In the First Half Finale Before the All-Star Break, Bruins Fall Flat Against Ducks, 6-2

In their third and final chance of the regular season, the Bruins (26-18-5) finally solved the Flyers last night in Philadelphia (3-2 win). This evening, Boston returned home to face Anaheim (22-18-7) who had been off and hanging around here since Saturday night. You can guess what happened next since the B's were simply out of gas while the Ducks improved to 10-3-1 since Christmas break with a 6-2 victory.

The final score made it seem much worse than it actually was since Anaheim scored an empty-netter and added another garbage time goal with 32 seconds left in regulation. Still, it was yet another chance that Boston had to reach the .500 mark at TD Garden (11-13-2) but they failed to do so once again. Jonas Gustavsson (14 saves) made the start for Boston, however he was pulled after the first period and transported to Mass General Hospital for further observation with an undisclosed illness. Hopefully it's not the heart condition that marred his earlier NHL career. Tuukka Rask (19 saves) played the final two periods and took the loss.

The B's actually struck first, just 40 seconds into the contest as Zach Trotman scored his first goal of the season. His blast from the point was assisted by David Krejci and former Duck Matt Beleskey. Anaheim tied it less than eight minutes later as Corey Perry was the beneficiary of a giveaway by Trotman behind his own net. David Perron stole the puck and fed Perry for his 20th goal of the season at 7:54. After Patrice Bergeron was called for tripping, the Ducks took a 2-1 lead on Shea Theodore's power play goal at 14:27. His wrist shot through traffic was assisted by Perry and Sami Vatanen.

The second period was what won it for Anaheim as they outscored Boston 2-0 to take a commanding 4-1 advantage into the third. Perron (acquired from Pittsburgh on January 15 in the Carl Hagelin trade) backhanded in a rebound at 11:06. Chris Stewart and Ryan Getzlaf assisted on Perron's sixth goal of the season. The Ducks put it out of reach with a late tally as Kevin Bieksa wired one in from just inside the blue line. Jakob Silfverberg and Ryan Kesler assisted on his second goal of the season.

Boston showed some signs of life early in the final frame as Zdeno Chara wristed a shot past Frederik Andersen (32 saves) at 2:04. Ryan Spooner and Beleskey assisted on the captain's seventh goal of the season. It really could have gotten interesting if the B's had potted another but Torey Krug's shot hit the crossbar and they couldn't convert a power play (they were 0 for 4 on the night). Kesler scored the empty-netter and Santorelli poked a loose puck in to round out the scoring.

Bergeron will be going to Nashville this weekend for the All-Star Game but the rest of the team figure to scatter around the globe since their next game isn't until a week from tonight vs. Toronto (17-21-9) at the Garden (7, NESN). Boston has 33 games left and believe it or not, they currently sit in third in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference. Granted, they are only a point ahead of both the Lightning and Islanders (who have both played fewer games). Other than Washington at the top and Buffalo, Toronto and Columbus at the bottom, the rest of the East is very muddled. That should make for an exciting trade deadline and last few months before the playoffs start in April.

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Bruins Blow Late Lead, Fall 3-2 in Overtime vs. Ducks

With Ottawa getting blown out 5-1 by the Rangers tonight, the Bruins had the perfect opportunity to go back ahead of the Senators if they could just hang on for a 2-1 win vs. Anaheim tonight at TD Garden. Predictably, Boston (36-25-13) gave up the tying goal to Corey Perry with 39 seconds left in regulation when the Ducks (47-22-7) had Frederik Andersen (27 saves) on the bench for an extra skater. Their other superstar Ryan Getzlaf won it with an absolute snipe at 3:09 into overtime. The Senators and Bruins both have 85 points but Ottawa has played one less game.

After a scoreless first period, Anaheim stuck first as Patrick Maroon (great name) made Matt Bartkowski look silly. He blew by him then beat Tuukka Rask (29-19-12; 29 saves) for the 1-0 Ducks lead at 10:18. Clayton Stoner and Sami Vatanen assisted on Maroon's ninth goal of the season. Boston's power play goal helped them tie it up less than three minutes later. Rookie Ryan Spooner shot the puck through Andersen's five-hole for his sixth goal of the season at 13:07. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci (playing for the first time since February 20) had the assists.

Boston's power play struck again 27 seconds into the third period. Andersen left a juicy rebound that Loui Eriksson was able to knock in for his 19th goal of the season. Torey Krug had the primary assist and Krejci picked up his second helper of the evening. Perry's goal was a classic goal-scorer's tally as he parked himself in front of Rask and tipped in Getzlaf's shot. Cam Fowler had the other assist on Perry's 32nd goal of the season.

