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Coming into the week the Bruins needed an excellent showing to get back into the playoff race with just a few games to go. The week started with a home and home series with the rival Montreal Canadians. After dropping the first game in Montreal 1-0, Boston desperately needed to win the second game to have any chance at the playoffs. With a 3-1 lead going into the 3rd period, it looked as if the Bruins had a chance to keep their slim playoff aspirations alive. In a scene all too familiar to Bruins fans, the Canadians came roaring back in the final period scoring four unanswered goals to put the nail in the coffin on the 06-07 season for the disappointing Bruins. With little to play for on Saturday, Coach Dave Lewis opted to start newly acquired and little used backup Joey Macdonald against the New York Rangers. Macdonald put in a solid performance allowing only one goal on 36 shots, but Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvisit was equal to the task and the game went to the shootout. Michael Nylander scored first for Boston but was matched by Patrice Bergeron. In the third round Jaromir Jagr beat Macdonald, leaving Phil Kessel needing a goal to continue the match. Kessel was stopped and the Rangers left Boston with two much needed points.
Sunday the Bruins traveled to Pittsburgh to meet the red-hot Penguins. Boston, with nothing to play for gave a fully uninspired effort and goalie Tim Thomas was pulled after the first period with Pittsburgh up 3-0. The rest of the game, the Bruins gave an effort that could only be classifies as embarrassing as the Penguins assaulted the net with scoring chances. The fact that the game ended only 5-0 was due to some good stops by Macdonald and some flat out luck on Penguins missed chances.With seven games to play over the next two weeks, the Bruins find themselves yet again playing out the string. At this point there is nothing for the Bruins to do except give some younger players ice time and see if they can contribute next year. Players such as Phil Kessel, Mark Stuart and Matt Lashoff are all players who need to get significant NHL minutes and develop their games. In what is becoming an annual exercise,
Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli will have numerous holes to fill in the offseason, none more glaring than the Bruins lack of a starting goaltender. Tim Thomas makes a capable backup but is clearly not the answer as a starter. The Boston brass will have to decide if Hannu Toivonen is ready to carry the load or if they need to acquire a veteran starter until either Toivonen or Finnish phenom Tuukka Rask is ready to take the reins. After a starting goalie, the Bruins are going to need to add at least one if not two high level defensemen to help Zdeno Chara and reduce the minutes Chara is forced to play every night. With Marc Savard and Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins have a legitimate 1-2 punch at center but need to analyze if any of Brandon Bochenski, Chuck Kobisew or Phil Kessel are ready to join Glen Murray as top level wings. It should be another interesting off-season for the perennially disappointing Bruins as they sorely need to improve in order to reinvigorate a continually apathetic and eroding fan base.
