]

2012-2013 Regular Season Schedule/Results - Boston Bruins - Schedule

 

[SLY]

We need some life on the Bruins board man.

Especially now that we lost Beantown.

 

[jerseyjigroe]

We need some life on the Bruins board man.

I could bring some Flyers fans over...

 

[General Lotso]

Nice 2-1 victory over our rivals last night.