The Ducks only had two power plays in the entire game but when Zdeno Chara got called for a bogus hooking penalty 38 seconds into overtime, you had to think that Anaheim would end it right there. It's a credit to the B's that they were able to kill off that 4-on-3. Getzlaf's game-winner came off a pretty innocent play as he skated in basically by himself against two Boston defensemen. He uncorked a very hard shot from a few strides inside the blue line that went up and under the crossbar.

Boston is off tomorrow before they host the Rangers (47-19-7) on Saturday afternoon (1, NESN) then they travel to Carolina (27-36-10) on Sunday night (5, NESN). Needless to say, the Bruins can't afford to leave anymore points on the table like they did tonight.

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Insert Applicable Line from "The Mighty Ducks (1-3)" Here

If you missed the game and you just see the score or a few highlights (mostly Anaheim's) at some point tomorrow, you'd think that the Bruins got run over tonight in a 5-2 loss at the Honda Center. The truth is that Boston (28-13-2) played an excellent first period but couldn't score, gave up three power special teams goals and trailed 3-0 before rallying to make it 3-2.

However, from there Anaheim (32-8-5) did what championship teams (or at least ones with those lofty expectations) do: they crushed the B's with two late goals. Oh, the Ducks are now the team with the most points in the NHL (yes even more than Chicago) and they remained unbeaten at home (18-0-2) this entire season. I know they play in the West Coast and a lame market but it's time to start paying attention to this wagon.

The B's were already an underdog before Milan Lucic was a late scratch with the flu. I guess he just can't handle that beautiful California weather. That meant that Boston chose to use seven defensemen rather than the usual six. Turns out, that completely backfired.

Trust me when I say that Jonas Hiller (30 saves) stood on his head in the first period as Boston outshot Anaheim 16-3. His best stop was robbing Brad Marchand with a fantastic glove save. For some reason, the Bruins typically go to sleep in the second period and this night was no different as Mathieu Perreault and Corey Perry scored power play goals (that Tuukka Rask had no chance on) then Andrew Cogliano had a shorthanded goal after a wretched turnover by Reilly Smith manning the point during a Bruins man advantage (can't remember him doing that before).

I'm sure many that had stayed up in frozen New England at that point turned it off and boy did they miss so much! Seriously though, the B's actually made it a game for a while. Daniel Paille scored on a backhander with 16 seconds left in the second, cutting it to 3-1. Justin Florek (1st NHL point) and Gregory Campbell each had assists.

An even more unlikely source provided the second goal for Boston as Dougie Hamilton used screens by Jarome Iginla and Carl Soderberg to beat Hiller at 7:19. Hamilton's fourth goal of the season gave the Bruins hope for approximately 6:04, that is until BU product Nick Bonino scored Anaheim's third power play goal. The Ducks sealed it with another tally from Perreault (3 of his 9 goals this season have come in 2 games vs. Boston).

The middle game of Boston's tour in the Golden State is actually the most winnable: Thursday vs. Kings (26-13-5, 3rd in Pacific Division). Jonathan Quick is back but the Kings are just 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. It sounds like Lucic should be able to play which would be a big help (no pun intended) against a grinding team that plays a similar style to the B's.

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Good thing nobody cares about the NHL in October

For the second time in three games to start the 2009-2010 season, the Boston Bruins submitted a complete clunker.

Last night they went down 6-1 to the Anaheim Ducks at the TD Garden, in a game that the Bruins strangely enough led 1-0 after one period and looked fine.

The B's no-showed against the Caps in the season-opener (4-1), smoked the Hurricanes (7-2; I was there, maybe that's the missing ingredient) and then last night's pathetic display while everyone in New England waited for the Sox game to start.

Marco Sturm put the Bruins (1-2) up 1-0 in the first with a goal from Marc Savard and Dennis Wideman.

Anaheim (1-1-3) popped in three goals in both the second and third periods leaving the Garden quiet and empty by the end of the proceedings.

99-year-old Teemu Selanne started it off with two power-play goals 1:13 apart early in the second period. Corey Perry gave the Ducks a commanding 3-1 lead later in the second.

Evgeny Artyukin and Bobby Ryan put it out of reach and finally Perry notched a short-handed goal that was initially stopped by Bruins goalie Tim Thomas but then bounced off Perry's helmet into the goal. Haha, it was that kind of night.

Backup goalie Tukka Rask deserves a start tomorrow night at the Garden as the Bruins take on the New York Islanders.